ECBI - Edinburgh Community Backgreens Initiative - Providing Greenspace for the Community

During 2010, we developed a programme of 'Dig For Victory' workshops.  The hands-on workshops, cover skills and knowledge for you to get the most out of your backgreen, you can see a list of them below.   You may also be interested in our Grow Your Own courses.

(Please note: Due to a shortage of funding we are not planning any Dig For Victory Workshops for the time being Dig For Victory Edinburgh website you will be informed when we restart them.)

Gardening for Wildlife
As urban landscapes spread further and wider, wildlife areas in backgreens offer an increasingly important source of habitat for animals and insects.  You will learn tips for how to create animal friendly habitats, and which plants will attract particular species at different times of the year.

Fruit Wine Making
The basics of how to brew your own fruit wines from fruit that you can grow in your garden or forage.  The workshop will make use of early/ year-round flowers and plants such as elderflower and nettle, as well as giving a general how-to on the basics of brewing your own wine.  

Growing Edible Mushrooms
Learn how to grow your own edible fungi from woodchips and logs! And also mushrooms from compost.  This workshop will advise you on which mushrooms are easy to cultivate and give you an introduction to the various techniques. 

Beekeeping in Backgreens
As bee populations plummet, urban bee keeping is becoming more and more important.  This workshop offers an introduction and history of different types of beekeeping, and a guide to some of the practicalities for keeping your own bees, as well as some tips for keeping bees in a tenement backgreen environment.

Jam and Chutney Making
Jams and chutneys are a great way to utilise a glut of one particular fruit or vegetable, and preserve them for leaner winter days. During this practical workshop, you will use seasonal fruit and veg to create delicious jams and chutneys, whilst learning about the principles of preserving and receiving a wide variety of recipes to try at home. 

Keeping Chickens in Backgreens 
Looking for someone to tend to your soil and bring you free range eggs right on your doorstep? Then maybe keeping chickens is for you.  This workshop will run through the basics of caring for chickens, and offer advice on the legislation and health and safety considerations for keeping chickens in urban back gardens. 

Juice Making
Fruit juices are a tasty, vitamin rich way to use up a glut of seasonal fruit, and once pasteurised, juices can be stored for a relatively long time.  This workshop offers a practical how-to for making and pasteurising your own juices, as well as the principles of sterilisation and bottling. 

Cooking with Vegetables from Your Garden
Workshop attendees will cook up a storm in a backgreen, using freshly dug-up local ingredients.  As well as enjoying cooking and eating a delicious meal together, there will be further recipes to take away and try. 

Baking 
How to bake delicious breads and cakes.

Pruning of Fruit Trees & Bushes
A guide to the techniques and timing for effective pruning of fruit bushes and trees, such as apple.   (NB: this workshop will run on a Sunday so there's enough daylight to see by)

Foraging For Wildfood
We will explore the multifarious forms of wildfood which can be found in and around the city.

Window Box Gardening
Due to popular demand we will be putting on a workshop on the installation and management tenement window boxes. 

Joinery Skills For Backgreens
This workshop will introduce simple joinery skills which will enable you and your neighbours to construct simple structures for your backgreens, including picnic benches, clothes drying frames, veranda's for tool sheds, benches etc.






Please ignore the information below:
See timetable for the dates of classes we have scheduled in the near future.  If you are interested in a class but it hasn't been scheduled yet, contact us to provisionally book and we will let you know the date as soon it becomes available, we also recommend joining the Dig For Victory website where you'll get news of workshops including a bulletin which we email out every week.

To book a place on any of the workshops email or phone: 0131 243 2698.