By Noelle Williamson
The garden at Bramley Baths is a little gem. Even now – when only the cherry tree is in bloom – the trim lawn, neat greenhouse, new landscaping and seating make this a charming, tranquil spot.
Look closer, though, and the tomatoes are coming along nicely in the greenhouse, there are cuttings sprouting in pots in the borders, a few dried-out fennel seedheads to nip off and nibble, and a large jostaberry bush – a gooseberry blackcurrant hybrid with a party trick: its early berries taste like gooseberries, but ripen to taste more like blackcurrants.
And it’s for everybody.
A special event to relaunch the Bramley Baths Garden was held on Friday.
Local resident Alison Brewster has worked with other volunteers to support the community garden since she helped to secure funding in 2013.
Alison said: “Everything that is growing, like these tomatoes in the greenhouse, is for everyone. It’s for the community to pick, you know. No charge or anything. You just come and pick.”
Remember that in summer, when the jostaberries ripen.
So, why has the garden been relaunched?
Chatting with some of the visitors who had come to swap plants and sign up as volunteers, Community Builder Alaina Dunne described how a joint listening exercise between Bramley Baths and BARCA showed overwhelmingly that people wanted to be outside more, have opportunities to connect, to bring older and younger generations together, to celebrate our green spaces. To relaunch this space.
As a result, and through the generosity of Wade’s Charity, together with a UK Shared Prosperity Funds Power Grant, Bramley Baths has set up the very popular Glow to 5K outdoor exercise class.
Volunteers have planted three community orchards (behind the bowling club in Stanningley Park, near the back entrance to Bramley Park Academy in Bramley Park, and near the relaxed mowing area in Bramley Fall Wood); and Hyde Park Source have carried out landscaping works, installed handsome outdoor seating – and given the climbing roses a good prune – in Bramley Baths Community Garden.
In cutting the green ribbon on Friday, Alison Brewster symbolically opened the garden to all of us, inviting us to use it as a shared community space – to enjoy after a swim, just to sit, to meet friends and new people, or to become a volunteer gardener.
The new volunteer gardening group will be starting in the coming weeks. Half a dozen signed up on Friday alone, while others made seed rings to feed visiting birds, swapped plants and seeds, and swapped knowledge about gardening groups, growing food, foraging and planting trees. The rain held off, there were hot drinks and biscuits, and everyone had a very nice time.
Speaking on Friday, at the garden’s relaunch event, Kevin Ritchie – who has supported the Baths as a councillor for Bramley & Stanningley – said: “We want people to come and enjoy the space. The gates will be open during the day, for people to enjoy the garden, improve their health and well-being, and meet other people, have a coffee, picnic, just really enjoy the space.
“This is largely due to the wonderful Alison Brewster, who, since she got funding for the garden in 2013, has been the key person, working with other volunteers to keep this idea of a community garden, so that we have this wonderful place today. So thank you, Alison, for all your work.”
There are plans for lots of activities in the garden as Spring and Summer unfold. Keep watching Bramley Baths social media and check posters at the baths for information.
Helen Whiteley (Bramley Baths Business Development and Heritage Engagement Manager) invites us to contact her directly with any ideas for things we would like to see happen at the Baths and/or in the garden, at: helen@bramleybaths.com.
- The full list of candidates standing in the 7 May local elections are: William Gallimore (Conservative), Ian Howell (SDP), Annabell Kesby (Green), Daren Morrish (Reform), Kevin Ritchie (Labour), Rosemary Spencer (Lib Dem).
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