Today’s Forest Gardening 10-12 CANCELLED due to illness. Many apologies! Watch this space as we may slot in another event before December. Thanks folks 🌿

Meet at the Lynchet Road Shed

Join us for a fun few hours 10-12pm on Sunday 16 November 2025 for Forest Gardening, learning and sharing. Everyone welcome to join the Growing Hollingdean volunteers in the park.

Our Forest Gardening in October

What a productive time in the Forest Garden on Sunday 19 October 2025, our Growing Hollingdean volunteers managed to beat the rain. We weeded, mulched apple trees, chatted, cleared some Cherry Plum suckers and nettles.

Wildflowers planted in the Forest Garden this Autumn

Volunteers were very excited to be planting wildflowers around the orchard, purchased from Wildflower Conservation Society and paid for with funds raised from the plant fair in April, a big thank you to you. These included Common Columbine / Aquilegia vulgaris, Common Vetch / Vicia sativa, Selfheal / Prunella vulgaris, Foxglove / Digitalis, Primrose / Primula vulgaris, Achillea / Achillea millefolium and Fox and Cubs / Pilosella aurantiaca.

Do you know why ‘Fox and Cubs’ native plant has that name?

A ‘Fox and cub’ plant a hairy herbaceous perennial and is visited by bees for nectar and pollen. Is it a vibrant, burnt orange colour (like a fox) but the larger open flower (the ‘fox’) often shelters unopened buds (the ‘cubs’). Funnily enough, we didn’t see our actual fox this time in the park – usually it likes to keep an eye on what we’re doing and our snacks – which we keep well out of its way of course.

Sharon Fruit Tree in Hollingdean Park Orchard

The Sharon fruit weren’t quite ready to eat at snack time (we’re experimenting with ripening them in a paper bag with a ripe banana). We all enjoyed a cup of Bengal Spice tea, said to be good for its melatonin stimulating properties and various other goodies. Yummy after our satisfying few hours of weeding.

Many thanks to all the volunteers who came!

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