Gardening for Families / Gardening for Adults

dublin | environment | event notice Friday April 27, 2007 16:42 by Nicola Doppio - Cultivate Centre Dublin

In our rooftop courtyard garden space at our Centre

Every Saturday from May 12th to June 16th | 10-11am for families | 3-4pm for adults | €5 per child (one adult free) | Adults pay €5 each for afternoon class

Cultivate Living & Learning Centre
15-19 Essex Street West |Temple Bar | Dublin 8 | Republic Of Ireland
Ph: +353 (0)1 674 5773

Enjoy the summer weather outdoors in the city, learning in fun ways about gardening, food production, and environmental issues. We will supply most of the materials (although may ask that you bring along a jam jar or two every once in a while!)

Children and parents can enjoy the summer weather outdoors in the city, learning in fun ways about gardening, food production, and environmental issues. We will supply most of the materials (although we may ask that you bring along a jam jar or two every once in a while!)

The afternoon adult class will help you to get started in the garden. This course is suitable for complete beginners and will mix practical exercises with some theory (Kathleen promises there will be very little homework).

This course will be run again and again during the summer, so there's no need to commit to a full term. You can come every week, or just once, and then again later in the summer when the class schedule will be repeated.

MONTH-BY-MONTH GARDENING TIPS FROM KATHLEEN

Vegetable Garden

Fruit Garden

Herb Garden

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LEARNING GARDEN IN THE HEART OF DUBLIN

Cultivate's Learning and Demonstration Garden is a unique oasis of diversity in the heart of the city. Built at street level the terrace is actually a roof allowing many of the principles of rooftop gardening to be demonstrated in a walk-in facility. The “urban heat island effect” provides a protected microclimate allowing us to experiment with subtropical as well as cool temperate species.

While the garden is an enchanting place to while away the hours amongst exotic and sensuous fruits and blossoms, it offers many other levels of engagement. For instance many of the plants you see are being trialled for suitability as economic crops in the Irish climate. Of particular interest are the plants that provide us with the essentials of life for example we maintain collections of medicinal, cosmetic, edible, craft and fibre plants. We also collect the seed from all successful varieties to sow next season and offer members the chance to exchange seed in our 'Seed Bank'. We also have an extensive propagation programme allowing us to sell many of these unique specimens.

The garden also plays an important role in demonstrating the principles of permaculture and sustainability with composting, renewable energy, space utilisation, appropriate technology, rainwater harvesting and natural building techniques on view. But primarily the garden is a learning space and outdoor classroom, one where you can take a guided tour or partake in workshops exploring the enthralling world of plants and their uses. The garden is like the world in miniature with representative plants from every continent. Through it we can deepen our understanding of the relationships between plants and people and begin to see connections across cultures.