Whiteladies R Us

Just back from a really lovely day at the Whiteladies Road Farmers Market.    WRFM was where greengarland really started and we have been making regular December appearances there since 1996.  Its just a really lovely space to be in, great food, local pottery, fairtrade baskets and fresh organic cake, fish and veg and also lovely bread from Bordeaux Quay.    Here is Helen from BQ (right) with Liz of greenbaskets (centre) and chief greengarland elf on the left.  Charlies' Angels, indeed...

We were entertained by Tom, on double bass....  And the weather was very kind.  We had had a snowfall overnight but the sun shined on the market and the snow was dry and lovely.

 Here's one of Rob minding the greengarland stall.  Flatly refused to were a gg apron but very useful all the same.

Many thanks to Robin Haward and everyone at the market for their continued support.  Go check out http://www.sustainableredland.org/ to see what they are all about...

Whiteladies Farmers Market

Its the Whiteladies Farmers Market tomorrow and all the greengarland elves are very busy in the yard making wreaths to sell there.  We wil be taking some lovely traditional wreaths, the Orange and Cinnamon wreaths that everyone has been so keen on, and some mini wreaths for table decorations and memorials.  I have a few hydrangea wreaths that I might take too..

I really enjoy being part of  this market.  Its full of lovely foodie things, greenbaskets and Tom, my twelve year old son, will be adding to the atmosphere by bringing his double bass to play carols for his adoring public (?)  I have even roped in Rob, my fifteen year old, to work with me on the stall this time. 

The forecast keeps changing but I will settle for one that involves nothing but a sprinkling of snow about lunchtime.  Anything else just wont do.   Come and do some Christmas shopping, buy a wreath, listen to the music.... See you there...... :)     

Another lovely afternoon in the Botanic Gardens Potting Shed...

Back again for the second of our University of Bristol Creating Christmas Wreaths Workshops at the Botanic Garden.  We were working with some beautiful fresh cut local greenery including rosemary, juniper,eucalyptus, some fabulous Welsh pine and decorating with cinnamon sticks and kumquats.  The smell was absolutely gorgeous.  We had a fabulous afternoon and all went home happy to decorate our doors with our new wreaths full of cake and refreshments kindly provided by the Botanic Gardens team.  I have posted some of the finished results on the greengarland flickr site for all to see.  Go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/greengarland_workshops_2010/sets/72157625585606708/ 

Thanks again to Nick Wray, Judy Preston and Simon Levison of the Botanic Gardens for such a warm welcome.        

   

In the Botanic Garden Potting Shed

Yesterday we ran the first of two new workshops at the Botanic Garden. The University Botanic Garden was created in 2006 within the grounds of The Holmes at Stoke Bishop.  As well as enhancing the teaching of Plant Sciences within the University, this garden provides a unique research and teaching resource and a new major cultural attraction for the City of Bristol. 

It also runs a really good selection of short courses all year round which can be viewed at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/Depts/BotanicGardens/about/education.htm.  We are very proud to be associated with them.

We spent a happy afternoon in the warmth of the Potting Shed creating some really fabulous fragrant christmas wreaths using traditional techniques.  We have put some pictures of the finished wreaths on the flickr website http://www.flickr.com/photos/greengarland_workshops_2010/sets/72157625403461817/.  We were really impressed by the quality of work produced.  

Thanks very much to Nick Wray, the Curator of the Botanic Garden and Judy Preston for inviting us into this wonderful and unique environment.   Many thanks also to Andy Winfield, one of the team of gardeners (who probably has the best job in the world..) who allowed us to borrow his wheelbarrow and made us all feel so welcome...  The opening times of the Botanic Garden can be found at tp://www.bristol.ac.uk/Depts/BotanicGardens/index.htm.  It is well worth a visit at any time of the year.

Yesterday's workshop at the Zoo

We kicked off the season yesterday in sub-zero temperatures and even a sprinkling of snow at the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project at Bristol Zoo.  Mandy Leivers, the education officer, kindly hosted the greengarland workshop "Creating Christmas Wreaths", and we spent a lovely day making some really beautiful wreaths and walking on the Downs learning about the history and folklore that surrounds them.  Then we ate cake.   We even were lucky enough to get a visit from Santa's Elves on their way to the Winter Grotto at the Zoo.  They were much better looking than the greengarland Elves, and much better behaved...

This is the second year that greengarland have worked with the Project and we are very proud to be associated with them. The Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project will be in its tenth year in 2011 and is a collaboration funded  by Bristol City Council, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Natural England, University of Bristol, Society of Merchant Venturers, the Downs Committee and the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation, and work in partnership with the National Trust (phew). Their work celebrates the outstanding wildlife interests of the Avon Gorge and Downs and works to secure its future.

Mandy has inspired almost a whole generation of children (including mine who are now in their mid-teens) to appreciate and enjoy the diversity and uniqueness of the Downs.  My garden is full of insect hides and bird boxes that my boys have made on some of Mandy's courses when they were younger, and we have as a family spent many happy hours listening for birds, hugging trees, hunting for rare moths and identifying some of the unique species that grow there on the wide range of walks, talks and courses that they run all year round.  More details of their work can be found at http://www.avongorge.org.uk/.

As last year, Mandy, Catherine and I were amazed at the standard of work produced and the variety of different wreaths created by everyone that attended. I have put photographs of their work up on Flickr for everyone to admire.http://www.flickr.com/photos/greengarland_workshops_2010/
   

It really was a lovely day.  Thanks again to Mandy..... I even got to pay a visit to my very favourite tree. Here it is..

a transatlantic collaboration...

I had a message from Wendy in New Jersey today.  We have been sharing ideas for a while (it was Wendy who had the greengarland elves hand-stitching kumquats to wreaths last year).  We were working on some proto-types last week that sadly did not get further than the lab.     However, the gauntlet was thrown down again from her side of the pond and off I went into the dark today to collect materials for this little beauty.

Its about 15 cms across and has mini cinnamon sticks and dried orange segments, juniper, ivy and wrapped with a lovely textured burgungy ribbon given to me by Wendy when she came visiting earlier this year. She brought books, ribbons, lovely jelly and some bases that I have not seen around these parts, and we had a nice time chatting, shopping and  pootling around at the allotment. 

 It is more a Falstaff than a Titania.  Will be taking one of these along to my workshop on Saturday to get some feedback from the folk there.  I rather like it.  Thanks Wendy.  Happy Thanksgiving (here it's only Thursday...)      

getting ready for the workshops...

...  Today I was following the tree surgeon, Luke Taylor and his team while he cut down a (very) large, overgrown eucalyptus tree and cut some hedges near here.  They were very kind, allowing me to follow them around like a little dog, taking choice bits of lovely fresh foliage and stuffing them in the boot of my car, while they swished around with their chainsaws.  It was a hard hat sort of a day...

I collected some lovely materials which we will be using at the greengarland wreathmaking workshops which begin on 27th November.  There are a few places left on the course on Saturday the 4th December at The University of Bristol Botanic Gardens.  For further information contact The Courses Administrator on 

• Tel: 0117 331 4906
• E-mail: botanic-gardens@bristol.ac.uk 

or check out the link via  http://www.bristol.ac.uk/Depts/BotanicGardens/about/education.htm#7.  

Here's  one that I made with some of the foliage today.  Just a bit of string and some lovely eucalyptus. 

Thanks again to Luke.  No koala bears were harmed while making this wreath....