May in Full Flower and Growing Fast

Blossom, Scent and the First Rush of Growth

May has arrived in a glorious rush. The garden is brimming with apple blossom, delicate hawthorn flowers adding a soft brightness, and fresh fern fronds unfurling like green scrolls. The wisteria has truly stolen the show this year—its cascading blue racemes draped around the weather station, filling the air with that unmistakable, honeyed scent. It’s a moment to pause and take it all in, because this early burst of abundance is one of the great joys of the gardening year.

A Blooming Success: Our Cut Flower Launch

We’ve been delighted—genuinely overwhelmed—by the response to our newly launched cut flower service. Thank you to everyone who has supported it so enthusiastically. It’s a real testament to the appetite for locally grown, seasonal flowers and to the community spirit that keeps this project thriving.

As the tulips begin to fade, we’re lifting the bulbs (a crucial step if you want reliable displays next year—let the foliage die back naturally first so the bulbs can recharge). In their place, Rachel and Alvin have been hard at work planting out the dahlias. This has been a real team effort: staking, enriching the soil with organic matter, and ensuring good drainage—because dahlias hate sitting wet. With the right preparation, they’ll reward us with months of colour right through to the first frosts.

Pick-Your-Own Flowers & Growing at Home

From June, you’ll be able to join us for monthly Saturday pick-your-own sessions, or pop in during the week to gather a bunch. We’ll also be running monthly cut flower workshops—details are on the website—and these are a great way to learn how to condition, arrange, and get the most from your blooms.

For those inspired to start their own patch, we’re offering a six-plant perennial mix—perfect for a home cut flower garden. Varieties include strawflower (brilliant for drying), cosmos (cut-and-come-again champions), snapdragons, cress ‘Emerald Beads’, lace flower, scabious, Chinese forget-me-nots, larkspur and more. A simple tip: keep picking regularly and you’ll encourage more flowers—nature’s version of positive reinforcement.

Veg Patch Progress: Beans Climbing and Asparagus Feasting

Around the garden, structures are going up everywhere—supports for flowers, wigwams for beans. The runner beans and borlotti are already in, and we’re just waiting for a bit more warmth before planting the green beans. If you’re growing your own, remember beans are hungry plants—enrich the soil well and keep them consistently watered once they start climbing.

We’ve also been enjoying the spoils of the asparagus bed. There’s nothing quite like it fresh from the garden—sweet, tender, and miles away from shop-bought. The key with asparagus is restraint: harvest lightly for the first couple of years to build strong crowns, and always stop cutting by early summer so the plants can recover and store energy for next year.

Under Cover: Melons, Cucumbers and Microclimates

In the polytunnel, we’ve planted four melon plants, tucked inside a mini greenhouse for an extra boost of warmth. Melons are a bit of a luxury crop in the UK, and this added heat helps ensure each plant can ripen its single, precious fruit. Think of it as creating a microclimate within a microclimate.

Cucumbers—far more generous by nature—will be going in next week. They thrive in warmth and humidity, so regular watering (at the base, not the leaves) and good ventilation are key to avoiding mildew.

Dry Days Already: Watering and Mulching Matters

One of the big stories this spring has been the lack of rain, with a third less than average falling in England during April. It’s remarkably dry for this early in the season, so we’re already keeping a close eye on watering. A really effective way to conserve moisture is mulching—adding a layer of compost, well-rotted manure, or even grass clippings or straw around plants. It locks in moisture, suppresses weeds, and gradually feeds the soil. If you do one thing this month, make it mulch.

Beyond the Beds: Creativity and Community

The garden is only part of the story. Recently, a group of our members—several of them keen model makers—enjoyed a spring outing to the Hornby Visitor Centre, which proved a real treat.

Back at the project space, creativity continues in all forms. Our resident "Warhammer 40K" enthusiast has been assembling and meticulously painting an impressive horde of figures—patience and precision in action. Meanwhile, in the ever-inspiring art cabin, Laura and others have been experimenting with straw-blown painting, producing vivid, energetic works inspired by a recently donated piece. There’s always something new unfolding here.

Join Us: Spring Open Day – 9th May

Our Spring Open Day is next Saturday, 9th May from 1-4 pm, and we’d love you to join us. There’ll be refreshments, cake, and pizza, along with plants and crafts for sale. More than anything, it’s a chance to wander the garden at its freshest—full of new growth, colour, and promise.

In the meantime—happy gardening, and don't forget to stop and enjoy the moment!