Following on from our last blog on this project Ash Green Community Streets - on site!, on Wednesday 6th November we were involved in the community volunteer planting day for our Active Streets Scheme in Mixenden, Halifax.
A Community effort
The volunteer day, organised and attended by staff from Calderdale Council’s Highways department, saw residents, school children, and staff from local volunteer and support groups join together to bring some life to the newly installed rain gardens.
Image: Project Manager Ella King planting allium bulbs with school children. Credit - CMBC, Matt Radcliffe
The rain gardens are installed in the public realm surrounding Ash Green Primary School's lower site, as part of a scheme designed to encourage active travel journeys to and from school. During the planting session it was apparent that the children were incredibly engaged and excited about 'their' rain gardens - the earlier visit to the school by “Slow The Flow” and the support for the scheme from the headmaster and school staff has certainly worked to educate and enthuse them as to the multiple purposes of the SuDS gardens.
Image: Volunteers, including school children, planting the rain gardens. Credit - Slow The Flow, Sam Townsend
Lots of lovely plants
Together we made a good start on planting a large proportion of the 1086 perennials, 3614 bulbs and 39 shrubs, which included species such as Cornus, Kniphofia, Geranium, Carex, Molinia, Allium, Galanthus and Narcissus, all sourced locally from Dove Cottage Nursery and Beardsworths Nursery
Image: Plants in pots ready to be planted in the rain gardens. Credit - Slow The Flow, Sam Townsend
It was great to get some hands-on experience of the rain garden growing medium, there’s nothing to beat actually physically getting a fork in there to understand it from a gardening/horticultural view!
Image credit - CMBC, Matt Radcliffe
Image: before and after planting - plants do 'make' a space! Left image credit - Slow The Flow, Sam Townsend
Future developments
There will be a further volunteer planting day on Tuesday November 26th, to complete the planting within the rain gardens. If you or anyone you know would like to get involved, please see details on the flyer below:-
There are also 26 trees to be planted across the wider project area, as part of the White Rose Forest. This is to be carried out by Calderdale Council’s planting department, which along with the above-mentioned volunteer planting day will complete the greening of the scheme.
Watch this space!