Friends of Irlam Secret Garden

Robin calling from branch of a blossom tree

Robin calling from blossom tree by James Wainscoat

Friends of Irlam Secret Garden

About the project

PROJECT TITLE: Friends of Irlam Secret Garden

LOCATION: Salford

FUNDING: Awarded £15,000 in Round Two of the Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund

DELIVERED BY: Friends of Irlam Library

The idea

Friends of Irlam Library will clear the land near to the library to make it safe and accessible, and create an eco-friendly, biodiverse space to be used by library visitors and members of the community to tackle inequality in access to green space. 

Shrubs and perennials will be planted to draw carbon and pollutants from the atmosphere and attract pollinators, and a green wall will be created. A sustainable approach will be taken when gardening, such as going peat free, purchasing plastic free materials, and reducing, reusing and recycling.

In the future, the site can be used for community events from meditation and yoga to silent discos. Wildlife surveys such as bird and insect counts will be carried out to investigate the diversity of wildlife at the site, and garden hours and activities will allow the community to visit and learn new skills.