For a few years years now, Ealing Council has planted areas of the borough with seed mixes to create food for the insects and birds as well as a feast for human eyes. I have just been sent the planting areas for this year (thanks Brad!).
The planting comes in two types, parks + green spaces and housing estates. The total area planted this year is 16160 m2 in around 40 separate locations. Since this blog is about Perivale Park, I should mention that we get the second highest area planted (7800 m2) after Northolt park. So I want anyone reading this, when we are again able to do so, to promise to visit as many of these locations as you can. If you are so inclined, take photos and either send them here or post them to the Instagram page.
Postscript: Richard has just added to Brad’s list with the following:
This includes an extra 15,000m2 around the lakes and meadows in Perivale Park, bring the total there to 32,800m2 A good layering of rain expected tomorrow should encourage all this seed to nicely germinate. At the moment, the seeded areas are full of pigeons engorging themselves. Soon they will be too fat to fly away (now, where is that recipe for pigeon pie?).
Also in the park today, I talked to some contractors heaving a heavy ¾” hose around about to water the orchard garden. The hose was then going to make the journey to Rectory Park where apparently as well as seeds, some 6000 plants have been delivered and which already need watering.
Thanks for this Henry-useful to know. Hope they are as good as last year as a visual feast & as successful in attracting wildlife in terms of pollinators & winter finch flocks.
The Eremurus looked good in Perivale Park yesterday morning when I went for a quick visit. Some nice annuals emerging amongst the Dandelions outside the bulb area with a blue & red flaxes, poppy cultivars ( a splendid pink one) & the Moroccan Toadflax.
Saw my first Swallow for the park which probably headed north over your house.
Last week I rescued about 100 tadpoles isolated in a tiny puddle near Coston Brook & put them in the larger bit of water but even that is slowly disappearing. Hope the rain arrives this week as promised!
Yes, the Eremurus or Foxtail lily is now flowering on quite a few spikes. A bit less yellow than I thought it would be.
Yes, the pink poppy has a photo on the previous post and there are more to come!
Henry — Trinity Road Open Space on Old Oak Road is looking great right now! — Steve
Thanks for the observation Steve! I will try to get some photos to put up here. I notice that more and more local authorities in London are starting to plant flower meadows/bee corridors in parks. London’s green spaces (of which there is a lot) are getting more insect and bird friendly all the time.
Grange Court Northolt is beautiful! Thank you Council!