Ramsbottom in Bloom 2014

Ramsbottom in bloom

With incredible edible ramsbottom

As we moved into our 4th year we wanted to celebrate RHS’s 50th year by helping our local community to “Grow for Gold”.

A community project led by Incredible Edible Ramsbottom

Last year Incredible Edible Ramsbottom were delighted to receive a level 4 “Thriving” award from the RHS in their “It’s Your Neighbourhood” event.

Ramsbottom in Bloom - 2014

and what a year it’s been……


We continued with our work on the rescue of a 100 year old orchard

The orchard


We repaired the original access paths with help from our local scout group

The orchard


We made some willow arches and held a Wassail - just to help the trees along!

The orchard


The blossom was amazing and so we invited local residents and the public to a “Blossail” party and the children were excited to crown a blossail king & queen

The orchard


It was followed by a good crop of apples and we invited local residents and the public to a party in the orchard to show what had been achieved

The orchard


In addition to our baking we were able to treat our guests to home made cider, elderflower champaign and some excellent honey - all from the orchard!

The orchard


After all the hard work in cutting back the overgrown brambles and weeds we were delighted to see orchids appear this year alongside the pathways

The orchard


After a talk with all the pupils and staff raised beds were made up to teach children that vegetables don't just come from supermarkets

We’ve worked with all the local schools - Hazelhurst


We’ve worked with all the local schools - Hazelhurst

The staff and children also helped us to plant an apple tree


We’ve worked with all the local schools - Peel Brow

New beds were made to help the children (and staff) learn what can be grown in a relatively small

space



We started a gardening club and encouraged and helped the school to become registered as an RHS Training Centre



“strong link between Peel Brow School and the local community is fantastic. Everyone has shown commitment, enthusiasm and skill (even in terrible weather!) to work closely to develop the gardening club. It has been so rewarding to see things that have been sown and grown actually appear on the school dinner table, the French onion soup was delicious!”

Mr D Mellor, Head Teacher

“Starting a gardening club was a daunting prospect, but with the amazing support of Incredible Edibles we have built up a thriving garden, full of vegetables and fruit. Pupils of all ages, from nursery to year 6, come along each week to help plant, weed and of course eat our produce! We have been able to give extra plants away to parents to encourage yet more gardening at home. We are working towards the Royal Horticultural Society School Gardening Awards and have already achieved level 2! I would encourage every school to ‘get gardening’ “

Mrs S Field, Gardening club co-ordinator


“Gardening Club is fun and you learn about different plants and vegetables. We sometimes give the food we grow to the kitchen and it taste’s yummy!”

Emilia Rafferty - Year 3


“Gardening Club is fun and helps us learn about plants and how they grow. I’m sure other people would like to do gardening”

Bethany Swarbrick - Year 5

“Gardening is amazing because they include everyone and make you feel like you’re part of a team. We grow lots of exciting and colourful flowers and plants. After the plants are fully grown we pick them and make delicious stews and soups. We also get to design and make lots of things to decorate the flower beds. We also learn how to look after plants. I love gardening club so much, it is so fun!”

Emma Greenwood - Year 5



Recently we were particularly pleased to hear that

without prompting the children had mentioned their gardening club during an Ofsted visit and it was later noted in their report


We’ve worked with all the local schools - Stubbins

Some of the older children talked with us about food miles and what could be grown at home and later they helped us to plant an apple tree


Our annual Apple Day - Oct 2013

Our annual Apple Day has become a notable day on the Ramsbottom calendar - it’s a well attended fun day for all the family



It’s enjoyed by kids and grown-ups alike and we probably see more apples eaten in a few hours than the town normally sees eaten all week



It also gives us good publicity as it’s usually reported in the local papers



Apart from exposure in the Bury Times and Rossendale Free Press we also had a feature in the Ramsbottom & Tottington press


Tree planting in Nuttall Park - Nov 2013

Guided by Bury’s senior ranger and with help from pupils of both Woodhey & Tottington High schools, the Friends of Nuttall Park and the local Rotary Club we planted over 800 hedgerow fruit trees



It was a cold and wet day but all the young people took care with the whips to follow the rangers instructions



A great time was had by all and it was a sound investment for the future of the park


Ramsbottom Railway Station - Dec 2013

A cold wet evening saw us building 2 raised beds on the local station platform with recycled sleepers - although not much to look at when built …….


Ramsbottom Railway Station - July 2014

the summer months have transformed them into a splash of colour and a welcome attraction for the station users (and the insects!)


Our annual Ramson Day - April 2014

celebrates the wild and Edible plant that Ramsbottom is thought to get its name from


We give away plants and offer tasty cakes and omelettes made

with our Ramsons

Our annual Ramson Day - April 2014


Our Incredible Edible Beer Garden

grows from strength to strength and has proved very popular


Our Incredible Edible Beer Garden

and this year there have been some new arrivals courtesy of our one of our artistic

members


Workshops - run throughout the year

these have proved very popular with subjects ranging from:-

- Grafting- Pruning- Building bird boxes- Mushroom growing (on recycled coffee

grounds)- Dry stone walling


Blooming in the Park

our herb and other beds are a popular addition for residents and the general public to enjoy


Blooming in the Park

a new wild flower patch has been

established


Art in the park

We are really proud of our work in the community and we get a great response from young and old alike. This was an idea to cover up some rusty old gates with children's art


Press coverage

Apart from the article above featured in “Pretty Nostalgic” we have also recently had articles in both “Lancashire Life” and “Lancashire Living” magazines


One of our community edible plots

Our community plots are still growing and the public are getting more used to the idea of picking the produce


Seed and plant swapping has also helped to promote the “grow your own” theme

One of our community edible plots


The Alpine Garden Society - East Lancs Group

A lovely display at the side of our civic hall


Blooming in the Town

We’ve encouraged even more hanging baskets this year with some of them bearing Edible plants



various streets off the main high street have also taken part this year - our hanging baskets are literally “growing”



We’re very proud of our railway station which plays a key part in the town’s popularity with tourists



Whether it be our 1940s weekend, Thomas the Tank or the Santa Special our Station Master Steve and his team are always flying the flag (or in this case the Ramson)



From planters at cross roads to walls of flowers……



at the church and down the high street



it’s not hard to find beautiful flowers which brighten the street scene



householders are playing their part too and have created some lovely gardens in what can be quite small areas…….



a selection from down one street (Crow Lane)











Credits:- Bury MBC- Bury Countryside Ranger Service- Cooperative Group Community Fund- East Lancashire Railway - Ramsbottom Stn- Friends of Nuttall Park- Les Ashworth - Ramsbottom Hanging Baskets- Our local Scouts, Guides, Cubs & Brownies- Our local primary schools - Peel Brow, Hazelhurst, Stubbins- Our local high schools - Tottington High & Woodhey High- Park Farm- Ramsbottom Business Group- Ramsbottom Rotary Club- The Alpine society- The Woodland Trust- The Eagle & Child

and the Residents and Towns people of Ramsbottom

Ramsbottom in Bloom - 2014A community project led by Incredible Edible

Ramsbottom

we’re all growing for Gold together!

Environment

Ramsbottom in Bloom 2014