Welcome to the wiki (web site) of the Wheatfield Backgreen! Or, as Richard says by writing in the grass with our lawnmower:
Join our mailing list to be kept updated on events, ask questions or offer suggestions e-mail to wheatfieldbackgreen@hotmail.co.uk
By residents for residents.
You can see some of the active gardeners on the People page.
OPEN DAY 2011
Wheatfield Community Backgreen OPEN DAY
Sunday 7 August 10 am – 5 pm
Visitors will have the opportunity to take tour of our award winning garden! Our association will be providing coals for the BBQ and visitors are welcome to bring a picnic on the day.
Please click below for a poster/leaflet
Open Day 2011 poster _ leaflet.pdf
Beautiful Scotland - Main Campaign
2011
Class Winner
Flatted Community - Wheatfield Backgreen Association (City of Edinburgh) ![[WWW]](http://wikispot.org/wiki/eggheadbeta/img/sycamore-www.png){kind=small}
http://www.beautifulscotland.org/award-winners.asp
Gold
An exceptionally high standard is delivered throughout all Beautiful Scotland objectives. http://www.beautifulscotland.org/medals.asp
2010
We Won a Silver Gilt award!! & the Jim Murphie Trophy for Sustainability - Wheatfield Backgreen Association (Edinburgh) http://www.beautifulscotland.org/ http://news.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/BeautifulScotland.asp?c=press
http://www.beautifulscotland.org/
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Community-gardening/Britain-in-Bloom/
Wheatfield Backgreen Association
Beautiful Scotland judges commented, “This is a true community project that has been running for five years now. The garden overall has evolved with a type of synergy that professionals seldom achieve. It has all the key elements for success, obvious connecting paths, generous social space, hub gathering areas, and regular organized activities. We cannot fault this garden or the group’s efforts. They have been doing so well without any advice that we don’t want to give any in case this special garden looses its flavour!”.
Local Supporters
Pâtisserie Jacob is in Gorgie, Edinburgh - http://www.patisseriejacob.co.uk/bakery.html
Gorgie/Dalry Community Council - http://www.gorgiedalrycc.org.uk/Portals/0/Resources/GDCC_poster.pdf
We are keen to continually enhance this area to improve community links, community composting, Bio-diversity and edible gardens. We can only continue with your support, assistance and ideas for maintaining, as well as development of our shared community green. - wheatfieldbackgreen@hotmail.co.uk
Help us create an Ecotopia society where we live in harmony with wildlife, plants and create sustainable communities which are so important.
Bee Good - http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=v_otglflQw4
Act on CO2
http://campaigns2.direct.gov.uk/actonco2/home.html
Where is the Wheatfield Backgreen?
The Wheatfield Backgreen is the shared garden of the tenements at these addresses in Edinburgh, Scotland:
-
Wheatfield Road: 1A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (from south to north)
-
Wheatfield Place: 16, 17 (from east to west)
-
Smithfield Street: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 (from south to north)
-
Gorgie Road: 262, 272, 286, 296 (from east to west)
Click on the icon labeled “Map” above to see a small Google map of the area with the above-mentioned street addresses and the backgreen marked with green arrows. (Warning to the viewer: JavaScript must be enabled in your browser for the “Map” button above to work.) You can click on the Google logo in the lower left of the small map to see a larger map at Google Maps. You can also see a larger map with satellite pictures overlaid with street names. (Warning to the viewer: As of 2008-07-06, Google's satellite picture is at least a year old, and does not show the current status of the backgreen.) You can also see the location in OpenStreetMap.
Flats in the block regularly come on the market and there are usually between 3 and 8 available for sale or to let.
What events are happening?
Group Gardening, every Sunday
There is an established custom that many people come out to the backgreen to help with the gardening on Sunday afternoons, starting sometimes as early as 12:00 and going sometimes as late as 18:00. If the weather is good, there is likely to be a barbecue at the end.
A bit of 'Wheatfield's Got Talent' maybe?!
Upcoming Events of Interest
Third Sat. of every month
Gorgie City Farm, first farmer's market, 9.30-1.30.
we have 10 stalls confirmed including game, fruit, veg, soap, chocolates and cheese!
First Monday of the month
7pm St. Martin’s Church 7-9 pm, 232 Dalry Road, Edinburgh, EH11 2JG http://www.edinburghnp.org.uk/community-councils/gorgiedalry
Backgreen Produce
Tatties from start to finish... 
Its Jasper Carrot!!
Sam's Jam
Our old friends and workshop leader, Sam and brought along some of his home made jam made from gooseberries and blackcurrants grown in the backgreen. Because of the midnight raid he made on the garden to collect the fruit we have called it Guerrilla Jam!
Press Releases
STV - Local
http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh-west/news/24283-wheatfield-backgreen-association-win-gold/ http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh-west/news/18878-get-together-in-gorgie-for-a-community-lunch/ http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/news/20919-gorgie-back-green-goes-for-the-gold/ http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/news/15849-last-call-for-entries-for-neighbourhood-awards/
Evening News
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Gorgie-group-in-the-running.6802578.jp http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Gorgeous-idea-to-boost-Gorgie.6821490.jp
Others
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/134/eight_beautiful_scotland_awards_for_edinburgh http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgie http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/businessBulletin/bb-10/bb-10-05f.htm http://www.edinburghoutlook.co.uk/2010-04/yourarea/southwest/3140.aspx http://www.gorgiedalrycc.org.uk/Portals/0/Minutes/gdcc_mins_jan_2011%20Final.pdf http://www.beautifulscotland.org/medals.asp http://www.beautifulscotland.org/award-winners.asp http://news.keepscotlandtidy.org/documents/BeautifulScotlandAwards2010-CityOfEdinburgh_3615.pdf http://www.sarahboyack.com/?p=935 http://www.edinburghoutlook.co.uk/2011-04/yourarea/southwest/3652.aspx
Who is involved with the garden?
The Wheatfield Backgreen is shared by 262 flats in 21 tenements, with most of the flats having 1 or 2 bedrooms.1 All residents of the block are welcome to participate in enjoying and maintaining the backgreen. As of 2008-08, there is space for further allotments for growing vegetables, so additional farmers are also welcome. (If the space for growing vegetables ever becomes full, we may have to ration it, but there does not currently appear to be any danger of this happening soon.)
What previous volunteers, workshop leaders and our supporters are up to:
http://www.methodproducts.co.uk/peopleagainstdirty/
http://www.townandbridge.org.uk/garden/team.htm
http://www.herbaculture.co.uk/
http://www.actionearth.org.uk/
http://www.ecba.org.uk/home.aspx
http://www.patisseriejacob.co.uk/bakery.html
You can see some of the active gardeners on the People page.
What is the status of the backgreen?
Silver Gilt Award - Beautiful Scotland
-
Part of the backgreen is set aside for vegetable-growing allotments.
-
There are a number of beds with flowers and other interesting plants that we are maintaining. We would like to develop more.
-
There is a large grass lawn which we keep mowed which is good for garden parties and similar activities.
-
There is a large locked shed for keeping shared gardening equipment.
-
There are composting facilities, including a “Rocket” composter (which produces compost in only 2 weeks).
-
We have built a brick stand on which we light barbecue fires.
PLEASE FILL THIS SECTION IN. It would be nice to list the number of trees planted (and maybe their types), the number/size of garden plots, how much is being kept clear, etc. Pictures would be good.
The garden overall on 2008-08-10 looked like this:
In the spring of 2008, the vegetable-growing allotments in the backgreen looked like this: 
You can read about how there came to be a shared backgreen.
What needs to be done?
There are a lot of things that could be done to improve the backgreen. Here is a partial list of ideas:
-
plant more flowers/bushes/trees
-
reorganise the allotments to use the space more efficiently (and look tidier in the process)
-
install water source
-
Investigate Green Roof
-
Lids for compost bays
-
plant summer bulbs
-
take cuttings to cultivate
-
Herb Garden
-
Thin trees at bottom of the site
-
get more organized about composting (including of food waste from the flats)
-
Childrens Play area
-
various other stuff (FEEL FREE TO EXTEND THIS LIST!)
-
MINI PROJECTS - The concrete green! ideas? The gate area more planting. A rockery? Building a scarecrow for fun.
There is also a lot of maintenance that needs to be done regularly:
-
weeding
-
mowing the grass
-
picking up rubbish (some of this is blown in by the wind)
-
repairing stuff as needed (e.g., stakes holding up plants, the wooden borders between the grass and the bays for the other plants, roof of shed, etc.)
-
various other stuff (FEEL FREE TO EXTEND THIS LIST!)
Websites for the green-fingered & community minded
http://www.communityrepaint.org.uk/What_is_Comm.php
This wiki was started on 2008-07-06.
- 1These figures are from one of the ECBI (Edinburgh Community Backgreen Initiative) newsletters.
Do you have any questions or comments?
Do you have any questions or comments? If so, please feel free to use the quick comment box below to add your question or remark and your words will be added below. New comments will generally be noticed by Joe within a day (at the same time as he checks his e-mail), and he will either answer directly (by adding a comment below your comment) or forward your question to the rest of us.
You can also send e-mail to wheatfieldbackgreen@hotmail.co.uk, which will reach Richard, who will either answer directly or forward your message to the rest of us.
You can also simply edit this page (or any other page of this wiki) to make changes at any point in the text.
Comments:
2008-07-12 22:04:21 This is a test comment. Please feel free to add your own comments. The comments box allows you to quickly add a note. —JoeWells
2008-10-09 09:46:51 How are my Onions doing? Ian —131.251.142.139
Hi, Ian! I haven't picked any of what you planted, so I'm not sure. I forwarded your question to the others. I think we've all been really busy. Did the vegetable oil fuel your van all the way around Europe? —JoeWells
2008-10-19 14:38:34 i really wish we lived there! We live in a housing association flat where most residents would prefer the tiny strip of garden to be tarmacked over to add to the huge area which is a car park.The landscapers arrive occasionally dressed in suits resembling nuclear power station workers to spray deadly weed killing substances.I used to have an allotment in someones garden but now have a spine condition so can't garden as i used to. I am bereft and would love to be part of a community like yours .well done to you for creating this wonderful garden.Do you know of anywhere my son and i could be involved? —78.144.162.173
My sympathies for your less-gardened living condition! If you can't move to a place with a better garden, you might want to consider joining in on some “guerrilla gardening” where people put new plants in public spaces. I'm not sure how that would work with your spine, but you could maybe help out in ways that don't involve bending and stooping. —JoeWells
2008-10-29 11:48:19 Yes Joe got all the way round on 'rubbish'. Will be in Edb this weekend so will try and pop my head round at the green.. :) —131.251.142.138
Eileen and I were out. Sorry we missed you. Sasha probably missed you too. I learned how to get Sasha to give back the stick so you can throw it again: you have to take her stick and split it down the middle lengthwise so she has 2 sticks. Then, she will drop one of the sticks while fetching the other one. —JoeWells
2008-11-18 14:10:54 i have a spine problem but would love to be involved-wish we could afford to move there,we live in a housing assoc flat with no garden and some neighbours who do not get on!how lovely your backgreen looks and what a great place for kids.due to my spine i had to give up an allotment as it was too much alone.Do you welcome people from outside or would there be no point since i can't dig and weed so much now-not allowed.i am researching lots of possibilities as we miss gardening and being outside with friends and community.thanks.great project —78.148.34.118
2008-11-18 14:15:05 sorry,i've already asked you!shows how wonderful your project is! —78.148.34.118
2009-02-01 23:33:40 Hello This is Dano (there when the tree's were going in. I live in Ipswich now, www.herbaculture.co.uk and work in a community garden www.townandbridge.org/garden . Man I am sooooooo happy to see picture of Wheatfields and to hear about you all. It is so great to see what you have achieved and im getting tears thinking of all the goodness there is there. Well done......and bless you all
dano xxxxx —87.242.154.186
2009-02-26 13:55:10 Very excited about the spring bulbs we put in. Looking forward to seeing them bloom! —LindsayUrquhart
2009-05-27 13:58:50 fantastic BBQ on Sunday and nice to see some new faces too! —194.159.238.226
2009-06-02 11:03:15 What an absolutely fantastic idea and achievement, congrats to all involved, inspiring stuff! —82.41.12.230
2010-01-06 20:42:33 The Garden looks beautiful with it's snowy covering. Very much looking forward to seeing the spring bulbs coming peeking through. I hear that we are also getting an load of tulips which will enhance our spring show and our biodiversity. Excellent news. Keep up the good work. —80.192.67.246
2010-07-28 17:06:38 The garden looks great at the moment really nice, well done. —194.159.238.227
2010-08-16 13:40:42 Good Luck on Tuesday the garden looks amazing. —194.159.238.227
2010-08-18 05:23:06 Hi! How did it go? How was the judging? When can we expect official results?:) so excited... —AnnaKrakowska
2010-10-04 13:30:17 Congratulations Wheatfield what a fantastic effort, Silver Gilt medal and a Trophy for sustainability —194.159.238.227
2011-02-03 23:06:05 this is a lush wiki ; -) —jonpatterns
2011-05-23 13:35:54 Looking forward to the Big Lunch on 5th June. See you there. —194.159.238.227
2011-05-23 13:42:52 Looking forward to the Big Lunch on 5th June. See you there. —194.159.238.227
2011-07-13 14:42:53 As a child in the 60's, I spent my Summers with my grandparents at 11. Smithfield Street. The back green was completely different then. Well done for all your hard work, keep it up and thanks for the memories! —85.211.139.234
2012-04-08 17:44:18 I grew up in 1a Wheatfield Rd and used the backgreen as a kid in the 60's. It was mostly overgrown and messy but we had great bonfires on bonfire night and had sparklers and cooked baked tatties on the fire. All the kids went guising round the neighbours. Happy memories for me and my sister. Thanks, Ali, for letting me see the old flat today. Marion Fraser (Brown). —86.184.176.208
