Chenies Street Chambers
Historical Society  

CHENIES STREET CHAMBERS
COMMUNAL GARDEN  ESTABLISHED
03.06.2002

CHENIES STREET CHAMBERS COMMUNAL GARDEN
RECOMMENDED PLANTS FOR LOW
OR NO MAINTENANCE
(PLANTS GROWN IN OUR GARDEN)

EDIBLE FRUIT TREES AND SHRUBS:

Bay (Laurus noblis) tree or shrub  -- sun or partial shade

Cape Gooseberry -- shrub, sun
grows very easily from seed 
(can a little snow, but not extended periods of snow)

Chaenomeles Japonica (false quince)
hardy shrub, sun, plant against a wall
-red or pink flowers, small crab-apple-like fruit that makes delicious jam

Cherry – sweet cherry – tree, sun
Cherry – Morello Cherry (cooking cherry) – tree, partial shade or shade

Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas), partial shade, edible fruit perennial [2006]

Elder (for the elderflowers and elderberries) partial shade

Grapes – sun, needs watering to establish, climbing

Lavender (Lavandula officinalis) shrub -- sun, poor soil, don’t water

Mulberry - black mulberry (morus nigra)  – partial shade or sun

Olive Europea (olive tree) – full sun

Rose (Rosa) ‘Golden Showers’  ‘Compassion’- sun or partial shade, climbing

Rosemary   -common (Rosmarinus officinalis) shrub - don't water
Also Recommended: ‘Miss Jessop’s Upright’ -- plant with Lavender; sun, poor soil, don’t water
in a hedge with our lavender


EDIBLE HERBS:  (as well as the edible trees and shrubs listed above) 

Basil (Ocimum) planted yearly – sun, needs watering

Cress- easily grown from seed , plant every year

Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)

Chives (Allium schoenoprasm)

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum -)sun or partial shade  
– easily grown from seed.

Crocus (crocus sativus) Saffron planted in Saffron Walden,
Buy in summer, for the autumn flowering bulb. Dry the stamens from the flower for the saffron.
(Do not use other crocus stamens, which may be poisonous)

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) perennial

Garlic (Allium sativum)
-- plant with Roses – sun or partial shake south-facing

Mint (Mentha) –perennial, partial shade

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) – sun or partial shade.
Buy seeds for 6’ trailing or climbing (grows larger)

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) biennial (Leave to flower and seed the second year
and the seeds from your own plants will be suited to your own garden.)

Pansies, Violas – sun or shade, perennial

Poppy – spread organic seed in spring throughout garden

Pumpkin – wonderful vine (start indoors, early)

Rocket (Eruca versicaria) perennial

Sage (Salvia officinalis) – sun, perennial

Scented Geraniums (Pelargonium)- partial shade or shade

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Wild Garlic (ramson) perennial (plant among the roses)


CLIMBING VINES FOR NOISE REDUCTION (non-edible)

Clematis (sun, south-facing but cover roots with stones to keep cool) 
RECOMMENDED VARIETIES: Clematis Armandii- ‘Apple Blossom’  evergreen, sun,
white large white flowers in May-June, no scent (sun, partial shade)

Clematis texensis  'Gravetye Beauty' (red summer flowers)

Clematis montanus 'Rubens' (pink spring flowers)

Jasmine (Jasminum Polyanthum) evergreen, partial shade (scented but non-edible)

Virginia Creeper – dies back in winter, comes again in spring, shade or partial shade

Honeysuckle lonicera henryi evergreen perennial, partial shade or sun


PLANTS THAT GROW IN SHADE

Buddleia (easily rooted)

Scented geranium  (edible flowers; the leaves flavour sugar and jams)

Comfrey (herb)

False Castor Oil Plant (fatsia japonica) (WARNING: poisonous) - large, architectual

Ferns

Fuschia

Jade plant

Money plant
Spider Plant



FAST GROWING SHRUBS AND TREES  FOR IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION
– Buddleia, Elder, Willow, euonymous, piras, forsythia

QUICK BORDERS: geraniums, lobelia, violas, impatiens (busy lizzies), campanulla, crocosmia (bulbs, perrenials, 2 feet tall leaves like daffodils, orange spike flower in summer)



SPRING:  bulbs:  daffodil bulbs planted in autumn or spring (discard any rotten or wizened bulbs), ramsons bulbs  (wild garlic), crocus sativus (Saffron crocus)bulbs -plant in summer for autumn flowering. or spread organic seed poppies, nastertiums, cress, lobelia,



INSIDE OR OUTSIDE WINDOW BOXES: Geraniums,  Spider plants.



LARGE PLANTS FOR THE MAIN ENTRANCE: Kentia Palm, Jade Plant, Swiss Cheese Plant

ESSENTIALS:  a sign telling people your garden is organic, large birdbaths, birdfeeders, water barrel for rain water. You must put mulch on your plants in Autumn and Spring, to provide feed. If you water, don’t water the lavender or the rosemary, and don’t water in full sunlight (you will burn the plant leaves). Wherever possible put a water-retaining mulch around plants.



OTHER GARDEN OBJECTS OF DESIRE:
Compost Bin (keep in shade or partial shade),
Wormery (keep in partial shade),
Water Butts to conserve water
Self-watering Irrigation system for rubbish chute plants on all floors
Water Garden
(partial shade, not under a tree to avoid leaves falling into it)– if you have a water garden, grow ‘Canadian Weed’ (ask at any Aquarium Shop) which will oxygenate the water and provide feed for goldfish, etc. If you have any problems with algae or green slimy weed, put in barley straw or a barley straw essence,  to clear the water without killing your fish, frogs, newts or other plants). Goldfish overwinter.
Bee Hive (on roof!)


GARDENING TIPS
We are an organic garden, and pesticides are banned. If you think something is a weed,  ask someone. If you really think it's a wee, and there's no one to ask, pull it up. If it grows back, pull it up again. It’s better than putting poison into the water table.

Don’t water in full sun.

Don’t water the rosemary, lavender, buddleia, or the shady parts of the Garden.

MULCH your plants with compost (Spread compost around the plants) at least twice a year - spring and autumn. When you mulch, go round with a Garden Expert, and ask their advice.

Also, where necessary, put either water-retaining compost, or gravel or straw around plants, to help preserve moisture ( where noisture is needed).

A simple solution of washing up liquid with water kills most greenfly, aphids, etc.


Don’t put shade-loving plants in the sun (ferns, comfrey)

Don’t put sun-loving plants (rosemary, lavender, roses. most herbs) in the shade. If two plants of the same species die in the same place you’re put them, you have put them in the wrong place. Don’t put the olive tree under the sycamore tree. If you kill three, the fourth isn’t going to grow either.

Take pictures of the garden, and date them and keep a list of what plants are in the garden (if the tags fall off, replace them).


ANNUAL: plants (usually flowers) that grow and die with the first frost. (lobelia, poppies)


PERENNIAL – plants that grow and come back every year (campanula)


DECIDUOUS: trees and shrubs that drop their leaves in winter, and have new leaves in spring (the campanula dies back, the rowan trees, elder trees,  gooseberry bushes and the Montana Clematis drop their leaves)

EVERGREEN (CONIFEROUS): trees and shrubs that stay evergreen all year round (our Christmas tree, our jasmine, ivy, the Armandii Clematis and the HENRI Honeysuckle)

CONSIDER: DO THEY NEED LIGHT /SHADE/ WHAT TYPE OF SOIL/ HOW MUCH WATERING/ EVERGREEN OR NOT/ SCENTED OR NOT/ EDIBLE/ POISONOUS when considering plants. We favour edible plants where possible, scented flowers, evergreen where possible, and low-maintenance plants (no need of excessive watering). Please do not add poisonous plants to the garden, unless you know they are not easily within the reach of children. Not all plants need compost – roses need rich soil, but  rosemary and lavender need poor soil to grow.



DEADLY POISONOUS PLANTS:
False Castor Oil Plant, yew, lily-of-the-valley


COMPOST BIN:

The compost bin is even simpler than the wormery, you put your scraps in at the top, and take the compost out from the bottom. The compost bin must be kept in the shade, and the lid must be kept on to prevent flies from annoying the neighbours. No meat products and no citrus fruits – also no woody stems unless they are chopped up fine, no noxious weeds, which spread in the compost).



EASY FERTILISING: Banana skins and egg shells are a very good fertilizer, which don’t ‘burn’ the plants, so if you have any, put them around the plants. Bananas provide potassium, egg shells give calcium to the soil. Roses like tea-leaves, as well.



COMPANION PLANTING: We have planted garlic and wild garlic (ramsons) with roses and marigolds also help to keep various nasty things away.

WATER BUTT: Please fill the water butt, and use it to conserve water resources.


WATER GARDEN:  Children are not allowed to play in the water garden.The water garden takes care of itself. As well as other aquatic life, it has goldfish, newts, and frogs (and their tadpoles in the spring). It is an essential part of the eco-system of the garden, as well as providing a souce of water for birds. The green ‘Canadian weed’provides oxygen and food for the  fish, etc.In cases of blue green algae or slimy green stringy stuff,barley straw in the water, or some barley straw extract will clear it, without harming the fish.


WORMERY: The wormery is very simple. You put  food in the top, and compost is created at the bottom level by the worms. Remember to turn on the tap and drain the liquid out of the wormery every couple of months (or the poor worms will be swimming in it). Use this liquid  to fertilize your most precious plants. When you take the compost out of the bottom layer, just give it a wash (saving the water for the plants) and put it back on top, to begin the process again. ALWAYS KEEP THE WORMERIES IN THE SHADE (or you will fry your worms). NO MEAT, NO CITRUS, NO LARGE HARD FRUIT PITS. SOURCE OF THE WORMS: Wiggly-Wigglers


PROPOGATING PLANTS AND GROWING FROM SEED. It’s very easy to propogate plants. Buddleia. Virginia Creeper, Geraniums, Honeysuckle and Fushia can be very easily grown from cuttings, Ivy, Honeysuckle and Jasmine can be rooted in the soil by laying a strand down, still attached to the parent plant, and covering with soil in the winter (the various nodules will have formed roots by spring. Strawberries sent out ‘runners’ that root themselves. HERBS: Coriander, Flat-Leaf Parsley, Rocket and Gardener’s Delight Cherry Tomatoes grow easily from seed.


RUBBISH CHUTE BALCONY FLOWERS:

Although we have a self-watering system, it doesn’t work very well. If you’re not getting any water, it means that the little nozzle or the plastic pipe is blocked. Also note where the natural rain falls on your balcony, and put plants where they can also be watered by rain (this is usually the south-west corner of the balcony). The self-watering system is located down in the garden, on the right-hand side wall, as you go out to the garden. You’ll need a ladder to get to it. The system is on a timer, so if you’re getting too much or too little water, just adjust the timer (and make sure the system waters at dusk – if it waters in full sunlight, it will burn the plants. NOTE:If there is a hose pipe ban, you must turn off the self-watering system and water by hand. it is illegal not to do so.



NOISE NUISANCE

PLEASE NOTE: the hard surfaces act as an echo chamber, so that quiet conversations in the garden can be heard three floors up (this is why we are trying to grow climbing plants up the walls, and shrubs in the garden). Please try to be quiet and do not use the garden before 8 a.m. or after 9:30 p.m.

COMMUNAL BARBEQUE: No children or animals are allowed near the barbeque. No public events. The person using the barbeque is responsible for cleaning the area and barbeque when whey are done. No barbequing after 9 p.m. and try to leave the area by that time as well, so you don’t annoy the neighbours.

COMMUNAL BARBEQUE
Always use your barbeque bricks in the barbeque, and make sure the barbeque is on a firm suface and doesn’t wobble.
Use self-lighting briquets or fire-lighters to light your barbeque bricks.
Depending on the conditions, it can take up to twenty minutes for the open flames to die down. Wait until the coals have a dusty coating of ash, and when you just have glowing coals, not open flame, it’s time to put your food on to barbeque.
Never barbeque indoors or in confined spaces.
Never try to move the barbeque when it is hot.
When you have finished barbeque, extinguish the coals with water.
Always keep children and pets away from the barbeque and barbeque area.
Remember to clean the area and the barbeque when you have finished (make sure it is cold before you put it in the rubbish or the compost bin).

DO NOT USE THE BARBEQUE AFTER 9 p.m. OR BEFORE 8 a.m.
This barbeque is only used for private barbeques, not public events.


EASY RECIPES TO BARBEQUE OR BRING TO GARDEN MEETINGS

SAUSAGES ON ROSEMARY SKEWERS
Stick your sausages on rosemary sticks, and the rosemary flavour will cook through the sausage.

STEAK
For meduim rare steak, oil your steak, not the barbeque, and then cook five to six minutes on each side.


SALMON
Add butter and herbs to your salmon, and wrap the salmon in tinfoil, then barbeque.


BAKED POTATOES
Cut each potato into four pieces, add butter and press the pieces back together. Wrap in tinfoil, and then wrap in tinfoil again. Put them down on your coals, and leave for an hour to cook. Serve with chopped chives and sour cream.

CANADIAN POTATO SALAD

6 boiled potatoes (Desiree or King Edward)
6 eggs 2 mild onion (or red onion)
1 bunch of  radishes (to taste)
mayonnaise (juice of l lemon added to mayonnaise)
salt and pepper

Boil potatoes. Boil eggs. Let both cool. Cut onions, potatoes and eggs into bite-size chinks ( not too large or you can’t eat it with a fork; not too small or you’ll lose the textures of the ingredients). Cut radishes into rings - four to a radish - and then cut rings in half to make eight pieces. Add mayonnaise with lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Chill.


ATHENS GREEK SALAD
(do not add lettuce, which is very expensive in Athens)

2 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 mild onion
1 LB feta cheese
black Greek olives
2 TB olive oil
juice of lemon
1 tsp. oregano
salt & pepper to taste
Whisk olive oil with oregano and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add roughly chopped vegetables. Break feta cheese into bite-size chunks. Mix well. Chill.


TZATZIKI
1 cucumber, grated
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 Tablespoons vinegar
4 oz yoghurt
salt and pepper

Grate cucumber, pour off juice. Cover grated cucumber with vinegar for half an hour, and then pour off vinegar. Add yoghurt and garlic to cucumber. Chill.


TANDOORI CHICKEN
(prepare the day before to marinade meat) 2 lb. of chicken, or 1 whole chicken, jointed & skinned (2 drumsticks, 2 wings, 2 thighs, 2 breasts) 1 lemon STEP 1. Remove skin, but leave the chicken on the bone.Slash each piece of chicken  3 times, to allow marinade to enter into flesh. Sprinkle with font-family:"Courier New"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Gill Sans MT";mso-hansi-font-family:"Gill Sans MT"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family: "Courier New"'>tsp. salt, add juice oflemon and marinate for 20 minutes. STEP 2. Prepare spices for

YOGHURT MARINADE. Mix together, and roughly grind (either in a coffee grinder, or with back of spoon) and lightly roast in a dry, hot frying pan (for ten seconds, do not burn):

1 tsp cumin seeds
1. tsp black pepper
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 pinch dried cinnamon or nutmeg
6 cardamom pods
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. salt

STEP 3. ADD THESE SPICES TO: 200 ml  yoghurt 1 fresh red chilli, coarsely chopped 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped (or pickled Japanese ginger)

STEP 4. Add chicken. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.  STEP 5. THE NEXT DAY.
IMPORTANT:  to cook - take out of fridge one hour before cooking. BARBEQUE for 10 - 15 minutes or oven roast   475F / (Gas 9) for 20 minutes.normal'>



Chocolate Pots

serves 8

a pint  of organic single cream

400g (4 organic chocolate bars)
(recommended: Green & Black chocolate  70% cocoa solids)
4 organic egg yolks
(Burford Brown eggs are lovely)
2 Tablespoons brandy or rum (optional) (or grated orange zest) (Mount Gay Eclipse Rum is very nice)
2 Tablespoons sugar (optional and unnecessary)
40 grams (1 and1/2 oz) organic  butter, slightly salted

Heat the cream and set aside for one minute.
Smash chocolate into bits and stir into cream until melted.
Beat in your egg yolks and brandy and stir until smooth.
Allow to cool slightly
Stir in butter. utter until smooth.
Pour into individual serving pots.
ps. sometimes if you add the butter when the chocolate isn't cool enough it will ake the vhocolate look as if it has split. Allow the mixture to cool a little longer before whisking in a little cold milk until you have a smooth consistency again.
Marinate the ribs the morning of the barbeque in olive


other suggestions for communal buildings (applications for grants, planning, problems  etc.)

How to Set up a friend of the Park for your local park

How to set up a Poetry Tree in your local park or garden

Bloomsbury Time Bank Purple Poets - Poems about Gardening

British Trust Conservation Volunteers - design for communal groups
(when you have a grant, and you don't want to use Groundworks)

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Chenies Street Chambers
Historical Society