Chester choir A Handbag of Harmonies seeks gardeners for Oxfam project

Jan 27 2011 by Jo Henwood, Chester Chronicle

A CHESTER choir is calling on gardeners to help out with a new project.

A Handbag of Harmonies women’s choir is sponsoring the Oxfam garden at the RHS Tatton Show in July.

Singer Dori Miller and her son Howard are designing the garden, following Dori’s success with her first ever design for the 2010 show. The Handbag of Harmonies garden won a silver medal in the back-to-back garden category.

The 2011 Oxfam garden, entitled When the Waters Rise, will highlight the effect that climate change is having on people across the word, especially women, who do the majority of the subsistence farming.

Oxfam and the choir are now looking for gardeners to help in growing the edible plants needed to make the garden a reality.

Dori is looking for all sorts of plants including herbs, salads, brassicas, peas, soft fruit and root vegetables.

She said: “We need as many vegetables as possible as only those plants in their peak condition will be able to be included in the garden and we will need some plants in reserve in case others need to be replaced during the show week.

“It’s a bit hit or miss about getting produce ready for a particular date because of the weather, pests and diseases so we won’t depend upon people having exactly what they expected to be grow. If one crop fails, people might substitute another for it.”

All plants grown must be at their peak from July 19-24 and ready to be transported to the show ground between July 12-17.

All growers will be recognised in the show leaflet and all vegetables grown for the garden will be sold off at the end of the show to raise money for Oxfam.

For information, email nsansom @oxfam.org.uk