Garden Folk at Purple Patch farm

Garden Folk is a CIC based at Purple Patch farm in St Werburghs, just north of Bristol’s city centre. It brings together artists, creatives, growers and food lovers to celebrate the relationship between people and the land we rely on. Bristol Food Network volunteer Charlotte Ball went to visit and find out more.

Visiting Purple Patch garden is an uplifting experience and a surprising pocket of calm in the middle of Bristol. I was lucky enough to see it on a sunny spring day. The pond was teeming with tadpoles, resident cat Missy Elliott was snoozing amongst the seedlings and bird songs and the moo of neighbouring cows filled the air.

The garden has been under the stewardship of Alex Goodman (pictured below) for the last three years and she knows all of its quirks – where perennials do better, where flowers thrive and where salad leaves flourish.

Having studied at art school and helped out at a family dairy farm in the Midlands, Alex combines an artistic sensibility with growing passion through the work of Garden Folk.

Using no-dig techniques and seeking to sequester as much carbon as possible the garden produces salad leaves, flowers, and other fruit and vegetables which go out to the CSA members and flowers available to all. You can join the harvest share CSA scheme to receive a weekly box of veg. The scheme runs from June – September and has 20 spaces available.

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, a model where you join as a member to receive shares of the harvest each week and commit to the season of weekly shares which means that farmers and growers can focus on growing knowing their market is secure. It is a model that connects people to their food in a more meaningful way because when you join you share both the risk and the rewards of the season! Learn more through the Community Supported Agriculture Network.

Flowers can be purchased each week through Chez Candice or via their website to support their work. They are seeking more spaces to sell their flowers across the city as once they arrive in the fullness of the season there are a lot to go round!

On Fridays starting at 9am and finishing with a herb tea at 11.30am, the garden welcomes volunteers to help out. I helped with planting peas and preparing the space for the spring festival earlier in the month. The volunteering sessions are relaxed but informative. Alex’s knowledge of the land and the plants that grow there was inspiring, and I learnt to identify fennel, cleavers and garlic. The sessions end with a cup of herbal tea and socialising.

Garden Folk focuses on folk and artistic events. Four times a year you can visit and attend a festival celebrating the changing of the seasons. It’s important to Garden Folk that people are connected to the world around them and these events help ground you in your environment. The last spring festival in April included Morris dancers, a special goose and broom dance, a nest-making workshop, home grown food, a seed swap, drinks and music. With more planned for upcoming seasonal festivals, these events make a great day out for family and those looking to feel more connected to the land they live on.

Keep an eye out for upcoming workshops and events at Purple Patch Garden, buy their produce and volunteer if you can. This location is a hidden gem that welcomes all!

Garden Folk/Purple Patch will be open for the Get Growing Trail on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 June, 11am-1pm. Explore the market garden with a guided tour at 11am on both days. On Saturday enjoy a coffee or food from Chez Candice.