The Sanctuary Garden

Building a polytunnel across the slope, East-West in our case, meant that the gables would be on a 1:10 slope causing complications for doors and thresholds. This has kept our engineering volunteers busy trying to sort out solutions we did not really need because….

Charles Dowding recommends building polytunnels North-South and for us it meant that the gables are at the top and bottom of the slope and more importantly, they are level. This orientation is supported by lots of other gardeners and polytunnel manufacturers.

The volunteers cut the pipework into 10m lengths, giving us a 6.336m wide polytunnel, and placed in a form/jig so they are in the right shape rather than curled up in the shape for delivery. Although it’s frosty now, when the sun shines, the plastic will soften and keep it’s shape. The original polytunnel pipes have also been added as the new volunteer lead design will allow narrower pipes to be re-erected. The joy of a collaborative design process.

Halfords have been very helpful supplying cardboard bicycle boxes that we’re using as a weed suppressant in the polytunnel. As it’s nearly Christmas, it’s a busy time for bike sales and apparently next week, they have 50 bikes boxes. Three car loads of bike boxes barely covered half the polytunnel footprint. On top of the cardboard layer we will roll out a bale of straw making it a pleasant surface to walk on while building the polytunnel; another brilliant volunteer idea! In the spring, we can add layers of compost to make the beds.

The wee polytunnel frame made from trampoline hoops, was moved into it’s position, although that is only plan A, so is likely to be moved again.

The impact of collaborating with volunteers is significant, the design improves over time, they are engaged and feel part of the project and walk away with a spring in their step. Without them, there would be no project!

The design of the new polytunnel is changing slightly every time we get together. Little iterations and changes make improvements in how it is being erected and it’s functionality based on our own experiences putting up the tunnel at Grow West Fife and visits to Eats Rosyth’s polycrub.

In the photo below, the green sections are beds, 3′, 4′, 4′ and 3′ with 2′ orange paths between them. The doors at each end will be the width of my outreached hands and the blue curve will be the shape of the plastic.

It is massive!

The total area including the paths is 90 sq meters, 15 x 6m (we interchange metric and imperial measurements) making it practically double the size of the polytunnel we erected at Grow West Fife, where close to quarter of a tonne of tomatoes were harvested this year.

Pictures speak a 1000 words. With the use of the JCB from the neighbouring farmers, Ian and James Adam, 2 hours work with their machine would have taken many demoralising and back-breaking days of work by hand.

The photos at the top show the area at the top of the field, where we will put down membrane and type 1 gravel (funding required) and it will become a disabled and unloading parking area.

The lower picture shows the field clear of weeds and can see SOIL!

With the help of our volunteers, van was loaded with rubbish and unloaded at the tip.

A second load of metal was dropped off at WM Russel just down the road and half a tonne gave us £59 that paid for half the van hire.

All the effort, collecting, piling, loading and unloading has made a significant difference and made the garden look like things are moving. Next is a digger to level the beds ready for compost.

Today lifted my spirits, and by the smiles on faces, lifted lots of others too.

Thank you again.

The drawing below is of two gardens: The Sanctuary Garden is the large blank green canvas and the upper drawing is the garden at Grow West Fife. The drawing helped to design new bed layouts with the help of the volunteers.

Grow West Fife’s garden area is about 2800sqm and in 2025 the volunteers grew 2000kg of vegetables which were distributed to pantries, kitchens and shared with volunteers and visitors!

East Neuk Market garden started with 2 acres, which is about 8100 sqm, and their methods allow tonnes of organic vegetables to be harvested every year.

The Sanctuary Garden has around 7125sqm, similar to East Neuk Market Garden and 2.5 times the area of Grow West Fife, giving us the space to expand and grow vast amounts of vegetables that we will share far and wide.

Our volunteers are making a positive impact on the state of the garden. Thank you!

We’ve hired a transit van for Monday 10th November: The steel we may get some money as scrap metal and the rest of the waste will be recycled. More of the rotten timber was burned and it’s made the place look significantly neater.

Halfords have donated bicycle boxes that will be used when we make raised beds.
Buy a bike for Christmas so we can have the cardboard box!

Mar Scaffolding donated scaffolding poles that will be cut into short lengths and used as foundations for the new polytunnel.

It was a valuable trip and we all not only learned something new, but enjoyed the walk around with Tom. Everything he has learned over the years he was willing to share with us. Suppliers and technical information about tools, seed trays and watering tape as well as simple tips on how to be more efficient, critical when you have a small workforce. It has given us food for thought when it comes to planning the new The Sanctuary Garden.

Having spent many happy days in their fields, Grant can personally vouch for their ethical and organic methods. Soil biome is key to their success as they feed the soil with seaweed, compost teas, foliar sprays and compost they make themselves.

If your passing the Bow House near St Monans on a market day, Tom and Connie will have a veg stand and it is worth trying their produce! If you’re in their area, they offer a CSA veg bag scheme that is incredibly popular.

East Neuk Market Garden started in 2019 and has been developing and growing ever since. They have an incredible team and recently joined forces with another market garden and have big plans for the future.

The Tower Burn Halloween Event, organised by Dunfermline Greenspace in partnership with the Patons of Dunfermline, West Fife Woodlands, and the City of Dunfermline Heritage Group, transformed the historic Tower Burn Trail into a spooky wonderland on October 25, 2025.

The Sanctuary Garden had a decorated pop up stand highlighting volunteering opportunities the garden, plans for 2026 and giving away apples, pumpkins and treats!

Hundreds of visitors, including more than 230 at the cave alone, braved the decorated glen for a “truly magical day”. Dunfermline Greenspace foster the connections to the land and wildlife amid the revitalized greenspace. The event showcased the ongoing transformation of this once-neglected woodland into a vibrant community hub, with plans for more gatherings ahead.

The whole report is here

Here are a few tools you may not have come across.

JM Fortier has his top 30 tools for 2024

• Paper pot planter is expensive but interesting
• Drop seeder based on standard sized seed trays
• Tilther bed prep to include amendments
• Broad Fork and a slightly lighter design Here is another design
• Flame Weeder I have an X300 that needs to be serviced this is Wheeled option
• Jang Seeder – Curtis Stone is worth a look. East Neuk Market Garden have a three wheeler Jang.
• In the past we have used 1.2m beds, however in the US market gardens, it appears they use a bed width of 30” (75cm) and here is why .Curtis Stone Market Garden Institute (blog) Video
• Quick cut greens harvester makes salad quickly Cutris Stone does a test Knife vs Harvester