Jasmine Drewry of Poplar HARCA writes:
Poplar HARCA and local residents have been revitalising interest and boosting biodiversity in the Flowerpot Garden on the Teviot Estate.
The garden was landscaped in 2012 by the BBC’s Flowerpot Gang television programme, a garden makeover show presented by Anneka Rice, well-known gardener Joe Swift and ex-cricketer Phil Tufnell. Since then the garden has been well-loved and cared for by a handful of residents, but could do with a few extra gardeners to help look after it.
During February and March this year, Poplar HARCA’s Accents Team worked closely with the residents who manage the garden, to work out how to re-engage stakeholders and bring in new people to the garden. This culminated in an Open Day in late March.
Residents worked to clear the garden and prepare beds for seeds. Poplar HARCA’s horticultural team supported the residents of the estate, helping to clear flower beds and remove weeds. Residents walking past engaged with the activities, some of whom weren’t aware that the garden was accessible. We managed to encourage four additional residents to take a plot.
We invited an ice-cream van down for the day and had engagement activities for children, such as bug search sheets. Poplar HARCA donated some wildflower seeds and children spent the morning planting them. This will encourage more bees and butterflies into the garden.
Shortly after the Open Day, the Poplar HARCA horticultural team planted a new mixed native hedgerow, with the help of a few residents, to encourage lots more wildlife to the garden.
We’re very grateful to the Tower Hill Trust for a Tower Habitats biodiversity grant, which helped pay for the Open Day and the hedgerow plants.
Photos by Poplar HARCA (click to enlarge)
