Artist-gardener Ladybird Su has been commissioned by Appetite to encourage locals to get green-fingered, as part of their Newcastle Common programme.
As this week is National Gardening Week Su will be creating a small pop-up garden of repurposed junk planters filled with flowers, plants and herbs on Newcastle Market, before establishing her garden at 23 High Street, Newcastle, in coming weeks.
Members of the public are invited to visit ‘Artist Gardener for the Growing Season’ Su at her garden on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, during the five themed weeks from now until October half term. There will always be the chance to get involved, with activities including flower pot making and seed sowing.
In weeks when Ladybird Su is away from her garden she will be giving hints and tips on social media, and asking people to share photographs of their gardens.
Visitors will be encouraged to share their memories and gardening tips at the garden, or on social media using the hashtag #TakeAwayGarden.
Themed weeks throughout the residency will include:
- 26 Apr – 4 May: National Gardening Week – Visit Su at her Newcastle Market stall to make a flower pot, and plant a pea or sunflower.
- 31 May – 6 June: Half Term – Pop by Appetite’s Newcastle Common shop on the High Street to see Su do some annual flower sowing.
- 5 July – 11 July: Wimbledon Week – Learn how to grow strawberry plants in beds of straw.
- 10 Aug – 16 Aug: National Allotment Week – This time it’s all about the veggies. Join Su for growing tips and create your own wildflower seed envelopes.
- 25 Oct – 29 Oct: October Half Term – Prepare for the colder months by sowing winter veg and creating micro-salads for the window sill.
Appetite Director Gemma Thomas said:
It is so exciting to be welcoming our third Newcastle Common artist-in-residence, Ladybird Su into the town centre where members of the public can get involved with the hands-on activities, delivered in a COVID-safe way and in accordance to current government guidance. We are looking forward to people being able to take a piece of Newcastle Common home with them. We’re hoping that Su’s takeaway garden will be able to offer that to people face-to-face as well as online too through social media, which has also been a great source of community. We want to watch the seeds grow in peoples homes’ and gardens so will also be asking people to share images back with us on #TakeAwayGarden. This is an exciting residency for arts and culture to grow on high streets and in your home or garden; creating a sense of connection and community.
Amy Williams, Newcastle-under-Lyme BID Manager said: “We are delighted to have yet another artist in residence confirmed for the Newcastle Common Project. Ladybird Su will be bringing some amazing activities for people to get involved with, including making flower pots and planting seeds. This is really something that all the local community can enjoy whilst visiting the town. It is really great to see one of the previously empty units being put to such good use in the town and we cannot wait to see the Newcastle Common project go from strength to strength in the coming months.”
A Newcastle Borough Council spokesperson said: “The way town centres are being used has been changing for some time and this has been impacted by the pandemic. We’ve got exciting redevelopment plans in the pipeline for Newcastle town centre and we really welcome and support additional efforts to make it more vibrant and exciting.
“It’s testament to Appetite’s outstanding creativity that they brought a variety of excellent and accessible exhibitions to the town centre at a time when people mostly had to stay at home.
“Now that restrictions are easing, it’s great news that their successful Newcastle Common project is expanding to include another appealing element – this time focusing on encouraging residents of all ages to visit and get their hands dirty. We’re encouraging new traders to set up stall on The Stones as part of our work to breathe new life into our historic market so it will be fantastic to welcome Ladybird Su as she launches her initiative.
“The theme and activities complement the borough’s 30th Britain in Bloom campaign perfectly. Just like hat making and contemporary art, gardening is in our blood. Many talented gardeners enter our local competitions every year so this is a great opportunity for them to share their memories, knowledge and images of their glorious gardens. At the same time budding gardeners can learn something new.”
Appetite, in partnership with Newcastle BID, announced the Newcastle Common project earlier this year. It is a programme focused on the changing Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre, transforming empty shops and the high street into places of art and creativity. Ladybird Su is Newcastle Common’s third artist-in-residence, joining contemporary artist Ian Mood and hat maker Holly Johnson.
Newcastle Common will shortly be in place at 23 High Street and 12-14 Astley Walk. Appetite are looking for people to help them shape Newcastle Common through their Make Things Happen campaign and welcome anyone interested to get in touch.
Appetite, led by the New Vic Theatre, is a Creative People and Places programme for Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. Funded through National Lottery by Arts Council England it has been enticing people in the area with accessible, high energy, spectacular work for the past 8 years. This year, Appetite continue to expand their programme into Newcastle with Newcastle Common.
