Fergal Quinn, where are you?

Getting to the painting stage - exciting

Sometimes it feels as if we are in one of the business make-over shows you see on TV. We have all the familiar OMG moments - excitement alternating with anxiety, worry about budget over-runs, moments thinking we are crazy and will never be ready to re-open on time... and also times like today when the sun shone, the garden glowed and everything seemed possible. Unlike the TV shows,however, Fergal Quinn or the Brennan brothers aren't here to help. We have to do it ourselves. 

Wood anemones - I love 'em

We may not have a TV mentor, but we've got a great staff team, a good contractor and lots of other help. And the Garden is a beautiful and comforting presence. When the noise and stresses of building get too much a short walk in the old woodland where the starry white wood anemones are in bloom restores the soul wonderfully. The build continues to fly along - in goes an enormous treatment plant, in goes an equally huge soak-away area, in come painters and electricians, and we move into our bright new office at the weekend. There is still lots to do to get the Gardens ready for opening at Easter, but hey, the sun is shining, we'll manage somehow. And plans for the big Re-launch Weekend are coming along - keep watching this space!

The treatment plant goes in - a very big hole

Survey

With our new build going on, all sorts of things are changing in Brigit's Garden.  Help us change them for the better!  Please take this quick, 5 minute survey and let us know what you think about Brigit's Gardens and our services.  All responses are anonymous and secure.  We want to come back better than ever!

  

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Beautiful spring days

Slabbing the new office

We have decided to go ahead with the Easter Egg Hunt regardless! It's such a fun event and very popular, so we have great plans for a special Easter Sunday with Easter egg hunts around the gardens and nature trail, making use of the Roundhouse, crannóg and gazebos as the new Visitor Centre won't be finished. Come and enjoy, or help as a volunteer. Click here for more details.

Luckily we all get on!

Can't wait to move into the new office - here is the slabber at work, so things are really shaping up and the end is almost in sight. Meanwhile we are all squashed into one tiny space. Luckily most staff are part-time, but if we are all in together it's cosy to say the least. That's Claire on the left, who does a lot of our marketing, and Lisa in the middle who takes care of reception and the shop. On the right is Leanne, who is in the schools team and also helps with admin.

Outside, things are temporarily getting worse rather than better with Mike busy on the digger making the new patio and digging trenches for pipes.You can see the shape of the new building behind - that's all the Café dining area with its lovely big doors, windows and Veluxes - it's going to be gorgeous!

We have some great ideas for the re-launch weekend from 5th-7th May, so watch this space...

Great progress

The sundial tells the date...

...as well as the time

March is here. Soon it will be the spring equinox and the Northern hemisphere will flip into the light half of the year, bringing the promise of summer. Yeah!

Underfloor heating - very cosy!

Paddling in wet concrete....

Great progress on the build this week - the wiring is in, the underfloor heating is laid and the concrete for the floors poured. The car park has been extended all round and looks dramatically bigger - it will be such an asset to have more parking space.

Alison giving the herb spirals a spring clean

Our Thursday morning gardening sessions have re-started and are going great. It's fun, sociable and we need lots of help to get everything ready for the big re-launch on May 5-7th.

If you have time on your hands do drop in any Thursday morning at 10am and join the team. Many hands make light work!