Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Phibsborough Community Garden:

Seasonal Photo Diary for 2009.























At the start of this project the gardening was cold, and the garden a little bit bare.

5th April 2009.
























With a handful of people helping out the gardening is not such a chore. There are plenty of plants contributed, more than enough to keep up with the digging. These lettuces brought by Anne from County Meath did not last long because of the attentions of slugs and snails.

10th April 2009.






















That evening several planks liberated from a skip add an air of mock professionalism to the garden.

10th April 2009






















It obviously worked for on Wednesday 3rd June the garden is visted by three Green Party politicians and local election candidates.
From left to right David Geary, Deirdre De Burca, and Trevor Sargent planting a Sage bush.

3rd June 2009.
























Not all vegetables succummed to pests and eratic weather. This is one of 2 Courgette plants donated by Hedda Dick of Sitric Road Community Composting Garden.

5th July 2009.





















The dry sunny weather in June caused the lettuces to bolt, and the cool wet July encouraged slugs and snails to destroy a score of melon seedlings. Regardless of this the garden is blooming under the gloomy skys.
At this stage the garden is probably at its most orderly, prior to the excessive growth of some plants creating a mixed veg jungle.


5th July 2009






















This Composter was installed during the last week of June. It caused some complaints, although more people chose to make use of it.
The photograph is taken after the composter was lined with chicken wire to deter rats. It is also kept locked, so that it can only be used under supervision on Saturday afternoons.

18th July 2009.




















On a wet saturday the composter was lined with chicken wire and a plum tree donated by Marion was used to screen the composter, which a few people had denounced as an eyesore. The next weekend it was camouflaged with green paint, and the complaints died away.

18th July 2009.




















The Plum Tree has to be replanted, as it is not able to survive beneath the Sycamore Tree, next to the composter.

22nd August 2009.




















The garden volunteers working to plant a new screen in front of the composter, using plants donated by Fitzgerald Nurseries. They were no longer required after being used at a recycling promotion at Smithfield.

22nd August 2009




















This was a very hot day as Ireland emerged from a wet cool summer towards the end of August.

22nd August 2009.





















Many of the donated plants are planted into large plastic plant tubs. After the residents party the next day, these are placed in different streets within the surrounding area. All but 2 were stolen within a week.

22nd August 2009.




















This hedge was planted on Saturday 29th August 2009. During the week there were complaints from Dublin City Parks Department. After meeting Ciara Dowling, from the Blessington Basin Depot, on Friday 4th September, it was decided to move the hedge from this position, to the area in front of the composter. This was due to concerns of visibility of traffic, and to allow the Parks Department access to mow the grass.

5th September 2009.





















The garden is at its peak in September, producing many courgettes.


5th September 2009.







A warm sunny day in early Autumn. Geraniums, Gladioli, Japanese Anemones, Sunflowers, and Indian Daisy’s, can all be seen in bloom. At this point in the season there were numerous moths visiting the garden in the evening. Amongst them were orange under-wings that flittered spectre like from flower to flower in the dusk.


20th September 2009.




















A Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly feeds on a French Marigold.
September was a good month for butterflies at the community garden, because of the sunny weather. They tailed off towards the end of September, but a few were seen in October.


20th September 2009


























The residents’ Halloween Party was held after a bright sunny day, during an evening of rainstorms.


31st October 2009.



Strange Fruit.

31st October 2009.


Under the tree, sheltering from the rainfall.

31st October 2009

























After the deluge, the set sun and moon illuminate the rugged crowns of the rain storm to the east.

31st October 2009.