The Carmelite Monastery in Delgany hosts up to 70 Ukrainian residents at any one time. CWVC has been linking closely with the centre since it opened its doors to residents in 2023.
Between the residents and ourselves, a beneficial project was identified. The Carmelite Monastery has a walled garden suitable for planting herbs, fruit, and vegetables for daily use in the kitchen.
In June Wicklow Volunteer Center implemented the first stage of a comprehensive gardening project, that will ensure the establishment of a fruit and vegetable garden that will benefit the multi-generational residents living in Carmelite monastery for some time to come.
As part of this initiative, we express our thanks to Festina Lente for delivering an excellent workshop for the gardening team, residents of the Carmelite Monastery Delgany, sponsored by the County Wicklow Volunteer Centre.
The participants enjoyed a practical & theory Session delivered by Partick in Festina Lente that included:
- Practical ‘hands-on’ container and salad & herb bed planting (what to plant now and what to plant later in the year)
- Seed & seedling sowing, weeding, aftercare, pest control & harvesting
- Planting in window boxes, what to plant for the best results e.g. salad leaves, herbs, strawberries, tomatoes
- Making compost (including kitchen waste)
The workshop focused on the cultivation of plants, providing our residents with valuable skills. This project is more than just a gardening course; it is a collective embrace of nature and community spirit.
We would also like to extend our thanks to the Bray Men’s Shed who made 4 large window boxes to help get the gardening team started in growing their own vegetables, herbs, and Flowers.
We would like to express our thanks to Hanna Tkachenko, a dedicated staff member of Carmelite Monastery Delgany, for her invaluable assistance with translation during the workshop. Her efforts ensured that the residents could fully engage with and benefit from the training, bridging any language barriers.
Keep an eye out for our next installment, as the gardening team continues to grow and develop this project …..
