Birchfields Park Forest Garden

On Saturday 10th March 2007 a new forest garden was begun in Birchfields Park, near Dickenson Rd and Birch Polygon. Funded through the "Fruits of the Red Rose Forest", around 30 trees including several different apples, cobnuts, gages, medlars, pears and walnuts were planted.

The spacing between the trees was designed such that shrubs and bushes, herbs and low level fruits and the vegetable layer can be planted later.

The former Birchfields Green Action Group and the Friends of the Park consulted and negotiated with Manchester Leisure to plant the former rose garden site as the Forest Garden.

Click here for Multimap.com map to the park if you want to vist the forest garden.

Programme of Events

Midwinter Meander

Saturday 5th January 11.30am

A walk about the park with Steve Hales who has been involved in Birchfields Park for many years. Steve has a lot of knowledge to share about the plant species in the park and the history of changes to the park over the years. Learn how to identify trees without their leaves. This will mark the beginning of our mapping audit of the whole park. Meet at children's playground.

Permaculture Taster Session

Monday 28th January 6.30-8.30pm with Manchester Permaculture Network

So what on earth is Permaculture? Permaculture is a way of designing sustainable systems for human and ecological needs. This short session will introduce you to a few of the key ideas and tools of Permaculture and how they can be used in many situations including organic food growing, community economics, relationships between community groups and local resources.
Venue: The Roby, Dickenson Road.
There will be other sessions coming up over the year.

Introduction to Permaculture

Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th January 10am-4pm each day

Over a weekend this course will go into more depth on the ethics and principles of Permaculture, looking at examples of sustainable designs and practising applying these principles to the forest garden and local area. There will be talks, discussion, films, practical activities and walks around the park. The course will focus on positive community action. You will learn about the Permaculture Network in Manchester which is linked with the UK network which itself is part of an international network of country-based organisations working on permaculture across the globe. Venue: Luther King House, Brighton Grove.
Booking is required for this course.

Forest Gardening Course

This course follows on from the Permaculture courses although you do not have to have attended those sessions to appreciate the full benefits of this. You will look at examples of other forest gardens in this country and beyond to see how productive and beautiful they are. The course will have a real practical focus on visioning a design for the forest garden in Birchfields Park and will include a planting session. There will be opportunities to visit other forest gardens in the spring. Anyone with an interest in the future of the forest garden and how this links with green corridors between the park and other green spaces such as the Fallowfield Loop and Platt Fields Park is invited to attend this session. Together we will explore options for the involvement of the community in the forest garden and how this links in with other local activities that you may be part of.

Foraging walks and cycle rides

These guided walks around the park will take place monthly in Spring and Summer. You can learn how much there is to munch on under your nose. Learn how taste really good: have you ever tried nettle soup? Which mushrooms are safe to eat? What tree leaves are edible only in the Spring?

Nature Audit

Help us record what plants, trees and animals we have here in Birchfields Park. Learn how to identify the trees and flowers you walk past.

Plants and People Course

June - July

We want to find out how different people make use of plants in the park. Plants have traditionally been used to feed, clothe and shelter human populations. Are you interested in local knowledge about how plants can be used for healing, recipes, crafts, dyeing fabric, household cleaning, heating. What is missing from the forest garden that you would like to see planted there? The result of this course will be a booklet that you make as a group containing all sorts of local plant kweedsmany
To get involved with the forest garden contact Jane Morris, phone 225 5129.







Image from Wikipedia permaculture page where you can find more info on forest gardens.


Obtain Patrick Whitefield's How to Make a Forest Garden book here