The Greenhouse Project at Witton Country Park
The Greenhouse Project is run by The Lancashire Wildlife Trust as part of its pioneering Nature & Wellbeing Service.
The Greenhouse Project seeks to support people to develop skills in growing food – fruit, vegetables and wildlife friendly plants – and live more in harmony with the natural world.
As well as growing food we use / recycle local waste and natural products, produce compost, our own fertiliser and hope soon to capture our own water and generate our own electricity.
Head down to Andy's Greenhouse Diary to see what's been happening recently at Witton Park.
Unsure of where to find us in Witton Country Park? This video will show you where we are.
The what3words for the entrance is ///almost.rewarding.wool
...a place for people to enjoy peace, laughter, creativity, learning, belonging and friendship
Greenhouses at Myerscough College
In addition to getting more physically active the greenhouses are a place for people to enjoy peace, laughter, creativity, learning, belonging and friendship.
The project also works with local community groups across the borough to support them to grow food as well as discover local places of natural beauty through wildlife walks.
As well as helping out at the greenhouses people joining the project will also get the chance to participate in conservation activities, bushcraft, wildlife walks and mindfulness activities.
What's happening?
Andy's Greenhouse Diary
Andy Mather is keeping us up to date with all that's going on at The Greenhouse Project.
22nd April 2024 - Art and seeds
Fantastic lino prints from the workshop at The Greenhouse Project
A lovely time was had by all those attending the lino print workshop on Sunday lead by local artist Ian Halawi. We were blessed with some gentle sunshine and the flourishing apricot tree proved a great backdrop under which to relax and learn some new artistic skills.
Some lovely heritage seeds from Real Seeds
We also received our latest batch of seeds from the much recommended Real Seeds who promote rare and heritage seed varieties which will add to the interest and diversity of our herb garden. After last year's success of Aztec Broccoli that we purchased from them we are excited about this year's varieties.
15th April 2024 - Frogs and toads
A frog in the indoor pond at The Greenhouse Project - Andy Mather
Spring is definitely in full swing in the Greenhouses. Seedlings are sprouting ready to fill up the beds that have been well prepared over winter - some have had the added boost of phacelia green manure plants to add nutrients.
Most excitingly this week has seen the presence of welcome guests in our indoor pond - both frogs and toads! The pond was dug and planted only 2 years ago and yet again has proved that if you create a habitat nature will find it.
25th March 2024 - Compost
Volunteers from The Greenhouse Project with their woven willow compost bay.
This week has seen the completion of the weaving of our community compost bay!
This will be filled in soon by BwD green waste compost supplied by John Cooper Recycling, which we share with our volunteers and fellow community food growing projects. The weave is willow which will then sprout and be rewoven into the structure. Food grown at the greenhouses is done so in a mixture of this compost and manure donated by our neighbours at Myerscough College.
Donate to The Greenhouse Project
The history of the greenhouses
The greenhouses are on the site of a former kitchen garden which produced food for Witton Hall – the home of mill owners the Fielden family for whom Witton Park was a private estate. The land was bought by the council in the 1950’s and turned into a public country park for all to enjoy.
One of the Witton Greenhouses waiting to be renovated
The greenhouses were constructed by Blackburn with Darwen council in the 1970’s and were used until 2009 to grow bedding plants for the borough’s parks, gardens and public spaces. They were empty since then until March 2021 when The Greenhouse Project sought to clean them up and bring them back to life for the benefit of local people and wildlife.
The clean up operation of both the inside of the greenhouses and the outside areas has taken a lot of work from local people participating in the greenhouse project as well as other local volunteer groups such as The Green Gym without whom the amount of progress in the early days of the renovation would not have been possible.
Greenhouses at Witton Park, Blackburn
All of the greenhouse had tables with asbestos surfaces which had to be removed at significant cost. This cost was met by generous individuals donating to a crowdfunding appeal as well as Star Tissue and SUEZ waste management which then allowed growing beds to be constructed and installed.
Rows and rows of planters at The Greenhouse Project
Photo by Alex Critchley
Whats growing?
Take a look inside each of the greenhouses and learn more about the plants and community that we're growing there.
