Winter conservation returns September 12, 2016

Working in the woodland at Martineau Gardens

Working in the woodland at Martineau Gardens

Great  exercise that helps our wildlife!  Our Winter Working Parties have returned. This is a chance to work with others in the woodland at Martineau Gardens, on a range of conservation tasks.

Conservation work includes:

  • Coppicing trees and bushes
  • Digging out roots
  • Pruning hedges
  • Clearing  brambles, ivy etc

Stewart Holmes (Therapeutic Horticulturalist, Martineau Gardens) will be leading the sessions, Brian Perry will join him as the volunteer wildlife recorder. Read a report with more details and photos here:

The sessions run on the second Saturday each month 10.30am until 3.30pm, on the following dates:

2016: 12 November (cancelled due to wet weather), 10 December. 2017: 14 January, 11 February  and 11 March.   

 Please note:

1) If you can only do morning or afternoon—that’s fine

2) In the event of severe weather, work parties will be cancelled

3) If you want to join us, there’s no charge, but please book a place in advance at the Office or call us on 0121 440 7430. We will need your contact details in case the party gets cancelled.



Honey Show 3 & 4 Sept August 31, 2016

Come and visit Martineau Gardens this weekend, Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September for the return of the Birmingham Honey Show. Find out why honey bees need beekeepers to survive and why bees are important to the environment. Enjoy the crafts and produce associated with this traditional craft, all in the setting of a beautiful garden.

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Organised by Birmingham & District Beekeepers Association, Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2016, 10am until 4pm, Free entry. Find out more here.

 



We’ve won an award! July 25, 2016

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We’ve won a Green Flag Community Award, this is not the first  time, nor the second time, but actually our seventh time. Green Flags are awarded by the Keep Britain Tidy environmental charity in recognition of lots of important things that go on within parks and green spaces. Many of these tasks are going on behind the scenes, from managing our biodiversity, keeping wildlife records, welcoming visitors to washing up the cups and keeping our paths accessible. As always, this award is actually a tribute to all the volunteers to give up their spare time to help Martineau Gardens thrive. We couldn’t do it with out you!

Here’s a picture of staff and volunteers celebrating the good news by the new cut flower border – brimming over with cornflowers, clarkia and poppies. Also on display, seasonal produce including rhubarb and orange jam , courgettes, beans, onions and garlic.



As You Like It Fri 5 Aug July 19, 2016

Folksy Theatre returns to Martineau Gardens this Summer with two fabulous productions, ‘The Smartest Giant in Town’ and ‘As You Like It’. Tickets for the Smartest Giant have already sold out, so advance booking for ‘As You Like It’ is recommended.

More details here
SHD poster with MG on



Family MiniBeast Safari Thurs 23 June June 20, 2016

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We’re celebrating National Insect Week with a special event this week. Is your school or nursery closed on Thursday 23 June EU referendum poll day? Escape the election fever for a while and come and enjoy a family minibeast safari at Martineau Gardens. At time of writing, the event is nearly sold out, (though there are slightly more places available on the 1pm session).

Find out more here

Book tickets through this link  for the 1pm session (advance on-line booking only).



Parking for cricket fans Fri 24 June June 1, 2016

Parking for Cricket Fans

Friday 24 June 2016 Cricket:  

Cricket is taking place at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, close to Martineau Gardens on Friday 24 June.  You can park your car in the Martineau Gardens car park (subject to availability) for a fee (please see signs on site), we have space for 24 cars.

Thank you for choosing to park here.

  • Your fee is helping to support a great cause and local charity.
  • Martineau Gardens is a registered charity and a therapeutic community garden. We run education and therapeutic horticulture projects in the Gardens. The Gardens are here for the people of Birmingham to enjoy peace and tranquillity.
  • To find out more about what happens here, visit this page

Your car is parked at your own risk. The gates will be locked or staffed, and staff will be on site throughout the match. If you wish to collect your car, before the end of the match, please phone 0121 440 7430 when you are outside the Gardens and we’ll unlock the gates.

At the end of play, the gates will be open for half an hour. Our staff will need to go home, so if you arrive later than this, you risk your car being locked in until 9.30am tomorrow morning, or an additional £15 charge.

Enjoy the cricket!

 Visitors to the Gardens

If you’re planning to visit Martineau Gardens on Saturday (we’re closed to the public on Sunday), the car park will be full – we’d love you to come and visit but please leave the car at home, (or arrange to be dropped off) and use public transport. Martineau Gardens is well served by buses. The nearest bus routes are  1, 45, 47, 61, 63, X64. To plan your journey by public transport, visit  www.traveline.info  and use the postcode search – Martineau Gardens postcode is B5 7UG. Alternatively, arrive by bike and bring your bike down to our bike rack, close to the Pavilion.

When you arrive, the gates will be loecked, please phone the office on 0121 440 7430 and we will unlock the gates for you.

 



Wildlife Report just in May 23, 2016

Identifying moths before they are released

Brian Perry our volunteer wildlife recorder, popped in with his latest report. Once a week, he tours the Gardens, recording what he sees. The data is logged at Eco Record . The weather today is cool – today’s report is full of sightings of insects.

Butterflies: Red Admiral; Orange-tip; holly blue; speckled wood;

Bees: white-tailed bu,ble bee; tree bumblebee; buff-tailed bumble bee

Ladybirds: the summer meadow (behind the shipwreck play area) is rewarding for sights of ladybirds – today Brian has seen: one seven spot; two 14 spot (yellow and black) ; orange lady bird and several of the non-native harlequin variety.

Spiders: along the track, small spider with a pale green upperside has been spotted – it’s name is cucumber green spider.

Moths and Beetles: Brian and Andrew Curran regularly carry out moth surveys, using a moth trap. you can find out more about moth-trapping here (no moths are harmed during this nocturnal activity). Brian says, “It’s really too cold at nights for moths, but we did have one visitor recorded: the Flame Shoulder Moth – accompanied by two beetles, the may bug (or cock chafer) and a black sexton beetle.”

Red Campion in the Summer Meadow at Martineau Gardens

Red Campion in the Summer Meadow at Martineau Gardens



Spring Event Sun 8 May May 5, 2016

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Just a few days to go until our Spring Event on Sunday 8 May, from 11am until 3pm  -it’s been a week of sun, rain and even a flurry of snow but the Gardens are responding well! Primroses, bluebells, blossom are in full flower – the perfect backdrop for our family friendly green fete.  We’ve got so much planned (live music, craft activities, gardening tips, batik / silk-screen printing displays, delicious food and more!) – click here to read the latest details.

Why not gather family, friends and picnic rugs and come to Martineau Gardens on Sunday, and enjoy Spring.



Food Growing Event Sat 16 April April 15, 2016

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Spring is in the air, we’re sowing seeds, enjoying watching the leafy foliage of the broad bean plants in the veg beds and seeing the first blossom on the fruit trees appearing.

If you’re in need of gardening inspiration, or simply want to enjoy thinking about food growing, then come and join us at our first event of the year, the Big Dig Food Growing Event on Saturday 16 April, 2pm until 4pm – it’s free to enter. Find out the latest event details here.

 

 



Colour and Fragrance in March March 8, 2016

If you’re lucky enough to be walking past the sarcoccoca (pictured above) when the sun is out, the sweet smell is so welcome when outdoor fragrance is few and far between. You can find this evergreen shrub, on the small lawn in between the orchard and the hot house.  Enjoy Virbunum davidii, Viburnum tinus and clusters of pulminaria around the tai chi lawn, further on in the woodland, look out for snowdrops and daffodils. In the woodland garden, highlights include the helibores, primroses and winter aconites.

If you’ve not visited Martineau Gardens before – find out more here .

Photo credits: Roxy Gale, Jean Fletcher and Sarah Hill-Daniel.