Meet The Team

The garden gets underway

The Eco Garden Project

With a grant from East Midlands Airport, and working in partnership with the The Old Forge Nursery the concept of an educational centre became a reality in the form of an Eco-Garden. The central point of a shipping container to store tools and educational materials was brought on site in Stanhope Hole

Let's start growing

Water butts on hand for all the plants

The garden starts to take shape as raised beds are formed from wooden collars, filled with soil, watered from the new butts and herbs planted.

Learning through play

The sandpit is started

We know that children love digging, and after the seeds and small plants have been put in place, there's always time for digging in sand!

Cater for the butterflies too

Butterfly bank

Copying the design of our butterfly bank in Cardales meadow, we made a mini version for butterflies to sun themselves while enjoying visiting our Eco Garden

Tree Planting

A Whitebeam tree forms the centrepoint of the wildflower area.

This small area bordered by stones will be seeded with wildflowers, and lavender to attract the pollinators and hopefully also the other visitors to our garden

A welcome visitor

The birdbox and feeding tables prove popular

A photo from our wildlife camera captures a Great Tit approaching the birdbox.

Opening Day!

The Joan Tidy Eco-Garden is open to visitors

Named after our loved friend and great supporter of Findern Footpaths Group who sadly died just before the Garden was finished, we welcome Steve from East Midlands Airport to our opening day.

The Village comes to see

Villagers and Well-wishers

We were happy to welcome all our friends and supporters to the opening day

Looking Around

Dave Tidy was Guest of Honour

With the planters overflowing with crops and vegetables, the visitors were able to see what we had been doing to establish the garden.