Urban Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (URBOAs) Engagement Project by Sarah Davis

11% of Surrey's native species have vanished in recent decades and despite being a rural county our biodiversity loss rate is higher than the national average - but we have a plan to reverse the loss...

We are excited that some of our garden volunteers are also members of Zero Carbon Guildford and are actively involved in a new urban greening project. The volunteers are utilising Polytunnel 2 to grow plants to make up a "Living Wall" for the “Guildford Goes Wild” event on Saturday 15th July, in and around Zero, GU1 4EH - the first part of the (URBOAs) project.

We aim to reconnect Surrey's habitats by creating biodiversity corridors across Surrey's urban areas, using strategically mapped Urban Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (URBOAs) as mapped by Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT). Working with SWT, SCC, and delivery partners such as Global Centre for Clean Air Research, we will support green-blue infrastructure interventions across town centres, as well as wildlife-friendly activities in residential gardens.

There will be a Living Wall display, in which our garden plants will be housed in recycled pallets. We will be alongside many other stalls including Guildford Environmental Forum, Surrey Wildlife Trust, and the Royal Horticultural Society to name a few. We look forward to bringing many other projects from the wider community into the garden in the future » MORE INFO ABOUT GUILDFORD GOES WILD ON THE 15TH JULY

🗓️ JULY EVENTS AT THE GARDEN

🌱Cobbing The Hub, Sunday 9th July, 12.00 pm to 4.00 pm - FREE event, drop in, all welcome

📝GARDEN NEWS FROM CLARE

After the hottest June comes some well-deserved rain showers, that have perked up the parched beds and filled our reservoirs. Thanks to the volunteers, we’ve had a rota to water and check our new plants through the hot spell and going forward.

Our fruit-cage netting is unfortunately degrading and creating holes for the blackbirds to get in, so it’s time to renew the top net, and prompted us to extend the cage over the vines and berries to protect the precious fruit. We’ll be getting a work-party together to do this - tbc.

Rob Stringer has agreed to make our new gate (similar to the old one in design but with some hurdle panels and a lovely sign by Lorna Bannister).

We have an amazing crop of blackcurrants ready to pick, and the blueberries are looking very plump.

We’ve been very lucky to have Kate and Paula volunteering at the garden as part of their research into soil biology. Kate has been working hard making amazing composts for us, using layers of manure, woodchips and green/brown garden waste. The results have been fantastic - Paula has confirmed they are perfectly balanced in funghi and bacteria, and they are ready to use in 6 months!

They are doing soil studies in the fruit cage and grapevines, and Paula has offered to give a talk about soil health and the studies at Rosamund, so watch this space for a date.

Galliford Try came back for another cob day at the garden and got creative with diamond-shaped windows and installing a bug hotel into the cob (Helen’s great idea) which is going to be really lovely. They’ll be back in September, and in the meantime, we’ll be doing ad hoc cobbing days when we can. We’re getting there!

This month we’ve entered the garden for some awards:

- Guildford in Bloom - wildlife garden category
- Surrey Wildlife Trust - Community Champions award
- Nespresso - community group project funding.

Thanks to Ann, Helen, Clare, Annelize and Sarah for their applications and time.

📰UPDATES & BLOGS FROM COMMUNITY PROJECTS

🦋An Enchanting Moth Morning

CLICK TO READ

🌊Pond News via Margaret

While the pond is doing well (despite the drought lately), we’ve had to rethink the planting around the margins. The clay-rich soil type bakes hard in the sun and won’t suit bog plants, so Margaret’s making a list of more suitable plants for the autumn planting and will plant the others in the pond itself.

☀️Rosamund Solstice Celebration by Julie G

CLICK TO READ

🐝”What’s Happening with the Bees at the Bottom of the Garden?” by Peter Smith

CLICK TO READ

🕐JULY JOBS AT THE GARDEN

• Weeding the fruit-cage (cut and drop method)

• Sowing salads and beetroot

• Watering the poly-tunnels

• Clearing/strimming around the fruit-trees

• mowing/strimming the paths

• Picking the blackcurrants

AND FINALLY🔚

This Sunday, 9th July, is Burpham Wellfest, Guildford. AnneLize and Jane will be there, so keep an eye out for us with our Rosamund Community Garden posters and info » FREE TICKETS 

Happy July Gardening!

🌳GARDEN VOLUNTEER GROUP SESSIONS

We have regular groups on Tuesday and Sunday from 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm and Friday 10.00 am - 12.00 pm so if you want to come and garden together, just turn up. If you are in our WhatsApp group, please also use this to check if people are in the garden for a session.

💰MEMBERSHIP 

The Rosamund Community Garden (RCG) shares a membership system with Guildford Environmental Forum (GEF) for joining info please email [email protected]

previous update