The South Woodford Society’s greening project was stalled somewhat by the hot, dry summer. Here, Louise Burgess explains how the plans – and the plants – have been adapted. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson
At the time of writing, the Environment Agency had declared drought conditions in nine regions across the south and east, including London. The dry conditions during the summer – the driest on record in many parts of the country – led to barren patches of ground with the grass looking like straw, creating dangerous tinderbox conditions for both property and wildlife. As it can no longer be denied that climate change is the reason for these weather conditions, we all need to do what we can to mitigate any further damage to the environment.
While it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start, the decisions you make in your garden can help and may encourage your neighbours to do the same.
In South Woodford, the majority of the planters that appeared at the beginning of the summer have been removed as the funding was no longer available. Some of them have been kept and the South Woodford Gardeners have been watering most of these, but the South Woodford Society has decided to use a few of them to trial some drought-resistant plants. These include succulents, such as house leeks and stonecrop, and these have survived the dry conditions well, without too much watering. You can do this too, either in planters or containers, so give it a try.
Unfortunately, there is no easy access to water in the area, which makes watering a mammoth task, even in normal weather, and this is why we are planning a ‘tapestry lawn’ at Eastwood Green (by the corner of Eastwood Road, adjacent to the George Lane roundabout), which will be made up of more drought-resistant, low-growing plants to create a lawn which can be walked and played on without too much damage. We will be preparing these beds soon – please let us know if you would like to help.
Additional planting includes Bell Green (a small patch opposite the Railway Bell pub, outside the Tube station; pictured here), which has been populated with Mediterranean plants such as rosemary and lavender, which have mostly managed to survive the heat.
We had to postpone planned major work during the hot spell as plants do need to be watered in initially, but come autumn, you will notice some changes. Work planned for the next few months and into winter includes pruning the evergreen hedge at the community orchard into a pyramid shape, which will reduce bulk and create a better look. This activity could be suitable for wheelchair users and we hope to run a workshop if possible. We are also planning to use a technique called hedge-laying, similar to coppicing and pollarding, to facilitate vigorous new growth and to create a ‘habitat’ hedge. Again, we are hoping to run this activity as a workshop, so if you are interested in this, do let us know.
Hedgerows and other ‘habitat’ gardening techniques are an important way to encourage biodiversity and are good for insects, bees, butterflies, birds and small mammals, so do consider planting the right sort of plants to encourage wildlife in your own gardens. For more information, search “wildlife friendly” on the Royal Horticultural Society website (rhs.org.uk) – it’s an excellent source for gardening advice.
For more information on local greening projects, email e18society@gmail.com
