Diary 2023-2024

Growing Redhill: Karen is taking the photo, Debbie is on far right and LaiShan & Chung had to leave early; John & Jill from the Church (far left); and these great guys from East Surrey College on their “Social Responsibility Day”.

They all worked very hard, putting the benches & beds together, clearing and levelling the first area of Mrs Puckle’s Garden. 

Flowers have been planted: periwinkle; crocosmia; hellebores; and hypericums will cover the bank.  Hopefully the wildlife won’t eat them all!! They are on the list of plants that deer don’t like!!  

Here is how the first area looks now. Past the Hall and by the path. Flat and wheelchair friendly.

The new plants are in the bank but looking a bit small. They’ll soon fill up the area and should look great by the end of the summer.

Another layer of woodchips and blending into the bed it will all look great when that is done.

Karen July 2023

The Second Phase of the Project:

On the 28th October we got another group together. Karen, Debbie and Paul from Growing Redhill, Judith; John; Jill and some families from the Church came along to finish the garden areas of “Mrs Puckle’s Garden”.

They all worked very hard putting strawberry plants in the raised beds, creating an herbaceous border to the right of the cleared and covered areas. This included evergreen shrubs that will give autumn colours, spring bulbs and interspersed with perennials.

Hopefully this will give a good splash of colour, all through the summer for the church members, the local dog walkers, and members of the community to enjoy.   

Spring bulbs of daffodils and tulips have been planted to compliment the periwinkle, crocosmia, hellebores and hypericums to cover the bank. 

Another layer of woodchips has been added, so that the flat area, and the slope have been blended. So, it should all look great next summer.

We found some dead branches and laid them down the righthand side to start a “Dead Hedge”, to create a more natural edging of the grass area. The church party will add to this as they have the materials.

Karen invited Surrey Wildlife and had a visit from them. They were very intrigued by the whole of the site. They sent a report, with some recommendations to include bird houses & feeders, insect houses, dead hedges and putting up cameras to capture the wildlife that live in the area. They also advised that they have a scheme to lend out cameras to groups for this.

We will have a visit in March 2024 to see how the beds are filling up and to take some more photographs.

We will be happy to help with any specific jobs that the church wants done but we will now let them carry the project on themselves.

We wish them all the best.

Karen December 2023

If you remember I got a Grant from NGS to help St Katharine’s Church to create a garden for the church members and the community, to enjoy the lovely countryside behind their “Reading Room”.  It was great to receive the plaque and the recognition. 

Karen July 2024