The mission of the Barthol Chapel Community Hub charitable organisation is to support the local community by offering a versatile hub that caters to the diverse needs and interests of local residents. Gardening was quickly identified as a common area of community interest, after all, most homes in our rural setting benefit from having an outside space for cultivation and relaxation.
Consequently, the inaugural Barthol Chapel Hub Gardening Club meeting was held in September 2025. The club’s aim is to try and provide something of interest and help for everyone from beginners to experienced gardeners. The well attended first meeting focussed on gauging the level of interest in having a gardening club at the hub, identifying the areas of common interest, the subjects we want to learn more about and the ways in which we want to share information.
The topics of shared interest and learning identified at the meeting included:
- Vegetables, fruit and herbs
- Wildlife and the environment
- Techniques, tools and shopping
- Water and soil
- Cultivated flowers
- Lawns
- Trees, hedges and shrubs
- Plant health and protection
- Greenhouses and structures
Other topics can easily be added as the club develops.
Suggestions for the best ways to share the collective knowledge, experience and best practice included:
- Monthly meetings – 1st Wednesday of every month at the hub – 19:30 start
- Gardening discussions and stories (show & tell)
- Monthly to-do lists & seasonal planners
- Plant and seed sharing / swaps
- Garden visits
- Community garden projects
- School collaboration
- Raising awareness of local gardening events
After the meeting one club member wrote down and shared his experiences of growing and storing apples.
The second meeting was held in November 2025 and there were two items on the agenda.
- The Climate Group had recently organised a very informative wildflower seed collection workshop, run by NESBiP and CuramFyvie. It was attended by many of the gardening group and so the meeting was used as an opportunity to share and reinforce the main lessons learned.
- The second item was an excellent presentation on the benefits and practical aspects of No-dig gardening, given by Francesca Clair from NESCAN (North East Scotland Climate Action Network). No-dig gardening benefits include healthier plants, healthier soil, reduced weeds, improved water retention and, once established, less physical effort. Notes were taken and circulated to the group.
Come and join us on the first Wednesday of every month at the Community Hub at 19:30. It is open to all levels of gardening experience and is free, however a small donation to the running of the hub would be nice.