High Street's incredible edible garden will grow on

GREEN-fingered volunteers are determined to carry on caring for a local community garden, following its founder's passing.

The late Jenny Smith started the 'Incredible Edibles' vegetable plot outside Castlehill Church on Forres High Street in 2016 to encourage passers-by to help themselves to free produce while learning about what is grown there.

So far, produce has included brassicas, chard spinach, onions, leeks, beans, peas, salad greens and potatoes, all rotated to help maintain the soil conditions. Fruit such as blackcurrants, raspberries, strawberries and rhubarb has also been grown alongside culinary and medicinal herbs.

Jenny's cousin Romany Buck hopes that more fellow volunteers will continue the good work in her memory.

She said: "There’s no doubt Jenny would want her beloved Incredible Edibles to flourish with new energy and inspiration! I hope with more volunteers and availability of water, we’ll also be invited to develop other under-used areas in Forres."

Inspired by the Incredible Edible urban gardening project started in 2008 in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, Jenny also started the local garden on waste ground outside the crumbling church to make use of the space.

As well as talking to people, she put up educational signs to pass on some of her knowledge of plants and soil health.

"Over the years we’ve noticed there’s been a real interest," said Romany. "Jenny’s enthusiasm inspired and encouraged many folk, not only to browse and gather from the beds, but also to develop their own areas in back gardens around the town."

Jenny had been becoming increasingly exhausted over the last few years and was diagnosed with cancer in February. Following a stroke, she was cared for in Dr Gray's and at Varis Court with support from her sister Margie. Jenny died on March 30 and was buried on a family plot near Fort William.

"We’re moving on with her vision of community growing," said Romany. "During this lockdown we must keep social distancing, so each of us take turns at the garden. More volunteers are welcome to help in a number of ways.

"We will put up a list of ongoing tasks at the site so folk can see what’s important at any time. Typical jobs would be: watering; weeding; mowing; adding to the compost bins; turning the contents; clearing spaces down the side of the church for more wild flower seeds and plants; feeding the beds; joining in a foray to collect organic materials; and painting new signs ... as well as chatting with interested passers-by, encouraging them to help themselves to whatever is growing!"

The vegetable beds and boxes on High Street have been planted using a mixture of manure, compost from the site bin, seaweed and Remin rock dust. Volunteers are welcome by its owners to use a fresh water tap outside the Kebabish takeaway across the road.

A variety of bee and butterfly-friendly wild flowers planted in the grounds on Castlehill Street also helps with pollination. Passer-s by are welcome to help themselves but warned to wash anything they pick before eating.

"We're hoping for great things," added Romany. "None of us is an expert by any means so it’s always been about seeing what can grow in a small space, in small containers and using organic-only soil enhancers. It’s trial and error - we’ve been learning as we go!"

Call Romany on 07765062618 if you can help.