Growing Stories - Make Hamilton Square
Each month we take a trip to one of the network’s amazing growing projects to find out a bit more about the plot, the people, the harvests and the hopes. This month we are catching up with the gardeners at Make Hamilton Square to chat about the power of herbs, and growing your own beer!
“Our wonderful resident bee keeper John manages seven bee hives situated at the bottom of the garden.”
What is your growing project called? And where can we find you?
Make Hamilton Square Garden. You can find us at Make Hamilton Square, 2 Cleveland Street, Hamilton Square, Birkenhead, CH41 6ND
Tell us a bit about your project… what do you grow, how many people are involved, who uses your produce?
Make Hamilton is located in Birkenhead’s thriving Hamilton Square, a hive of creative activity.
We house artists, makers, growers, thinkers and doers a like. We have an onsite cafe and at the heart of it all our beautiful community garden for all to use, where the community can grow, relax and get involved.
We grow a mix of annual & perennial vegetables to support the café, flowers for the bees and herbs to make teas and herbal balms. Our wonderful resident bee keeper John currently manages 7 bee hives situated at the bottom of the garden. They produce our "Hamilton Honey" which can be bought in the café. John also runs seasonal workshops on beekeeping and honey harvesting.
We have a weekly drop in volunteer group every Friday which includes our residents, local people, staff and people from across the region who want to learn about food growing. Wirral Mencap and their volunteers also have a weekly gardening for wellbeing session in the garden every Thursday during the summer months.
The garden is also host to our seasonal “Herbs for Health” workshops which equip attendees with practical skills for making their own home remedies using seasonally available plants.
And finally, our latest project in partnership with Callister Gardens and Brimstage brewery, growing hops for our very own locally brew “Birkenhop”!
“Visit other gardens and talk to them about how they got started.”
How long has your project been running?
Since 2019
What activities do your volunteers and workers take part in? ie gardening, cooking, woodworking, etc
Food, herb & flower growing, herb drying and processing, hop harvesting, composting, painting
What would be your 3 top tips for starting a food growing project?
Find some land that you can use for several years either by lease or as part of another organisation so you can ensure access and sustainability of the project.
Visit other gardens and talk to them about how they got started.
Ask for help! Lots of businesses in Liverpool are willing to support local projects if you ask.
What is your favourite food to grow?
Hops! We grew them for the first time this year and it was fascinating watching them grow, flower and eventually be turned into beer.
And what garden tool could you not live without?
Secateurs - we harvest a lot of flowers and smaller herbs for drying.
What is the most exciting thing about community food growing?
The people that you meet in gardens - they always attract very interesting people from all walks of life with incredible skills and knowledge.
Tell us what’s next for your project? What are your plans and dreams for the future?
Our home grown beer, Birkenhop is now ready and we are holding a launch event on Weds 23rd November 2022 at Make Hamilton Square. We hope to grow community hops again next year, potentially linking up with other local gardens!
Other exciting things in the pipeline are more beekeeping classes, herbs for health classes and new partnerships with other social enterprises including Grow Wellbeing. We want the garden to continue to grow as a multi-use space, hosting a variety of workshops, drop in sessions, wellbeing activities and as a place for people to relax and enjoy nature!
Where can we find out more about your project?
You can email me at rosie.ashton@makecic.org
Or take a look at our website… www.makecic.org