Sunny Funny Garden - Ballinamore. Leitrim

I started the Sunny Funny Garden in 2008 on a strip of land behind one of the four cottages in our street.
Myself and a few local children had fun trying to grow food and flowers using a no dig organic method.
Our flowers grew ... a few herbs thrived ... and the strawberries and tomatoes were ... sad.
Four of us got to share the taste of one strawberry ... it did taste great.
I wanted to create a place where we all had fun ... we have an art and play area ... coloured things whirl around ... chimes sing in the wind.
This year I decided I needed to learn a lot more about growing organically and have started an eight month course at the Rossinver Organic Centre. I take the one hour drive there and we all work together for two hours ... it's amazing.
I've started a diary on my Liz Biz blog to let people know about the learning.
I bring back what I learn each week and show the children ... this week we sowed seeds into seed trays.
I also put a few unpaid hours into the Garden Centre across the road so I can gain more knowledge and skills ... they have been great ... giving us plants and compost from the start.
This year the number of children involved has doubled to around 13 ... boys and girls are involved and it's free.
We will:

• grow a lot more food and flowers than last year
• put more pallets in the play area for painting
• i built two large teepees for the kids to play in ... and they painted the teepee 'walls'
• a new cottage neigbour has built us teepees for out peas, beans and sweet peas ... he will also show us how to build a willow fence and arch
• grow parsley for the great breakfasts at Hamills Bed & Breakfast ... and they will buy us seeds and plants in return
• encourage the children to be the photographers of all the activity ... and I post their photos on my Liz Biz blog
• have a few summer barbques (yeh I know ... optimism in Ireland ... who'd of thought it!) in the Garden and invite family and friends ... they will (hopefully) eat salads, fruit and vegetables from the garden
• try and get all our materials through barter, sponsorship and scrounging around

There are only two rules in the Garden:

• everyone (including me) says please and thank you ... it's a mark of a civilised  and respectful group
• we are kind to each other

After that ... it's a kind of anarchic democracy with a benevolent leader.
We all have a great time ... and one day I'd love to see Ballinamore full of community, school gardens and allotments ... a growing place for locals and visitors.
Wish us luck.
slan
Liz
p.s If you're ever in Ballinamore (and it's well worth a visit ... great people, lakes, clean air, mountains and a canal) drop me a line and we'll be happy to give you a tour of the Sunny Funny Garden