South Bank Project

You may have noticed that areas around the town have been looking rather lovely in recent years, having been planted up by the Guerrilla Gardeners. Wildlife and drought friendly plants are now thriving in the Herb Garden (behind the Community Centre and for everyone’s enjoyment), Croft Way car park bank and bottom of the steps, and the flower beds that run along the railings at the top of the Recreation Group.

When the ash trees were cut down in the car park due to ash die back it was suggested that we might like to tackle that area with the aim to create an area for the community and wildlife to enjoy for years to come. A plan was drawn up and submitted to the Council who granted us a lease to cultivate the area and following a successful grant application to Brendon Energy, we galvanised various other interested groups into helping with our first planting in January 2024 – a wildlife hedge round 3 sides of the bank. Brendon Orchards act as our “bankers” and we are linking with Wivey Grows about this and other plantings around the town.

Over the Autumn/Winter of 2024/25 we will plant fruit trees on the sides of the bank to form a community orchard for everyone’s enjoyment, and walnut and sweet almond trees on the top. These trees have been chosen as the bank is dry and exposed to full sun and they will cope with these and future conditions as the climate changes. In the dip we plan to plant wildflowers for pollinators. Already primroses are appearing and spreading, as well as achillea (yarrow) and mullein.

 

We will only cut the longer grass from August until early March.  This will provide a habitat for insects amongst the wildflowers and plants.  We will rake off the grass so that the nitrogen level is reduced which will help the other plants to flourish.  We had great fun making “wheelie bin bales” this year.

The tree stumps from the ash trees have been left to act as seats for the old and young alike, and over the years they will gradually rot down to provide habitats for all sorts of creepy crawlies.

We always welcome volunteers to help with our projects – it can be as simple as a bit of pruning and weeding, wielding a mattock to make holes or (under supervision) harnessing your inner Poldark and getting stuck into some scything!

 

Our thanks go to Brendon Energy Community Fund for their ongoing support.

Also to the Wessex Water Foundation Environment Fund which supports charity and community activities across the region that have a positive impact on the local environment.

For further information please contact Lena Holland (07714 703455) lenaholland@hotmail.com or Julie Mitchell (07906 781160) julieandgerry@hotmailcom

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