Martineau Gardens will be on national TV this Saturday!

Tune in to a short piece on ‘The National Lottery: Secret Fortune’ which starts at 8pm on BBC1, on Saturday 10^th September. OPAL (the Open Air Laboratories Project) selected Martineau Gardens to be the venue for the promotional film to support its bid for the finals of the National Lottery Good Causes in the Best Environment project category. The film is short – just over two minutes long, but it’s a chance for you to see scientists and children exploring the environment, together, in our beautiful gardens. A great example of the educational work that goes on here.

We’re delighted to announce that Martineau Gardens has been awarded a Green Flag Community Award for a second consecutive year.

The Green Flag Award Scheme has given Martineau Gardens  a ‘thumbs-up’ ,  in recognition that the site is a well-managed and welcoming place, central to the local community. We celebrated the good news on the official announcement day (Monday 25 July 2011) by unfurling the flag and inviting visitors to join us for a cuppa and home-made scones. Martineau Gardens is a community-run garden that’s open for free to the public. This award is a tribute to the dedication of our volunteers who work hard to keep the gardens a beautiful and tranquil spot for Birmingham people to come and relax in. If you haven’t been to the Gardens recently, come down  and enjoy them in all their summer glory. In the orchard, pears, apples, mulberries and figs are ripening; there’s shade and tranquillity on the sundial lawn and the glimpses of darting dragonflies really lifts the spirits. And, if you’ve enjoyed yourself, why not go to www.greenflagaward.org.uk and vote for us in the People’s Choice Award to win a further award.

Veronica Lawrie (Ecologist for Atkins) carried out an early spring wildflower survey, identifying a further 66 species to add to our records.

Veronica Lawrie, Ecologist, Atkins, surveying flowers

On March 18 2011, in the bright sunshine of early spring, Veronica toured the Gardens recording her findings:

“As winter passes to spring there are a few species that start flowering much earlier than most. These species include snow drop and spring crocus which are just finishing flowering at Martineau Gardens. The first yellow dial-like flowers of lesser celandine were found open, and purple toothwort could be seen emerging through the soil of a new location within the garden. Patches of lungwort and the less common red lungwort were recorded, as well as a variety of daffodil species. In the woodland the flowers of creeping comfrey and early dog violet were found. Primrose flowers were just opening. Several species of bee were seen foraging around these early flowers. Spring is underway at the gardens.”

Martineau Gardens now have 246 confirmed species of flowering plants within the Gardens. A full Botanical Species List which draws all the previous plant surveys into one place will be available on the website soon. A fantastic resource for us all. Our thanks to Veronica and Atkins for this support!

As you know, Martineau Gardens is a haven for wildlife. And as custodians of this precious oasis, we’re delighted to announce that a Nature Trail Guide is now available.

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Could you spare a half-day on a Saturday to welcome visitors to the Gardens? You need excellent social skills and to be very reliable. There would always be two volunteers on site and between them they should be able to carry bags of logs, sell plants and produce, make visitors welcome, sell drinks and snacks and keep everything clean and tidy. Contact Caroline Hutton on 0121 440 7430.

‘Where People, Plants and Wildlife Meet’ – so proclaims the reverse side of our brand new t-shirts which are available for you to buy from Martineau Gardens. These have been generously designed for us, by Rik Cooper at Mission Print in Digbeth. (more…)

A4 Brown envelopes
For further details about items for sale or wanted, please contact Caroline on 0121 440 7430.
If you’d like to receive email alerts when new plants and produce are ready for purchase, please

Stewart has been working with ‘The Growing Together Group’ from the Birmingham Working Age Dementia service. Occupational Therapist, Jeremy Smith approached Martineau Gardens to develop a programme of activities specific to the needs of younger people with dementia. (more…)

We are setting up a Rainwater Harvesting system and need water butts or other suitable containers. When the system is complete, we will be able to collect rainwater that would otherwise have gone down the drain and use it for watering the plants. (more…)