Wilberforce Gardeners

Wilberforce Gardeners is an informal group of local residents interested in gardening whether in pots, window boxes or larger gardens. It is not a club and everyone living in Wilberforce Road and adjacent streets can take part. You don't have to know anything about gardening to get involved. We meet our costs by selling donated excess plants and home baking at our twice-yearly plant sales. Wilberforce Gardeners have an 8 x 20 ft unheated greenhouse for local people to use. Here are some pictures of the greenhouse with plants ready for sale.  If you are interested in using the greenhouse or just in gardening generally please get in touch.  Drop a note in at 30 or 131 Wilberforce Road, or email: wilbgard@blueyonder.co.uk if you wish to receive Wilberforce Gardeners email notices.

 Growing Plants around the Bases of Street Trees

 

Both Hackney and Islington seem keen to encourage people to plant bulbs and plants around the bases of street trees. There are already several attractive plantings.  Residents should seize this opportunity to brighten up our streets!

 

In Islington, you can apply to Sue.Whitehead@islington.gov.uk for a free packet of seeds, and a ribbon to mark the tree to warn road sweepers. 

In Hackney, Arboricultural Officer Rupert Bentley Walls has offered to work with residents to identify trees which the residents wish to adopt. A section of Wilberforce Road now has a cobble detail to define the tree bases, which are being increased in size. The same treatment will be applied to other streets, as their paving is upgraded.  Rupert will ensure that the Council will not apply the alternative treatment - porous gravel-resin surfacing - without checking with residents first.  Rupert’s contact details are 020 8356 8437 or via e-mail to Rupert.bentleywalls@hackney.gov.uk

 

Advice for tree-base gardeners

Street tree bases are not easy sites as the soil is often poor, sometimes crowded with tree roots and used by passing dogs. Plants for these locations need to be durable! The Council spray weedkiller now and then but seem to leave planted tree bases alone.

 

Preparation

 

Loosen the soil as much as possible with a trowel or fork and dig in any compost you have available. The more compost the more the soil will retain water. Several people have edged their tree bases – this looks neat, stops soil being spread onto the pavements and allows a deeper layer. Plastic edging works but breaks easily. More durable is the edging made from halves of small logs. These can be driven in. They are available from most garden centres (are £9.99 for 1.8m) at Homebase. Do not cut away tree roots. Whatever is done should not impede the use of the footway or create a hazard.

 

Plants

 

Small growing spring bulbs such as crocuses, dwarf narcissi, dwarf irises work very well (although at risk from squirrels). Winter bedding plants (pansies, bellis daisies, primulas and polyanthus) will provide colour before the bulbs flower.

 

Perennials such as Iris foetidissima, cranesbill geraniums, small and medium decorative grasses do well. Bedding plants such as geraniums, antirrhinums (snapdragons), wallflowers are perennial and  give a couple of years of flowers.

 

Climbers such as ivies (but don’t allow to take over tree), honeysuckles are nice and annuals such as morning glories add a vertical element.

 

Bedding plants such as petunias, strawflowers, osteospermums, marigolds, and pansies are nice but will need watering particularly when young.

 

Always water new plantings well initially and for a week or two until they get established. When trees are in leaf their bases stay pretty dry unless there is a lot of rain.

 

How Wilberforce Gardeners can help

 

At our sales we will provide bargain plants for tree base plantings and free spring bulbs. We will pay half the cost of edging for tree bases (keep your receipt). In addition we will contribute towards purchase of plants from other sources for tree bases or other plantings in “public areas”. Contact number either number 30  Wilberforce Road or email wilbgard@blueyonder.co.uk