Dig for Dementia

13/10/2026

🌧️➡️☀️ It started wet and windy in the community garden today, but ended with some lovely sunshine!

Jack managed to pick up two trays of pansies for just £3 over the weekend! What a bargain—they’re going to be perfect for brightening up the space right through the winter. With a little care and attention, they’ll be thriving in no time. 🌸

We also had a quick visit from a small snail friend 🐌 who was safely relocated to the shrubs at the front of the museum!

Before finishing up, everything was given a good water. Friendly reminder: even when it’s been raining, the water doesn’t always pe*****te deep into the soil where plants need it most—especially for potted plants! 🪴💦

10/10/2026

What a morning at the allotment!

It was time to take the runner beans out and pack away the frame ready for winter planting.

We gave the space a good tidy before separating the leek seedlings to plant and fill in the gaps from our previous attempt.

We realised we had forgotten one single potato in the other bed and the courgette is still providing plenty of fruit!

Phew! 👨‍🌾🪏

08/10/2026

My interview from this years Demfest. Feel free to get in touch if you think I might be able to help. 🌱

06/10/2026

It’s Tuesday, which can only mean one thing: community garden day! 🌿✨

We have some hugely exciting news to share this week! Thanks to two successful grant bids from Test Valley Borough Council and Andover Town Council, we have officially commissioned our new community garden Memory Tree sculpture! 🎉

A massive thank you to our wonderful friends at Dementia Friendly Hampshire for working alongside us on the funding applications to make this happen. 💚💛

This special project has been in the works for a while, inspired by local people sharing memories of loved ones who would have loved to be involved in the garden. Once installed, anyone will be able to purchase a personalized engraved leaf in memory of someone special to hang on the tree. The cost will cover crafting the leaf, with a small donation going directly towards keeping our community garden growing.

We can’t wait to share more details soon!

📸 In the photos today:

Swipe to see where the sculpture will stand—plus a very rough stick-tree sketch by Jack! 🎨 (Rest assured, no AI was used here, and the final forged metal sculpture will look infinitely more professional! 😂)

A gorgeous Fuchsia ‘Dollar Princess’ still flowering in the courtyard.

A Great Tit spotted—or rather heard—on Merlin today! 🐦

29/09/2026

☀️ Another sunny morning at the community garden! 🌿

There are still plenty of beautiful flowers in bloom to enjoy, although this warm, mild weather is keeping us on our toes with the watering cans! 💦🌸

Today, we took a quiet moment to sit back and listen to the bird song around us. Even right in the middle of a busy town, nature is all around—sometimes all it takes is a moment to stop, listen, and notice.

🕊️ Bird Spotting Success: Using the Merlin Bird ID app today, we identified three wonderful birds singing near by.

(Swipe through the photos to check out today's flowers and our feathered friends! 📸👇)
🤝 Join Us Next Time!

When: Every Tuesday from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Where: Andover Museum
Who: Open to anyone! No gardening experience needed—just bring yourself! 💚

25/09/2026

Lovely to be invited to speak to Anton Rotary Club last night.

24/09/2026

Great news! I often do workshops in the lovely gardens here and even more special than that is my grandma and I used to enjoy it as well.

Well deserved!

A care home in Wiltshire has struck gold for its resident-led garden.

24/09/2026

Back at the allotment this morning for a home visit! 🌿

We gathered a brilliant little harvest today: plenty of runner beans, a couple of lovely courgettes (with more on the way!), and one solitary—but very proud—French bean! 🫛

The carrots we got in the ground last week are settling in brilliantly. Looking ahead to the cooler months, we’re already planning our next round of planting with leeks, broad beans, and garlic to carry us through over winter. 🥬🧄

22/09/2026

Another lovely morning at the community garden! 🌻✨

Our newly planted perennials were looking a bit sad, so we gave them a thorough soak to help them settle in.💧

The largest sunflower has officially finished flowering, so Jack trimmed off the head and leaves. We're drying out the stalk to use as a sturdy plant support cane next year—nothing goes to waste around here! ♻️🌱

We also have lots of strawberry runners coming on, so there will be plenty of new plants for next season! 🍓🪴

There is still plenty of color keeping the garden lively, and the Nepeta just got its official autumn haircut. ✂️🌿

Swipe through the pictures to see what we've been up to! 📸👇

19/09/2026

🌱 Exciting News! 🌱

Today I officially started my RHS Level 2 Practical Horticulture course! I’ve been wanting to do this for a few years now, so it feels brilliant to finally get stuck in.

Alongside supporting people with dementia and limiting conditions through green care, my goal is to keep building on these practical skills to help everyone get the absolute most out of their gardens and growing journeys.

Here’s to learning new techniques, getting our hands dirty, and growing together! 🌿✨