On 15 and 16 of January, when many were hiding inside from the wintery frost, a team of local volunteers from Bemerton Heath, and project workers from Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Wiltshire Council, idverde, and the F3 Project, came together to install a new community garden in Pinewood Way, for Bemerton residents to grow fresh vegetables for their families.

The sun shone upon us as we built raised beds with sleepers kindly donated by Travis Perkins, and as we filled them with cardboard, manure, and compost generously gifted from Hills Recycling. We will be mostly following a no-dig style of growing food to allow for optimal soil heath, and abundant harvests. The beds are accessible for wheelchair-users, and will be filled with fruits, vegetables, and herbs that the community chooses.

The hard-working idverde team also built a fantastic gazebo area, where seating will be installed, so that all can enjoy the garden throughout the seasons, and in all weathers. Some parents of slightly older children may even be able to relax here whilst their children play in the adjacent play park!

We ended the second day of the build with a well-timed wassail led by Naomi, Woodland Officer for Wiltshire Council, from Zosia, Community Engagement Officer for Salisbury, at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. We gathered local children to bang pots and pans to wake up the new trees from their winter slumber, just around the corner at the Pinewood way planting site. Naomi led a cheery round of wassail songs, whilst children hung bread dipped in apple juice to feed the robins and bless the trees to ensure a good harvest to come. And we finished with an impromptu mini pruning workshop.

This project aims to transform unused grass and green spaces around Bemerton in Salisbury into vibrant, small community gardens, full of organic food that everyone can enjoy. It is hoped that this garden and the Pinewood trees space will be the first of many!

Local residents in Bemerton told us that they wanted a vegetable garden at community events and at Wiltshire Council’s conversations cafes with Adele. After many months of hard work and dedication from the community, planning, fundraising and obtaining various permissions, everything finally came to fruition and success with the installation of the garden.

Great thanks must go to local resident Garion, who developed the original garden plan with Wiltshire Wildlife’s Josh Roger’s, Community Empowerment Officer. To Jo and Lou, (the team at Beautiful Bemerton), and to Peter and Mary, who have worked tirelessly on the project.

The team also came together last Thursday for a seed swap and planting event, where local children planted seeds in eco pots to take home for themselves, and other family members, and to bring back to grow in the new garden beds. They took away saved seeds, and some planted a random variety in the beds in a guerilla gardening style - so it will be fun to see what pops up where! Mixed beds also happen to be beneficial for confusing pests and maintaining wildlife friendly gardening.

The community garden has come about through the support of many partners providing practical and financial assistance, including the Nextdoor Nature lottery funding. Wiltshire Wildlife Trust are championing Nextdoor Nature to bring communities together to help nature – and themselves - flourish in their neighbourhoods. We are providing advice and support to anyone who wants to help nature flourish in their local environments, to help leave a lasting natural legacy to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is privileged and proud to support this community, and this project. We are looking forward to seeing the garden flourish this summer, and to helping more community members learn self-sufficiency, and skills in growing healthy food: that they can take away to feed their families – both from this garden, and from their own or others in future.

We are currently consulting with the community about what food they would like to grow and are looking for volunteers to help with all aspects of growing – so do get in touch if you have some ideas, or are a local resident who’d like to get involved! Contact Zosia on 07821 667144, or email zosiad@wiltshirewildlife.org

Getting outside into the fresh air, enjoying gentle exercise, making new friends, improving mental health and wellbeing, and eating the delicious and nutritious food grown, are just some of the many benefits for those that join the team of volunteers!

Come and help us make Bemerton Beautiful!