Grow Your Own + Open Day at Old Station House

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Grow Your Own is the Abingdon Green Forum focus for quarter 2 of 2024, from April to June. This is the best time of year to get started with growing herbs and vegetables. A stall on the Market place had free veg seedlings. There will be another stall in two weeks time where people can swap plants.

Volunteers were planting the containers and raised beds at the Edible Abingdon Garden at Old Station House today where there was an open day. Volunteers will maintain the plants over the summer.

Many of the residents from Old Station House were enjoying the sunshine and some cakes and tea, while staff showed visitors round parts of Old Station House.

The Edible Abingdon display shows how much can be grown in containers and small gardens and even balconies. They included:

Herbs: Parsley, Chives, Melissa (Lemon Balm), Bay, Lovage, Mint

Vegetables: Mangetout, Beans, Sorrel, Swiss Chard

Fruits: Rhubarb, Currant bushes

Edible Flowers: Marigolds, Pansies, Nasturtiums

Ock Valley Walk Resurfacing work

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After recent floods, the Ock Valley Walk became muddy and uneven. But Abingdon Town Council are on the case. They are using up to £21,000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy (developer funding) to improve the path. They began digging out and levelling the worn path and installing wood edging, staked down at intervals.

The self-binding sand has been unloaded at the far end of the path, which is looked after by the Vale of the White Horse District Council, and a dumper has been brought in to carry the loads. Workpeople are using a tamping machine to level and compact the sand between the wood edging.

After being left to dry and settle, there is a first-class track.

Riverside Cafe on Sunny May Day Morning (+ swallows)

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Under new management (formerly Annie’s), the newly-redecorated Riverside Cafe enjoyed a busy May Day morning thanks to the sunny weather.

Customers went to the café for coffee and cake and to enjoy the sunshine on the riverside patio.

Swallows were giving the customer a spectacular aerobatic display near Abingdon Bridge, some landing to gather stalks to make their nests.

St Ethelwolds Garden – April 2024

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April has brought more floral beauty to St Ethelwold’s Garden. The tulips have been a magnificent display this year, with stunning pink blooms in the bedding around the Peace Pole. An addition by the late volunteer gardener, Simon, – a small path across this bed – has been useful, allowing visitors to easily walk around the pole

While some tulips show the effects of late-April winds and rain, many others remain in full glory.

The wisteria vine near the entrance is a cascade of blossoms as the leaves unfurl. Fruit trees are also blossoming.

The arrival of irises adds another interesting shape and colour to the garden.

On this sunny morning, the dedication of the volunteer gardeners was evident as they worked around the different flower beds. Their efforts were accompanied by a melodious blackbird and robin.

A cabbage white butterfly flitted amongst the wildflowers in the dedicated wildflower bed. Other wildflowers grew on unmowed areas of lawn.

Half a dozen visitors enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, some seated and soaking in the sun’s rays, while others explored the various corners of the garden.