Park Langley Residents' Association
To promote and protect the interests of the residents of Park Langley
Please excuse the weeds,
we are feeding the bees!
Hooray!
Our bid to Veolia sustainability fund was successful and £400 was awarded to this project. With additional support from PLRA we aim to provide information to all residents and support for our pollinating insects across the estate with pollinator friendly plants and flowers and less pesticide use in our streets and gardens.
Before Christmas volunteers planted 3,000 bulbs around the newly planted street trees and we hope you have noticed the crocuses and daffodils starting to flower this year.
While many residents already look after some tree pits, PLRA are keen to see improvements to some of the neglected ones and have supported a small trial area (Bushey Way, Overhill Way and Woodmere Way) where the unplanted tree pits have been cleared to make it easier for residents to now plant and look after them with watering etc. Many people are happy to do this, so we hope that, if successful, this can be extended across the estate.
The pollinator project would like to encourage people to choose suitable plants for tree pits and front gardens or pots that will support the insects that are struggling to survive and need our help.
Planting in tree pits.
It is suggested that shallow-rooted annuals only should be planted in tree pits with new trees to give the tree the best chance of getting established, although regular watering will obviously help a lot and will be most important if we have another drought.
Annual plants suggested could be:
Cosmos; corn flower; annual poppies; marigolds; annual scabious; annual echium; nigella; linaria; aquilegia etc.
Perennials and biennials for gardens and larger tree pits with more established trees could include:- verbena; fennel; catmint; comfrey; echium; teasels ; scabious and native wildflowers such as oxeye daisy and ragged robin.
Where possible choose organically grown native flowers, grown in peat-free compost and organic seeds.
More extensive plant lists and links to other organisations will be added to the PLRA web site www.plra.org.uk
If you are trying to support our insects don’t forget that flowers commonly thought of as “weeds” are frequently native, wildflowers that can provide much needed pollen and nectar for our insects. Learn to love your dandelions – they are a great source of food for our pollinators!
Other flowers in lawns can also be supported by joining in with no-mow May and leaving the grass a little bit longer – which can really help in dry weather.
One of the most important things we can all do to help is to stop using pesticides in our gardens or on driveways. Planting pollinator-friendly plants will all be in vain if the insects are then killed by pesticides.
Apart from tree pits and your own front gardens we are hoping to trial some different maintenance of grass verges on the estate and will be meeting with council contractors soon. Please note – this is nothing to do with the Council’s verge trials in other parts of the borough and if anything happens it will only affect a very short section outside one property where the residents and volunteers will look after it.
A volunteer will be knocking on your door in the next few months to leave more information and get your thoughts and feedback on taking this project forward.
If anyone would like to be involved in this project, growing seeds for planting, talking to your neighbours, helping plant or look after tree pits or just want to know more about it - please email plra@live.com
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Whilst PLRA cannot recommend any business, we would like to express out thanks to the following for their help:
Anna from “Gardens by Anna Butterfield” for her advice on wildlife friendly gardening and suitable plants, plus provision of some suitable seeds/plug plants to support some planting.
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Eden Park Garden Centre, Upper Elmers End Road Beckenham Kent BR3 3DE, for their offer of a loyalty card for residents to support purchase of plants, provision of some pollinator friendly and wildflower seeds and potential support in future with some planting.
Present this newsletter instore and have it stamped at the garden centre and receive a loyalty card with 500 points – equivalent to £5.00 towards your instore purchase
Holwood Grounds Maintenance - for their work on the tree-pit trial area
We will be happy to acknowledge support from others as the project progresses.
Suggested plants to support pollinating insects:
Where possible choose organically grown native flowers/plants, grown in peat-free compost and organic seeds
Annuals: (suitable for tree pits and gardens)
Cosmos; corn flower; annual poppies; marigolds; annual scabious; annual echium; nigella; linaria; aquilegia etc.
Perennials and biennials (for gardens and larger tree pits with more established trees)
Verbena; fennel; catmint; comfrey; echium; teasels ; scabious and native wildflowers such as oxeye daisy and ragged robin.
Please note - that if you sow seeds of perennial,
native wildflowers they will likely not flower until the following year - we
will have to learn patience!
Other web-sites which may be useful:
Please note no businesses mentioned here are being recommended, they may be ones that have been found useful by some residents or have been listed in other articles and local publications.
https://www.rosybee.com – provide peat-free plants; plug plants often larger than other suppliers. Recently changed to recycled plastic trays that can be put in our recycling bins.
Also – Rosy used to live in Beckenham and says most of her plants will be fine in the clay!
https://annabutterfield.co.uk/our-10-favourite-small-plants-for-pollinators/
https://annabutterfield.co.uk/small-trees-and-shrubs-for-pollinators/
https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/lychnis-coronaria-alba/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/228267270844945/permalink/1972492199755768/
https://wildahome.co.uk/product/bee-butterfly-wildflower-meadow-mix/
https://www.saveourwildisles.org.uk/community/peoples-plan-for-nature?from=header
https://annabutterfield.co.uk/six-ways-to-encourage-more-wildlife-to-your-garden
