Edible Askew Road

In an inaugural posting here's Bush Blog Editor Simon Grange on a greening of Askew Road...

Yesterday I saw a flyer in a shop window, posted by an organisation called Hammersmith Community Gardens, for an event called “Edible Askew Road” taking place this year between May 18th – June 9th.

I quote from their website:

“This year, as part of the Chelsea Fringe Festival, we want to create a river of fruit trees along the Askew Road – underplanted with flowers and herbs to encourage our native pollinators – bees and butterflies. Encouraging everyone to appreciate the value of locally produced food and helping insects, the trees will also help to beautify Askew Road. Hammersmith Community Gardens Association (HCGA) invites shops, cafes, restaurants, businesses, estate agents and pubs in the Askew Road to sponsor a fruit tree outside their premises”

Now doesn’t that sound like an initiative worth supporting? I had never heard of Hammersmith Community Gardens, but they sound like a very worthwhile organisation.

They are “a local environmental charity which manages two community gardens sites at Loris Road W6 and Godolphin Road W12 and the glasshouses at Ravenscourt Park. HCGA is also a partner organisation managing the Phoenix School Farm and Learning Zone in White City.

The gardens are used as an educational resource by local schools, a site for volunteer gardening groups and in the holidays there are environmental play schemes. As well as creating space for people the sites have also been designed to encourage wildlife. …

HCGA has a team of school gardeners who deliver environmental education sessions in schools on a weekly basis. These include formal curriculum-linked activities as well as lunchtime and after school clubs. We can also guide groups on how to make their premises more environmentally friendly and give technical growing advice.Have a look at their website here . Anybody who is interested in “greenifying” our urban patch gets a “thumbs up” from me!