By Chloe Johnson
Dream Green is a youth gardening group which was set up last year by Ben from the Community Environmental Trust. This club has given children from the local area who attend the CET play scheme, the chance to learn and expand their knowledge about gardening and how to protect nature. Over the past year, we have achieved so much. We have created an Edible Forest Garden, planted a huge variety of trees, used the no dig experiment which has been successful, created a brand new greenhouse and much more. It allows children to spend time outside doing things they enjoy and are enthusiastic for. Dream Green is also a club full of fantastic young people who’s passion for gardening is phenomenal. They are extremely hardworking and work hard to make the community garden better for other users such as primary schools in Forest schools or the residents from the local residential home. They work in the rain and in the heat and always work until the job is done.
We have worked with the Orchard Project to learn about pruning of apples and trees and how to protect them. A group of us from the gardening club, have attended two events held by Cath from the Orchard Project. These events have taught us about pruning, pests and diseases and how to protect trees during the different seasons of the year. Lots of the community who also attended these events were impressed to see the enthusiastic input we had to the event.
When Ben mentioned first starting up Dream Green lots of children jumped at the chance to learn something new. This has now become a hobby for the regular members and we have learnt lots over this year.
Dream Green have also earned the RHS Level 1-5 of school gardening. This had meant we have won lots of seeds and vouchers, along with certificates to remember the award by. We had a trip to a garden centre to spend our £250 voucher to improve our community garden. It was successful!!
Chloe Johnson is a member of the Dream Green youth gardening club run by the Community Environment Trust (CET) in Castle Vale. For more information about their activities go to: http://environmentaltrust.org.uk
