This special day marked our first partnership with the newly formed Friends of Shakespeare Street Park, this event being their first action since setting up. Despite non-stop rain, it was an ambitious and successful day for BTP as we planted 12 trees. This achievement was made possible by the incredible involvement of the local community, BCC staff, and our dedicated trustees.
The planting design was developed collaboratively with the Friends of Shakespeare Street Park and key partners, including Narthex, St Johns, and Friends of Sparkhill Park.
Our focus was on creating much needed shade around the park as well as buffering pollution from the nearby roads, and establishing an orchard.
The final design included:
Ulmus (Elms) which have been placed by the playground to provide essential shade for parents and children during sunny seasons (like now!).
Paulownia tomentosa (Foxglove) selected as a prominent statement tree which would also offer some more shade.
Ficus (Fig), which is the start of the site’s orchard, with plans for more fruit trees in the future.
Ginkgo biloba (Gingko) and Fagus sylvatica ‘Dawyck’ (Beech) alternated along the street line to help buffer against pollution and create a sense of enclosure and border.
Sophoras japonica (Japanese Pagoda) planted along another edge for similar pollution-buffering and bordering benefits.
In the early afternoon, we were joined by an enthusiastic group of years 4, 5, and 6 pupils from Arden School – which is situated right next to the park – to assist with the Elm planting. The students, along with their teachers, were fantastic and fully committed to every step of the process. It was a particularly exciting moment for us to plant these deciduous hardwoods, as they are Dutch Elm Disease resistant Elms!
As the school day ended, parents and children arrived to help us plant the highly anticipated Foxgloves. There was a wonderful sense of excitement as the community welcomed them into the park, looking forward to seeing their purple flowers and the generous shade they will eventually provide across the space.
Thanks to everyone who made the day what it was.
Narthex for helping to make this all happen, St Johns for opening up their church to provide refreshments and shelter throughout the planting, Arden School pupils for all their hardwork, Friends of Sparkhill Park team for their unwavering support and a special thanks to Farzana – new chair of Friends of Shakespeare Street park for being pivotal in every stage of the planning and delivery of the planting: for distributing over 150 flyers, for helping us connect to the school, for ensuring we got the planting plan just right and more.