Global Garden
We’re committed to providing local residents with greenery and flowers, educate the youth and community on the health benefits of gardening, and encourage people to grow and cook your own food – all helping to provide skills to boost employment.
About Global Garden
We're fortunate to have several green spaces on site. The largest of which, we call Global Garden. The Selby Trust's Global Garden Project is a sustainable initiative supporting urban food growing within the local community.
We’re committed to providing local residents with greenery and flowers, educating the youth and community on the health benefits of gardening, and encouraging people to grow and cook their own food – all helping to provide skills to boost employment. The gardens also provide fruit and vegetables which are redistributed. ​​​
Global Garden, Global Kitchen
In 2013, the vision of Global Garden, Global Kitchen vision was to transform the disused former-school playground into a culturally diverse food growing area. The Global Garden opened that year, following successful crowdfunding, with local people and businesses backing the project with £11,500..
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Selby Centre volunteer-programmes supplied the skills needed to shape future garden area. Carpenters crafted raised beds from donated offcuts of wood, and volunteers positioned the raised beds. More helpers mixed EcoPark Compost to add structure and nutrients into the soggy clay soil.
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More EcoPark Compost was spread around newly constructed flower beds. All the while funds were raised to complete the project.
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The project has encouraged pride in the area, bringing people together to volunteer, learn, grow and cook.
​Global Garden at the Selby Centre hosts plenty of shrubs and vegetables – check out some of what we're growing below!
Pear Tree
Used for: Cakes, puddings, medicines & more
Harvests: Summer - Autumn
One of the most popular fruits grown at Global Garden are Pears. They are highly decorative thanks to their spring display of blossom, and handsome when in full leaf during the Summer and Autumn. These are amongst the easiest vegetation to grow at Global Garden, and the Pear Trees can be extremely rewarding.
Lavender
Used for: Perfumes, medicines & more
Harvests: Spring & Summer
This is a flower renowned for its wonderful, and relaxing scent.Lavender is an easy-to-grow shrub that thrives in a sunny spot, in free-draining soil or a container. Lavender is great for attracting all manner of wildlife - especially bees and butterflies. Taller Lavender is used as formal hedging plants, and the smaller lavender varieties are used as short hedging and edging around flower beds and borders.
Cherry Tree
Used for: Cakes, Puddings & more
Harvests: October
Cherries are a delicious fruit and are grown as a small tree. Cherries are great for cooking, making delicious jam and using in cakes. The Cherries typically flower early in the year with blossom.
Typically, depending on how cold or mild a Winter is, blossom can appear early in March, or late in May. The tree blossoms for two weeks. Bees play an integral role in the bloom of our cherry blossoms and are vital for urban ecosystems to thrive, so a lot of the flowers in the garden help support the local ecosystem within the garden.
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The Cherry Tree’s are planted on slightly higher ground – this gives them the advantage of avoiding frost in more low-lying areas in the Spring that can cause frost damage, lowering the overall fruit crop. The Cherry Tree is often pruned to produce a good harvest of the fruit.
Love-in-the-Mist
Used for: Perfumes, medicines & more
Harvests: Spring & Summer
Love-in-the-mist grows upright to heights of from one to two feet and produces flowers in cooling shades of white, blue, pink and purple. Typically, in the Global Garden, we have Blue coloured Love-in-a-mist flowers! The flowers are great, serving as a prolific re-seeder, and like most of the other flowers and vegetation in the garden, attract few pests. The flowers are a popular honeybee visit, supporting and improving the local bio-diversity.
Elderberry
Used for: Pastas, wraps, dips & more
Harvests: All year
It is well known for its nutritional qualities and has always been regarded as a plant with remarkable abilities to restore energy. Spinach is one of the most versatile and rewarding vegetables. Eating Spinach may benefit your eyesight, help to reduce oxidative stress and help to reduce blood pressure levels, among other health functions.
Spinach
Used for: Pastas, wraps, dips & more
Harvests: All year
It is well known for its nutritional qualities and has always been regarded as a plant with remarkable abilities to restore energy. Spinach is one of the most versatile and rewarding vegetables. Eating Spinach may benefit your eyesight, help to reduce oxidative stress and help to reduce blood pressure levels, among other health functions.
Tomatoes
Used for: Cakes, puddings, medicines & more
Harvests: October
One of the most popular fruits grown at Global Garden are Pears. They are highly decorative thanks to their spring display of blossom, and handsome when in full leaf during the Summer and Autumn. These are amongst the easiest vegetation to grow at Global Garden, and the Pear Trees can be extremely rewarding.