A YORK shop is currently in the process of creating a heritage garden that will be open to the community.
The team at Fabrication, in Stonegate, are currently working on a community garden which will be open to the public and inspired by the history of the shop and the city.
Shop owner Dawn Wood, who has previously run the Friends of Stank Hall community garden in Leeds for over 5 years, came up with the idea to start the project in her Stonegate shop after getting the keys and finding a neglected patch of land behind the property.
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The area, which previously housed a piano factory, will become a heritage garden space that will be open to the public to enjoy free of charge with plants grown to reflect the history of the city.
It will be divided up into sections with the front of the space becoming a regency garden, the sides becoming a wildflower meadow, and the back serving as nature reserve – where they hope to attract birds and insects.
In the space they hope to grow edible and useable plants that reflect the past lives of the city and the property – with fruits, herbs, vegetables, and plants which can be used for dyes grown as they were in the 16th and 17th centuries.
A small greenhouse and some of the pots in the garden (Image: Provided) Dawn said: “It would be like if you stepped back into a garden from the 16th or 17th century. We only want to plant things that are from the right date – so for example, sweet peas, there’s only one type that we can use, so we’ve had to source them.
“We’re also keen to attract York wildlife like the tansy beetle into the space.”
The ‘garden team’ at Fabrication is currently made up of two of their sellers, who work as professional gardeners outside their art, and 11-year-old artist Jude, all of whom have been working to rid the area of rubbish and prepare the land to plant in the upcoming months.
The Fabrication team hope to be able to plant their first plants in the upcoming months (Image: Provided) They also thanked the public for their support after receiving donations of water butts, paving slabs, and wood after posting in a community Facebook group to ask for donations.
After the work is complete, Fabrication hopes to open the garden to groups as an educational space to learn about history through its plants.
Dawn said: “It’s amazing how many shops in York have their own gardens and choose to keep them private for staff. We want ours to become a part of the city – we’re only custodians of this beautiful building and garden.
The garden team hard at work (Image: Provided) “It’s all about health and wellbeing for our community.”
If you’re interested in getting involved in the Fabrication community garden project, please get in touch with Dawn at [email protected]
