Green goddess grandma inspires more of the Good Life in Moss Side

An 83-year-old gardening dynamo, who feeds 50 pensioners a week with her allotment-grown fruit and vegetables, has inspired Moss Side residents to become even more self-sufficient.

Green-fingered grandma Dena Murphy was one of the people that a group of Moss Side residents met during an 'exchange' visit to North Manchester, to see how the other half of the city brightens their neighbourhoods with gardening and community projects.

The aim of the visit, organised by Manchester City Council, was to swap ideas, share the benefits of working towards common goals of improving and having pride in homes, streets and gardens. Next year, Moss Side will host a reciprocal visit.

On the day, Dena, who is chair of New Moston residents' group NEPHRA, astounded visitors with a bountiful allotment which produces so much fruit and veg that the group can make a three-course meal for more than 50 lunch-club members a week.

"I grow enough to fill our freezers and keep us going for a year," she says. "Gardening is something I love and I've had a ball doing it. To me, gardening is a basic skill, which lies dormant in a lot of people. And, it's a hobby that saves money. I spend around £100 on seeds a year and probably grow £1,500 worth of fruit and veg."

And according to Dena, who spends around three hours a day gardening, there's no plant, fruit or veg that can't be grown  - the secret is to nurture seedlings like a child.

"Give them care, attention and empathy like you would a child," she says. "But don't take any nonsense - and there won't be anything you can't grow."

From alpine strawberries to French breakfast radishes and pak choi - you name it, Dena has grown it. And the second secret to her success is never to ask for anything.

"I've always been very lucky. I never ask for anything, but people have always been very generous to me. If I need something, somehow it just happens and people will turn up and offer things for the allotment," she says. "I call it 'grandma's wish list'.

"I've always believed that there is no heart without love. The more you take out of a heart the more it fills up.

"That's how I've lived my life and a garden works on the same basis."

And that message is echoed in Moss Side, where community groups have already made a major impact on their community.

Adele Clarke, from Brockley Avenue residents' association in Moss Side, said: "The whole day was a great way of exchanging ideas and advice and showing that everyone can play their own role in their community.

"There's a community garden at the bottom of my avenue and I'm going to try to grow vegetables from there and involve youngsters in the project."

Phil Dodd from Cranswick Square residents' group, was similarly impressed. "There's council allotments near Bowes Street and we already had some ideas in mind for how to develop them - but it was great to see an established allotment and take advice and tips on what to grow and how to keep it sustainable. We may even consider keeping chickens there too.

"The main message is that is we keep working together there's so much we can do for our neighbourhood. I'm looking forward to seeing Dena and the other north Manchester groups next year and showing them what we've done in Moss Side."

Councillor Nigel Murphy, Executive Member for Environment at Manchester City Council, said: "The more people are involved with their communities the greater the pride they feel in their homes, which in turn has positive benefits for regeneration, house prices and confidence . It starts as a ripple effect which cascades into the sort of momentum that unites neighbourhoods and residents from all over the city. We as a council are always happy to endorse and facilitate an inspiring initiative like this."