Our Future
Alexandra Park and its wildlife give great pleasure to many and the greenhouse can play a nurturing role in our community with its emphasis on growing and cultivating plants and green issues in general.
What’s Next?
Water Cart
Spotted in use at Wisley this water cart means the end of the use of hoses inside the greenhouse, removing a worrying trip hazard for both volunteers and visitors.
It also supports:
• mindful gardening – helps us give attention to each plant.
• individual plant watering – leads to better water usage.
• better health and safety – no carrying heavy watering cans and a clear floor.
• economy of volunteer time – watering is now quicker and easier.
We received a donation of £500 towards the water cart for our contribution to the ‘Learning to Grow’ Group a sub group to Transition Town Hastings’.
Heated Propagation Bed
Our horticultural team researched the best way we could economically continue to propagate and overwinter plants in an unheated greenhouse. Thanks especially to Fergus Garret from Great Dixter and Tom Brown of West Dean for their help. After consultation, we have decided to experiment and invest £200 in a heated seed propagation bench.
It will help us to:
• Grow more of our own stock plants and seeds, reducing mileage and costs.
• Control the growing medium using organic fertilisers and peat-free compost recycled pots.
• Keep vulnerable plants healthy and alive over winter.
• Save energy with purposeful heating of a specific area.
Greywater Filtration System
As part of the continued upgrading of the Greenhouse we plan a double sink and electric water heater in the propagation area for handwashing hygiene and pot washing. Continuing with our environmentally friendly practices, we have decided to build a greywater filter system to treat our wastewater at source.
The benefits of this system:
• We do not add wastewater to the Hastings general sewerage system and linking to it would be very costly.
• Our wastewater is recycled for our own watering needs.
• It introduces a wet area within the site, which will encourage biodiversity and encourage water-loving pollinators and predators for the garden.
• A chance to bring a water-loving planting scheme to a dry site.
• We use only environmentally friendly soaps and cleaners.
• An ideal way to introduce the community to the possibilities of greywater recycling as this system was designed to accommodate a 4 person flat or house.
We are using a method designed for, and sponsored by, The United Nations Environmental Program and The Rural Communities Development Agency, published June 2015 (click here to read the Manual Grey Water Filter.pdf)
Illustration credit : Hattie Cook
Let’s Grow Together
This space will also be available for community use, horticultural events and social gatherings 12 months of the year.
As the greenhouse was originally steam-heated, we will be looking into introducing environmentally friendly solutions, such as solar roof panels for heating and glazing.
The rest of the building will be a working greenhouse to share gardening experience, a peaceful and inspiring place to enjoy and a vibrant horticultural and educational facility.
Our volunteers will continue to work at the greenhouse, give advice, grow plants for sale and organise gardening talks and demonstrations in the glazed section.
APGG will continue to raise funds to provide for the future of the greenhouse to make it part of a walk in Alexandra Park for generations to come.
