Camden Canal Dig next Wednesday and after

[Milli3000]

Hello

I thought I'd open a new topic, so that everyone who might like to join is alerted to this. More details are in the thread "More Camden Possibilities".

Here is the plan:

That's a good plan. Next Wednesday, 28 June, at 7 outside the Inspiral Lounge in Camden.

I cycle up and down the canal every day and have dentified some good spots after the Kentish Town Bridge. I will try and prepare them a bit in advance. Will try and post some pics. So far, things to bring are:

- Gloves
- small shovels/garden utensils
- Small bags of earth or compost
- Lots of wildflower and sunflower seeds or wildflower plants that will grow along side the narrow edges of the canal.

There is also a narrow planter-type construction that is filled with earth and that could take some already-grown flowers and plants, like lavender perhaps and rosemary. Anything that suits a semi-wild natural area like the canal.

We will have to carry everything so best bring it in rucksacks or bags that are easy to carry.

Here is a good place to order wildflower seed mixtures, you can get a big bag for 20 pounds or small ones for ?2.50, they also have conservation/insect focus mixes.

http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/mixture.htm

For all those that can't make Wednesday, Sarah is organising another Canal outing for the week after.

Look forward

S

[Sarah Christie]

Sorry guys... I'm not going to be able to organise a further dig next week, hope that someone else can pick this up and organise something, as there is plenty of canal for at least another evening.

Hope that tomorrow goes well. I look forward to hearing about it here...

S.

[Richard Connor]

looking forward to tonight..ive bought some nasturnium seeds and will try and pick up some compost on the way....

[Milli3000]

Hello

me too! I've found two good sites along the canal, one is a medium raised bed, completely overgrown which will need a lot of work. the other is a narrow bed along a graffitied wall. We definately need some more plants, lavender, sage, rosemary, anything hardy would be good. I've got a couple of pics of the site but looks like the files are a bit large, hm, will try and post. Is anyone else coming?

Sophia

[turfboy]

Hi

Will be there tonight, come rain or shine!

Rolf

[Milli3000]

Great. I've got a couple of lavenders, a couple of sages and various wildflower seeds...see you at 7!

Sophia

[Helsbels]

I've not been online for a while so am totally out of the loop,,,  missed out on this one but very keen to get involved.  how did it go this eve??

[Rosco 17]

Really gutted that I missed it, guys.  Had problems with the 'reply notification' settings, so didn't realize so much has been going on.  But, I'm back in the loop now.
How did it go on Wednesday?
I've got a Russian Vine that needs a good home along the canal.  Plus seed bombs made with wildflower mix and sunflowers.  Anybody free for some digging Wed. 4th June?  I could pull together some more plants by then if we have some takers.

[turfboy]

Hi

I can do Wednesday the 4th. Just tell me where and when to meet!

3 of us went digging last Wednesday, at 2 canal sites. About 6 plants went into a little patch a few bridges east of Camden lock, under a wall mural.

Rolf

[Lorraine Prince]

I couldn't do Wednesday until after 9, but would be free Monday the 2nd or one day the following week. 

I live by the canal between Camden and Caledonian Road, so I'd love to help with this project!

X

[Milli3000]

Hi

I'm free on 4th June for another outing to continue improving the site we started on last Wednesday. It still needs some clearing and more plants! We could meet at 7 outside the INpiral Lounge again.
Will post photos tomorrow.

Best
Sophia

[Rosco 17]

7 at Inspiral on Wed 4th it is.  I am bringing a friend or two, so it sounds like we may have 4 or 5.  I'll try to run by the spot tomorrow for a look.  Anybody have suggestions for plants that we still need?

[Milli3000]

Great, I'll be there. The spot we started work on is a raised bed at the Kentish Town entrance to the Canal. It's heavily overgrown with a couple of bushes that need some cutting back and plenty of weeds. We cleared one area and planted a sage and sowed some wild flowers and Capucine.

Other plants that would be great include anything fairly hardy, perennial and wild-life friendly. There is a rail on one side of the bed, so anything that needs support or is a climber would also fit. I even thought of maybe getting a small berry-bush of some kind.

I should be able to bring -

a geranium and an (smallish) oleander
peppermint and lemon balm
and a couple of margerites or lavenders or so.

S

[Richard Connor]

hiya...this wednesday we'll be meeting up at the inspiral lounge to plant a few more things down by the canal..last week went well and the plants were still there after a few days!!!

7 at the inspiral lounge (camden lock)

everyone welcome!

[Caitlin]

I'll be there and will try to bring a couple of plants. I have my own tools.

See you there! 

[turfboy]

Hi.

Will bring a lavender and thyme on Wednesday.

Rolf.

[Richard Connor]

last night was great! six of us turned up in all and we set to work on our little patch on the canal (just by the steps by kentish town road)...we planted thyme, lavender, sweetpeas, and other things which i cant remember the name of! next week we will be meeting again at 7 by the inspiral lounge...everyone welcome!!!!

[Rosco 17]

Having a nice big group was really good.  The police stopped by to lend their encouragement and warn us about needles.  I've got pics, but can't figure out how to load them up (unless it's through the [img] html tag, which I can't be bothered to remember how to do).

[Caitlin]

Yes it was lovely. Good fun.   It was my first actual group get-together and I really enjoyed myself.

We also planted some miniature chyrsanthemums that are really hardy and shrubby and fill out nicely. They'll have little bright yellow flowers possibly well into autumn.

Several people stopped to chat and ask what we were doing.

About the syringes, it would be handy to know if we can get some sharps containers to maybe deliver them to hospitals or police stations for safe disposal.  The police were really friendly.

[Milli3000]

Yes great fun and could be the beginning of something big!
I'm not cycling along the canal this week and next, as I'm staying with friends and was thinking today: if it does not rain today or tomorrow it would be great if some of the local people could walk by for a quick watering of the newly planted bits...

S

[Rosco 17]

Good call on the watering.  I'll try to do it later today.

[Lorraine Prince]

Hello,

I am so disappointed that I can't make these Wednesdays, as it is so close to where I live in Kings Cross!  I will be free on Wednesday the 18th though, I hope you'll go out again then, or another day that I can make!

It looks like we're getting some rain, but if it's dry tomorrow I will try to pop up there and water them.

Well done everybody!!

Lorraine XXX

[Laura Laker]

I'm a new and keen gardener, will be joining you for your Wednesday gardening at 7pm, thats hoping its still on.

Look forward to meeting you there!

PS- Not sure how many plants I can get my hands on, but I'll do my darned best...

[Richard Connor]

excellent...the more the merrier...and plants are not obligatory, just a pair of hands will suffice!!!

[Caitlin]

I'll come again Wednesday next week.  I'll bring some squirty bottles too.   They're actually recycled washing-up bottles that I've been keeping for something useful.

They'd make very handy portable watering bottles for anyone who's passing their GG site between digs.  A good size for a decent plant watering on a hot day but small and streamlined enough to fit in a rucksack (and they won't leak). 

So I'll bring a few for anyone who wants one.

[Milli3000]

Hello

I'll be there tomorrow (June 10) and will bring a couple of bits and bobs in terms of plants. Has anyone been back to the sight? Plants still there? Neither vandalised nor dried up?

See you tomorrow

Sophia

[Lorraine Prince]

Sounds like a plan for Wednesday 17th then - watering, weeding, litter removal, addition of more stuff?

It'd be useful for those there tomorrow to let us know what follow up the patch will need.

:-)

[turfboy]

Hi.

Sorry I can't make it tomorrow. Trust it goes well.

Rolf

[Richard Connor]

i will be there!!

[Milli3000]

Was great fun returning to the Canal yesterday - we are on to something!

I'm going to post a new message, asking for advice about what kind of plants could go into the shady spot between the shrubs and trees. Also, a woman has answered my old freecycle ad, offering a Hazle Bush (Rich, weren't you discussing something about Hazle yesterday?). I think it's quite a boring plant - what do others think, could the site need it?

Maybe it could go into that other spot, next to the entrance of the Canal, where there's the Clematis. ?

I'll go for a watering tour on Saturday.

S

[Milli3000]

Hello Fellow Camden Gardeners

Just to let you know that I was at Columbia Flower Market yesterday and could not resist the amazing deals on offer ? whole trays of plants for 2,3 pounds! So I got a tray of geraniums and one of lupins and planted them onto our site in Camden. I fear that the lupins will be too much of a temptation for thieves and will probably be nicked ? but well, we?ll see. The cleared bits are now pretty full and we probably don?t need any more plants until we?ve cleared more bits ? which I am all up for next Wednesday. Are people around?

Best

Sophia

PS ? other plants had recovered well from the dry spell last week. Some bits had sadly been vandalised ? someone had dug up the lavender but then strangely left It lying there, I dug it in again. Most of the hollyhocks have been broken off (possibly fell down on their own).

[Caitlin]

One of my neighbours has offered me some marigolds. So if she brings them round by Wednesday, I'll bring them along.

Also, I'll bring binbags and my watering can on a rope.


I've potted up those jasmine cuttings as promised for the nice people at Inspiral. I'll see how they get on for a couple of weeks before bringing them over.

See you Wednesday!

[Lorraine Prince]

What time are people meeting this Wednesday?

Will compost be needed?  I still haven't checked the bottom layer of my wormery, asthe top layer is swarming with fruit flies (eurgh).

Lorraine X

[Caitlin]

By the way, is anyone looking for their small trowel with a white plastic handle?

I found out only yesterday that it somehow ended up with my tools week before last. So I'll be bringing it this Wednesday.

[Rosco 17]

We are on for 7PM again at Inspiral this Wednesday, 18th June.  Might be useful to have a couple more pairs of gloves, as we didn't have enough to go around last week.  Look forward to seeing you all.  There will be the customary post-dig drink at the local pub for all that can make it.

[Caitlin]

I'll be there and as it turns out, yesterday bought a couple of pairs of cotton gardening gloves to have spare. They're on special at Sainsburys for 74p this week.

I'm bringing my watering can and a bucket.

[Richard Connor]

yes i will be there this today as well! im going to buy a few plants after work...7 at the inspiral lounge (camden lock-or down by the canal near kentish town road), everyone welcome!!!!

[Caitlin]

I may be a little late tonight so are you going to the same spot not far from the Constitution?

I have a large-ish mystery plant to bring along and some tools/binbags/watering can etc.

[Milli3000]

Hi Guys

looks like I won't make it tonight, as I'm finally moving. As I said, I planted quite a lot on Sunday, so there is a lot of clearing required before there is space for new plants! Unless they've been nicked of course...
S

[Richard Connor]

ah yes same place as last time...

[Caitlin]

Sorry I can't make it after all. Too much pressure at the moment.

See you next week.

[Richard Connor]

hi cant make it either! had a last minute call from my landlord who ive gotta meet...hope it goes well!

[Caitlin]

Since a few of us couldn't make it on Wednesday, how about thinking of Saturday?

The forecast is for light rain on Saturday but on Sunday it's for heavy rain so the plants could get a good long drink if we get them sorted on Saturday. 

What do people think?    Plus Saturday is Midsummer's Day. Hurrah!

I can meet on Saturday after 5pm.

[looby]

Hello folks - I'm a newbie - I can't make Saturday but would be up for next Wed if you're meeting then, I can bring tools, gloves, etc.  I'll keep checking to see if you're meeting.
Thanks
Lou

[Milli3000]

Hey - passed by the site this morning to do some watering - it looks amazing! Lots of clearing done and a silvery plant added - is that the mystery plant?

Cool.

S

[Rosco 17]

Hi Lou.
We're till planning to meet up on Wed at 7 at Inspiral if you're interested.

[looby]

Ah damn - I only just got this message and haven't brought stuff in to work so won't be able to make it - are you meeting next week at all - I should be able to come then.  Sorry!!

[Rosco 17]

Sorry about that.  Plan on next week, though, we'll be there.

[looby]

Great me too I'll be there - looking forward to it - what do I bring?  Wellies, trowels, seeds/plants/a smile?

[Milli3000]

Hi Ladies and Gents

my cycle routine along the canal is up and running again and I stopped this morning to do some weeding - bindweed is encroaching! I'll do some watering on my way back this evening. A woman stopped this morning exclaiming "Is this guerilla gardening??" and seemed happy that it was.

On a sadder note, I again won't make the group-outing tonight, due to the historic Germany-Turkey encounter, which I plan to witness in all its glory! I'll be there again next week and will bring some turf/earth, I think the plants are suffering from the poor soil. Maybe other people can bring some small bags (you can get 5kg ones) and we can dig it in??

Enjoy tonight!

Sophia