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La Choppe at the Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden at Saumarez Park has reopened for the 2019 season and the volunteers who run it have big plans for the year.
Now that the garden, greenhouses and shop are fully established, the project is focusing on plans to create 'The Gatehouse', which will include an education centre, a visitor centre and administration area.
It is hoped 'The Gatehouse' will be built this year, after a 'Raise the Roof' lottery campaign in 2017 raised money towards the project.
As a result, La Choppe has been moved within the garden to allow for building work to take place and will be manned by a dedicated team of volunteers throughout the season. VWKG volunteers hope the shop will be incorporated into 'The Gatehouse' building in 2020.
Pictured: The Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden (image from walledgarden.gg).
La Choppe, which means 'The Shop' in Guernsey French, was originally set up in 2007 when Carol Whitby started selling plants at the Farmers' Market to raise money for the Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden. It has continued to grow since then and the main shop eventually opened in 2014.
The number of crafters getting involved in the shop has also risen over the years, with more than 50 producers' items on sale including some made from wool, wood, cane, glass, toys, knitwear as well as coasters, cards, jams and preserves.
La Choppe prides itself on only selling locally handmade items, aside from Heritage seeds which are sourced.
It opens today and will be open between 10:00 and 16:00 on weekdays and until 13:00 on weekends.
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