Lambeth TCV

@BandstandBeds @weareaceofclubs @Ijoneswilliams @thisisclapham @Capital_Growth @EdibleLambeth @wellbelove @bestofclapham Looking Good. My old Primary School, St. Mary’s for boys, going back to late 1970’s.

Back in April BBA volunteers helped clear and create new growing space @weareaceofclubs, adding some raised beds. Four months on the garden is looking amazing. And the veg is being used for their lunchtime meals.

The pond oak sleeper retaining wall repair project is going well at Sheen Mount Primary School. Loads of stag beetle larvae coming out of the rotten untreated sleepers as we remove them, they’ll be re-homed in loggeries nearby. The pond is just teeming with life, great to see!

We came across a couple of Jersey Tiger Moths whilst working at Elam Street Open Space near Loughborough Junction last week.

This week we finished the installation of 2 reptile / amphibian hibernacula in Eardley Road sidings Nature Reserve. A lot of effort digging both down to 0.5m depth, but a great result!

Lots of work in Eardley Road Sidings Nature Reserve this last month, clearing invasive vegetation on the meadow areas and opening up glades within the woodland. The old dead hedges have now been refilled so they will continue to provide habitat for wildlife.

This week we installed some protective chestnut paling fencing around the ancient White Willow on Streatham Common. The tree was struck by lighting years ago and the trunk is split and hollow as can be seen in the 1st photo, but the tree lives on!

The wildflower strips we installed along the pavement next to the Rookery Gardens on Streatham Common as part of the LB Lambeth ‘Bee Roads’ project are now in flower, full of cornfield annuals for this first year.

Another week, another laid hedge! 65m length of mixed native hedge laid, gapped up with new whips, mulched and temporarily fenced off to protect the young whips at Elam Street Open Space near Loughborough Junction. Well done all!

Guardian of the spawn!

The hedgelaying is coming along well in Brockwell Park, 200m length of hedge laid this season so far, as well as 400 native whips planted. We found about 50 stag beetle larvae yesterday in the well rotted mulch pile we are using, all now re-buried where they won't be disturbed!

Great start to the works in Aspinden Rd Nature Garden this week, new deeper pond area adjacent to the main pond and larger decking coming along nicely, well done all!

We have now started our winter hedgelaying works in Brockwell Park, laying the native hedge we planted 6 years ago. First 65m laid this week, much more to come next week and in Jan - March too, as well as gapping up the hedge with more whips and installing a stock wire fence.

This week we are back in Rosendale Allotments to help reinstate the paths across this huge site. Soggy start yesterday but all progressing well.

Last week we were coppicing willow in Brockwell Park for use in our hedgelaying work that will be taking place there throughout this winter. We also pruned and re-wove the willow sculptures in the One O'clock club garden in the park...with a little 'artistic licence'!

New pond and dipping platform are in at Sunnyhill Rd Nature Garden, and the paths levelled out. Well done team!

Another week, another pond! We have now started our works to re-profile & re-line the pond at Sunnyhill Nature Garden in Streatham SW16, as well as improving the paths through the site. Lots more to do over the next two weeks.

Pond reprofiled and relined at Dalmain Primary School Wildlife Garden over the last two weeks, to increase the open water area and improve access around the pond so the schoolchildren can pond dip safely. Well done all!

Thank you @lambeth_tcv for scything a rather damp meadow on a rather day. It’s always good seeing you and to listen to your expert advice.

The sudden heavy downpour put paid to the crazy paving re-laying in the Rose Garden at Ruskin Park this afternoon. Hopefully the water will drain away so we can continue tomorrow.

The removal works continue in Norwood Park. Old surfacing has been removed, just the last few remnants of the old play structures fixings to remove, and the rest of the old concrete sand pit. Soil and grass will be on the way in shortly! New bridge frame built, ready to go in.