Angela, who runs Sunday Buzz Community Garden sessions, has written this blog about May in the garden. Join her every Sunday 1pm – 3pm, or Hannah every Thursday 10am – 12pm.
Sometimes it feels like the world is pulling itself apart.
Every day we’re fed stories designed to divide us, conflict, crisis, uncertainty. Meanwhile, the weather grows increasingly unpredictable. One week we’re dodging rain, the next sheltering from a heatwave, then heavy rain again. Growing food is becoming harder in many parts of the world.
And yet, every Sunday and Thursday in Lockleaze, a small group of people come together to do something wonderfully simple.
We grow food.
Not for profit. Not for ourselves alone. For our community.
Negotiating with Nature
This month has felt like a constant conversation with nature. We swung from worrying about drought to wondering if our plants were drowning. Too little water, then suddenly far too much.
I’ve never been so grateful for a hose.
It made me think about the people who cared for this space before us. Someone installed that hose years ago, with no idea who would one day depend on it. Their quiet act of foresight is still supporting people they’ve never met.
That’s how communities grow. We inherit the gifts of those who came before us, and we leave something behind for those who come after.
Small Victories, Shared Food
Despite the challenges, we’ve had real reasons to celebrate.
The lettuce harvest was probably my proudest moment in the garden so far. We grew beautiful heads of lettuce and shared them with local people. The slugs, it must be said, also enjoyed their share, claiming about half the crop, but that’s organic gardening. You learn quickly that you’re never the only one excited about fresh produce.
The beans and mangetout are thriving, and the potatoes are getting their weekly earthing-up. Raspberries ready for harvest. Reminder: while lots is growing well, not everything in the garden is safe to eat or ready to harvest. If you’re curious about what’s what, come along to a session and we’ll give you the full tour.
What Didn’t Go to Plan
The squash, cucumbers and courgettes have been giving us a different kind of education.
We planted them. Something ate them. We replanted them. Something ate them again.
Growing food has a wonderful way of keeping you humble.
Resilience and Learning
When you work with nature, there are no guarantees. Things fail. Weather changes. Pests arrive uninvited. Plans unravel. But every setback teaches us something, about the land, and about ourselves.
Perhaps that’s part of why community gardens matter so much. They remind us that growth is rarely straightforward, success is rarely immediate, and good things take patience, persistence, and people willing to keep showing up.
If you’re reading this and wondering whether to visit, consider this your invitation.
You don’t need gardening experience. You don’t need to know the difference between a bean and a mangetout. You just need a willingness to get stuck in.
Together, we’re growing food, learning from nature, and building something bigger than any one harvest.
May it grow and prosper.