Children dig up Church Centre Garden
One afternoon in March, with the help of children from Kids ‘R’ Us, After School Club, a hedge of mixed British native species was planted at the Church Centre, in Magor.
The plants were sent to us free of charge by the Woodland Trust as part of their scheme to involve children in caring for the countryside. Some of the children had never planted anything before while others were quite knowledgeable about the creatures who will benefit from the hedge in the future.
The planting is intended to enhance the appearance and environment of the garden for both people and wildlife, and represents the latest phase in developing the garden. Since last summer, brambles have been cleared and fencing repaired, the grass was re-seeded, a play ‘snake’ made from re-cycled tyres was added and a rowan tree planted – the Brownies also planted a home-grown oak tree, which is doing really well. A bug hotel has been constructed for the creepy crawlies, while several bird nesting-boxes have been purchased – made by the Wildlife Warriors at Magor Marsh – and fixed in the right places for us by Haydn Jones.
In the future, we hope we will be able to use the garden as a place of quiet retreat, for outdoor events and as a way of showing that as Christians we take caring for the earth seriously.
Revd Natalie Howard and Revd Alison Price