BTCV Edinburgh Diary

We spent the week at the Orchard Clinic of the Royal Edinburgh Hopital. We were building raised beds in two of their gardens for the patients to grown their own plants and veg in. The planting in the borders was also pretty dull, so we were taking out a lot of bushes and putting a more interesting variety of plants in their place.

Tuesday began with a lot of wheelbarrowing, and we made a start on the horseshoe-shaped raised bed. This raised bed was completed and filled on Wednesday, and the planting in this garden was finished off. We moved on to the second garden on Thursday which was quite a hike around the building. A square raised bed was built in record time by a crack carpentry team, while the rest of the group concentrated on preparing the borders for planting. There was even more wheelbarrowing to fill the raised bed and the planting was completed. Thanks to everyone for all their hard work!

As it was Gemma's last week, there was lots of baking. And despite all the mickey-taking Chris' brownies were actually very good. Maybe with a bit of encouragement he might be persuaded to fill the baking void...!

Posted by BTCV Edinburgh at 09:15 0 comments  

Labels: Royal Edinburgh

Last week we did several different tasks. On Tuesday we went to the Four Winds Nursery in Inverleith Park to help them build some new steps. The steps look incredible, and we have seen lots of people admiring them.

On Wednesday we spent our first day this year on the Pentlands. One group disappeared in the morning to collect juniper cuttings, and we didn't see them again until lunch time. It sounded like they'd walked a long way, and they still had time to collect 700 cuttings which were taken down the the Inch nursery at lunchtime to be planted. The rest of us cut back gorse from one of the paths at Hillend and made a big bonfire.

On Thursday we went to Corstorphine Hill. In the morning we were removing litter from a few areas of the hill. In the end we collected about 20 bags. After lunch we went along to the walled garden and helped dig over a bed for planting, remove some old fencing and put in a new picnic bench.

Last week we also welcomed Alaitz, who has come over from Spain for a few months to help us out. This week is also my last week before I start my new job at Hopetoun House. I hope to see some of you there. Thank you for the wonderful experience at BTCV over the last couple of years. I've made new friends, learnt new skills and helped other people, and after all, isn't that what BTCV's all about?

Gemma

Posted by Gemma at 13:54 1 comments  

Labels: Corstorphine Hill, Four Winds, Pentlands

We had three very different projects this week. We started the week with some willow weaving at Simpson Primary School in Bathgate. The kids seemed pretty excited and intrigued by what we were doing. We built a den with 2 curvy, flared, sinusoidal tunnels coming off it in the nursery playground. Possibly our best willow structure yet.

We were at the Rocheid Path (again) on Wednesday putting in the final few sleepers and doing some path clearing and laying whindust. There’s a few bits to finish off so we’ll probably be back there soon (again again) but it’s all looking pretty fantastic.

It was on with the waders and pink rubber gloves on Thursday for a spot of fishing in Lochend Park. We didn’t catch any actual fish, but we did get tyres, mountain bikes, fencing, a space hopper and a laptop. The waders didn’t leak (hurrah!) but most of us still got pretty wet (boo).

Posted by BTCV Edinburgh at 11:02 1 comments  

Labels: Lochend Park, Rocheid Path, Simpson Primary

I’ve been volunteering with BTCV for nearly 3 years now but over the last few months the work for me has taken on a slightly different aspect….. I’m retired and have the time and the inclination to develop new skills….. So..... I’m teaching myself the skills and knowledge involved in traditional bowmaking and find that some of the work I do with BTCV is actually creating the raw materials I need…. Everyone thinks of Yew wood as the right stuff for bowmaking…. But actually, it’s very hard to come by and for someone at my stage of development far too expensive to take the risks involved in learning the craft. (My main guide “The Bowyers Bible” was very reassuring that all bowyers break their first few bows)….
What I have found is that the small trees and saplings of Ash and Birch that we often cut down to make room for more diverse undergrowth are ideal for an “apprentice” bowmaker…. and free! All but one of the bows pictured are made from Ash or Birch from the North Edinburgh cycle track….. as are my arrows….Mainly from last years growth of Willow….(I did buy the Turkey feathers but will be on the look out for free Goose feathers when they’re moulting).

I know other BTCVers who gather Willow for basketmaking and Ash saplings for Yurt making……. Sorry, no photos of the Yurts yet……
I should add that BTCVing also gives me good access to fuel for my multi-fuel stove, (approved under the smoke control laws). Last year’s cleared small trees and saplings are by now well seasoned…I take them home in my bike trailer after sawing them into trailer sized logs…..Thus getting warmed up at least 3 times… by sawing , cycling and burning! (Note the Willow basket trailer body).
Traditional skills like basket making and bowmaking are growing in popularity. I hope that BTCV, who already do some green woodworking courses down south will continue to develop links with traditional craftspeople to provide more such courses and to make optimum use of the raw materials we produce when volunteering....

Rob Hainsworth

Posted by coalhole at 17:49 2 comments  

We were at Hopetoun House all this week, laying a snazzy new path for the patrons of the Antiques Roadshow to wander along, from which they could admire the house. Luckily a digger had been the week before and cleared out 6 inches of mud from the 100m section of path, so we didn't have to!

On Tuesday we laid and compacted all of the 6 tonnes of hardcore that we had. There was a lot of shovelling and a lot of wheelbarrowing. We finished off with a bit of rhododendron clearance and a fire.

Having done that first section, the following days' groups had even further to go with the wheelbarrows. We'd had more material delivered, this time it was old road surface, allegedly from the Forth Road Bridge... So on Wednesday one group continued with the wheelbarrowing and compacting, while another group got the fire going again for the rhododendron.

Thursday started with quite an impressive snow-shower which luckily cleared up to leave a beautiful sunny afternoon. We finished off the path, burnt the rest of the rhodie, and left the place looking a lot more presentable than when we'd arrived.

Posted by BTCV Edinburgh at 15:50 0 comments  

Labels: Hopetoun House

Last week we were back at the Rocheid Path. We continued with edging 88 metres of the path with railway sleepers, which we had to carry from the office. I never knew the distance between the office and the path was so far... We managed to get all but 5 sleepers put in, so we will be back next week to finish the job.

Near the path we also planted some hazel trees, honeysuckle, blackberry bushes and some other shrubs. We sowed wildflower seeds along the old path to attract butterflies and bees. In a few months the area should be unregcognisable.

On Thursday we built a fence along the end of the old path to try to stop people walking along there, so the new plants will have a chance to grow. When they are established we will remove the fence.

We also said goodbye to Ronnie last week. He is doing a course for the next few months, but we hope to see him again if he has a day off.

Posted by Gemma at 12:20 0 comments  

Labels: Rocheid Path