A project has started to make some improvements to the back of house functions in the gardens. The first exciting news is that we are reducing our carbon footprint in two big ways:

1. Solar Panels! We are installing solar panels on the roof of Borough Gardens House. The electricity will be used to power our needs in the house through the day and any surplus sold back to the grid. As we use many rechargeable power tools in the gardens and not all of them at the same time, that means we can charge them with power generated on our own roof!
2. We are installing air source heat pumps to warm the house and the greenhouses. This way, we can reduce our emissions whilst keeping house users warm and continuing to grow the plants for the gardens flower beds. There are not many greenhouses heated in this way yet, so we are very happy to be doing this and making our gardens one of a kind! We have also changed our growing methods and plant varieties to reduce the need for warmth through the coldest months.

The gardeners will also get some improvements to ther facilities as their office will soon be extended. Roof rain water will be captured to help water plants outside the greenhouses, and bat access holes will be put into the roof space to offer our nocturnal friends a roosting opportunity! The main driver of this is to then be able to redecorate the main rooms in the house and once again, be able to open them up for community use. The re-decoration should be completed from the end of summer so the rooms will then be able to be hired, on an ad-hoc or routine basis.