Join us at the library on Thursday. Our friend Krissy from TCV will be helping you to make your very own wings! Let us know if you can make it.
Special Delivery
On Monday we were delighted to receive these beautiful hand crafted pieces from the Forth Valley Men’s Shed. We commissioned these pieces with the remainder of our Cilips funding.
We are looking forward to some storytelling sessions out in the garden.
Thank you very much to Kenny and his team.
Veg Ledges for the Secret Garden
Members of Friends of the Mayfield group went along to the RHS and TCV event held at the Green Space this Thursday. We learned about how we can use small spaces such as these beautiful hand-crafted veg boxes made by the FV Men’s Shed, to grow flowers and vegetables.
The wood for the boxes had been treated so was carefully lines using a liner so as not to contaminate the veg. Boxes were filled with peat-free compost, using our fingers to separate clumps and bumped against the table to knock out air pockets.
Using our knuckles to make gentle indentations for the seeds and gently pinching the soil together afterwards. Each box has three different types of veg.
We then had some fun decorating them.
Gifts from the RHS.
A big thank you to Mo from RHS, Krissy from TCV and the FV Men’s Shed. We can’t wait for our first harvest.
Veg Ledges with TCV and RHS Thursday 5th June
Visit to the Sensory Centre
Our friends at Forth Valley Sensory Centre kindly invited the group out for a tour of their Kitchen and Sensory Gardens this week.
We met with Gene, who runs the garden and coordinates their volunteers. She told us about their focus to be organic and accessible. This hot composter bin creates compost within three months using food scraps from the cafe kitchen, garden waste and wood chips provided by a local woodworker. No pesticides or harmful chemicals are allowed and every work space and pathway has been made accessible for their users. Food grown in the kitchen garden supplies the centre cafe (well worth a visit) and the sensory garden in packed with beautiful plants and artwork.
Thank you for having us and for so many great ideas.
Friends of the Mayfield May Meet-up
Some much needed weeding, pruning and placing of our new plants from Braehead Community Gardens. We also planted out the sunflowers and poppies we grew with The Conservation Volunteers.
Braehead Community Garden Plant Sale
This morning the library hosted another plant sale from our friends down at Braehead Community Gardens.
Friends of the Mayfield purchased some pollinators with money donated by customers who came along to the Kate McLelland Art Workshop which will be planted out tonight during the monthly meet-up.
Bookbug goes to the Garden
As part of Bookbug week, the library visited our local community hospital gardens to take part in The Scottish Childminders Association Teddy Bear’s Picnic.
The Green Space at Stirling Health Care Village has been hugely influential in the planning of the Mayfield Secret Garden with support and ideas from Elaine Cochrane, who initiated and oversaw the development there. With thanks to Elaine, the Secret Garden has benefited from collaborations with The Conservation Volunteers and the Forth Valley Men’s Shed.
The Green Space is available to all and there you will find a nature trail, fairy garden, percussion instruments and play equipment. Located just behind the Health Care Village at the foot of the car park.
Kate McLelland Illustrator Workshop
As part of Stirling Libraries Off the Page festival, the library hosted an art workshop with the wonderful Author and Illustrator Kate McLelland. The sold-out workshop was aimed at children aged 6-9 with ticket sales going to the Mayfield Secret Garden. The theme of the event was Scottish Wildlife and the children contributed to a collaborative mural. Participants took home some of Kate’s artwork as well as their new drawings and a Friends of the Mayfield pin badge.
Writers in the Garden
The library is proud to host Write Club, a friendly weekly meeting for people interested in writing and sharing their work. The group meets on a Thursday between 5.30 pm-7 pm.
Recently the group were joined by author Tom Newlands who is originally from the area and took inspiration from his upbringing in St Ninians for his debut novel Only Here, Only Now. Tom spoke to the group about his experience of getting published and gave feedback on their writing.
The Write Club and Tom Newlands in the Mayfield Secret Garden
The group are working towards publishing a collection of their work. Watch this space!