LATEST NEWS // Join round two of the Forest Gate Community Garden Organic Gardening Course – starts 22 April 2015

Our first Organic Gardening Course has gone so well, we've gone and organised a second one, running for 10 weeks from 22 April 2015 – this time on Wednesday evenings between 7-9pm. Read on for more details on the course and how to enrol

FGCG Organic Gardening Course tutor Stephen Mason on site (centre) in the Forest Gate Community
Garden following our Members event in September 2014

Only one more week left of the very first Forest Gate Community Garden Organic Gardening Course with tutor Stephen Mason, just in time to get out into the garden for a bit of spring sowing, planting and last minute propagating!

Those of us lucky enough to be on the first course have learnt so much – more than we thought possible in just 2 hours each week – including how to have healthy soil, all about shrubs, flowers, trees, and seeds and great tips on water conservation, organic pest control and keeping your tools shipshape. Can't wait to put all our newfound knowledge into action in our own personal gardens and the forthcoming community garden at 136 Earlham Grove.

Don't worry if you missed the course this time round, as we're running a second 10-week class at the Learning Zone from 22 April – this time it's on a Wednesday evening between 7pm and 10pm. You can enrol from 15 April and it costs just £60 for 10 weeks (concession rates apply).

ABOUT THE COURSE // HOW TO ENROL

Run in partnership with Newham Adult Learning Service and tutored by renowned local organic gardener Stephen Mason of Greenspace Management – who has a distinguished community garden record – it runs for 10 weeks from Wednesday 22 April 2015. Sessions take place between 7-9pm each week and are held at the Forest Gate Learning Zone (1 Woodford Road, London, E7 0DH; 5 minutes walk from Forest Gate Station; opposite Wanstead Park Station).

The full cost of the course is £60 for those in employment but there are concessions for the retired and those on benefits, with evidence (see page 2 of the Newham Adult Learning Lifelong Learning 2014-2015 brochure). In order to qualify you need to enrol at Forest Gate Learning Zone on 15 April (10am-7pm), 16 April (10am-7pm) and 17 April at (10am-4pm).

Read on for a detailed account of our syllabus. It is designed to be flexible to meet participants needs and interests and to be of value to experienced as well as new gardeners. Hope to see you there!

Course Students Learn in the Garden

Trees and shrubs were the topic for Week 8 of the garden course. Wearing our stoutest shoes, 13 of us used the garden site as an outdoor classroom. As usual Stephen, the tutor, was a mine of information about everything we saw. He pointed out key plants, including a small silver birch which we need to conserve, several shrubs which must have survived from the time when it was a cultivated garden, and the lovely elder which we will produce flowers and berries for wine and jam. As we worked, a beautiful healthy fox strolled confidently past us in the sunshine. A great experience.
The next course starts on Wednesday April 22nd at 7pm at the Learning Zone. Enrol in the previous week on April 15th, 16th or 17th.
Now, where's that homework on trees and shrubs.....?