Author: WPGF

Following lengthy discussions, debates, suggestions and counter-suggestions, our lovely neighbour Sarah Heaton has produced this beautiful planting scheme which we presented to LBHF for approval in January.  Some of the plants are now being ordered for delivery the week after Easter, when we will have a Planting Day (Friday 6th April) to get the new border under way.  We hope that as many of you as possible will be able to join us for what should be a fun and rewarding day’s gardening!

Click here to view or download the scheme Wendell planting scheme Sarah Heaton

You can see more of Sarah’s work here sarahheatongardens.com

From our correspondent, Liliana Radujko

We recently received an incredibly warm community welcome at Askew Road Library, where Katherine and Frances expertly delivered an informative presentation with slides, photos and plans a-plenty. Beginning with a brief history of Wendell Park, the talk introduced our voluntary group from it’s inception in May 2017, our objectives, ethos, fund-raising, achievements to date and, of course, exciting future plans. We explained too our dedication to British native plants, increasing biodiversity, supporting our Borough in trying to achieve a green Flag award for Wendell Park. Most importantly, that our community can ALL share, learn together and be united in a passion for plants and gardening across all ages, abilities, backgrounds or home environments.

We clarified how we are liaising closely with the Borough, seek to be an interface between our diverse park users and the Borough as we follow in the footsteps of years of work to maintain and achieve improvements in Wendell Park by the original Wendell Park Friends, such as Gina, and our hard-working, dedicated park keeper, Steve Cassidy.

We shared some of our exciting future plans for: a Propagation and Plant Exchange Day in April alongside one of our upcoming regular monthly Maintenance days; preparation of Wendell Park School gardening area, a watering point near the existing water fountain. Looking further ahead, our ambition to compete in the Chelsea Fringe Garden Festival.

The bubbly discussions with our knowledgeable audience bought forward many excellent suggestions and ideas, including how to move forward with health and safety issues for our park.

We would love to hear from anyone in the community with your ideas and comments – do get in touch with us online on our website: wendellparkgardeningfriends.co.uk or on Twitter:  @WendellParkGF

 

WENDELL PARK GARDENING FRIENDS HAS REACHED ITS FUNDRAISING TARGET

 

A huge thank you to all those of you who have supported and contributed to our fundraising effort. It has been fun and very uplifting to see the level of encouragement and endorsement throughout the community.

We planted the last of the bulbs on Saturday and we are hoping that over the coming years they will naturalise and bring spring cheer to all!  We have a few events already planned for next year,  keep checking our website. 

However our biggest task now is to work on the planting scheme. We welcome input from everybody so please use the comment section if you have any ideas. We will look at them and respond.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR FROM WPGF

Our fundraising efforts are now in full swing and we have a couple of exciting dates in the diary. This Saturday 18th November we will be setting up a stall at the Askew Road Library Crafts Fair; and then on 25th November we will be at Kite Studios We will be selling a selection of craft items, plants and Christmas stocking fillers and all proceeds will be going to WPGF to help fund our ambitious planting plans for 2018! So come along and dig deep! Or just pop in to say hello and to find out how you can get involved.

Source: Our crowdfunding platform is heading for another community success | LBHF

Wendell Park Gardening Friends has just been featured in the Council’s latest newsletter .  In case you missed it, take a look at the article here .

We have teamed up with the Spacehive crowdfunding platform to raise funds to advance our project.  Please help us to raise funds by pledging your support.   The council has £200,000 of funds available for projects through the Community Infrastructure Levy and have indicated the they will back us if the project attracts enough support in the community.  So please, dig deep!  It’s very quick and easy to do, and it all helps.  

Narcissi bulbs being planted by year 3 children

On Tuesday 10th October,   Wendell Park School  and WPGF  planted a 5kg bag of yellow and white narcissi bulbs. The ground was prepared  by clearing the leaves, digging the earth over and marking the areas for the children.

We used garden game paint to make four irregular shapes in order to make the planting look more natural. We located the planting close to the picket fence for increased protection.

Ruth and Caroll arrived with the first of three groups of 8 children, very well prepared, each with a trowel,  pair of gloves and bag for kneeling on.  Ruth then explained which way to put the bulb in the earth by pointing out the little roots at the bottom of the bulbs and told the children to expect the flowers in spring time.

All in all, around 100 bulbs were planted. To mark the end of the event and to the children’s delight,  a beautiful robin made an appearance, looking for worms in the freshly turned soil.

 

 

We have placed our first order for bulbs:  mixed daffodils and narcissi, snowdrops, winter aconites and peppermint and mixed muscari. Approximately 1000 bulbs altogether! The Southern border should really come to life this spring and we are hoping that the bulbs will naturalise with time.

Delivery is expected the first week of October, planting should take place soon after that. There will be an “action day” where all members and any volunteers will be able to  participate in the planting.  The event will be advertised in the usual way via posters on the park gates, the Nextdoor website and a round robin email to those who have registered an interest. An update will be given at our AGM on 10th October.