Phase 1 of my ad hoc vertical garden in London.

Full of the joys of Spring

Well today felt a little like it could be Spring. And I started to think about what plants are already beginning to spring from the ground and what could possibly grew on the balcony.

Compost

Also I am going to make some compost with the enthusiastic help of Danielle Lessovitz.

Ideas for an irrigation system

Today I discovered the ingenious way that the windows are cleaned and it has given me ideas about an irrigation system for the garden.

Floor plan

Here is a floor plan of the whole apartment.

Overlooking the balcony

This is the patio of our downstairs neighbours.

Back to the balcony

So I took some quick snaps this morning. I will try and do a panoramic view tomorrow. So this is the view looking from the left to the right.

View from inside

Centre for Cooperative Living

So this is our neighbourhood...I'll be adding more photos and videos to this.

This is the apartment from the outside. There is another flat directly underneath and the Chinese Medicinal Herb shop.

Just at the end of the road is this wonderful fruit and veg shop which also doubles as a butchers.

Pictures of the balcony

I guess I am going to have to get used to the on/off rain of Utrecht and it hopefully will be good for the garden.

I have spotted a great glass carafe in the apartment that I can use for a home made rain measuring device.

The green astro turf I found in a skip the last time I was here as I thought it might brighten up the balcony, but I can see now it might be the first thing that needs to go. As you can see there are some potted plants and some dying plants...but all that is about to change.

The Story so far...

I came to The Grand Domestic Revolution apartment for the first time in September for the house warming. I initiated some cooperative games with whomever came through the door. When I came the first time I felt that the balcony, that looks over the back of my neighbours patios needed some loving, so I have returned. I am setting up the Centre for Cooperative Living as a way of getting to know people in my neighbourhood and creating an edible garden on the balcony by enlisting the help of architect Sam Causer and the neighbours. Initially I am planning a 'getting to know your neighbour' day on Saturday 3rd April.

I have set up this blog to inform Sam about the flat and the progress of the project will be on the http://www.cascoprojects.org/gdr/ website.

I should say that I am not a gardener but I think through the support and cooperation of others I will be able to realise a garden.

The Grand Domestic Revolution Buzzer