Building on the achievements of 2024, our estate gardening group has lots planned for 2025 and we need volunteers to get involved! Find out more below…
Help grow flowers for the estate
We are looking for volunteers ASAP to plant and look after flower seeds until they have germinated and the weather is warm enough for us to be able to plant them out into communal planters on our Spring Day.
We have all the seeds, pots and soil – we need volunteers to come and get some from us, plant up the seeds at home and nurture them until April when they can be planted out. Until then they can live on a window sill or other location inside where they get some light.
If you can help please email gardening@prera.org.uk or let us know on the gardening WhatsApp group.
Fruit tree pruning – 15.02.25 10am-12pm
In early 2014 the Open Orchard Project planted ten fruit trees across our estate, returning in February 2020 to check on those trees and plant a few more. Catchup on our blog here.
After a few years’ gap, the Open Orchard returned to our estate last February to instruct the newly reformed PRE gardening group on how and when to best care for our trees.
Our young fruit trees need annual maintenance each February; This involves pruning the trees to improve their shape and encourage healthy growth, removing grass and mulching around the bottom of the trees to reduce competition for water and nutrients, and re-securing any protective cages that have come loose.
There will be a pruning morning on Saturday 15.02.25 from 10am-12pm.
No experience is needed, all ages and abilities welcome. All volunteers will go around the estate together and prune the trees under the instruction of the gardening group leads. Tools will be provided. Just turn up on the day at the fruit trees in the middle of the estate by the service road behind Ponton House.
Wildflower planting – 08.03.25 and 15.03.25 10am-2pm
The grass on our estate lacks diversity and leaving it to grow long all summer achieves little for nature and quickly looks untidy. In collaboration with Incredible Edible Lambeth (IEL), and inspired by the success of the Bee Roads Flower Meadow in 2024, we are aiming to plant up to 4 wildflower beds and a couple of shady long grass areas on the estate. IEL advised PRERA to concentrate on smaller areas, allowing us to do those areas well, and creating planted features across the whole estate for everyone’s benefit. The seeds are funded through IEL and equipment is funded through PRERA.
Wildflower bed planting
This will involve taking the top layer of turf off, clearing the area of any stones and debris, scattering wildflower seeds mix across the bare earth, treading the soil down, and then covering the areas with garden fleece to protect the seeds while they establish. The fleece will then be removed once the weather has warmed and the seeds have germinated. The beds will be low maintenance going forward. The flowers will be left to grow every spring and then will be cut in late summer.
Volunteers are needed to help clear the area of any stones and debris, scattering wildflower seed mix across the bare earth, treading the soil down, and covering and securing the sheeting. Volunteers will not be required to strip the turf!
Each bed will be overseen by gardening group leads and clear instruction and equipment will be provided.
We are also looking for residents who have access to turf stripping equipment to help prepare the areas before planting. Please get in contact if you can help.
Shady wildflower and long grass planting
IEL also identified part of an area in the middle of the estate (where the grass has previously been left to grow) and a location on Bushell Close as a good shady areas to leave the grass to grow long spring to summer every year. These areas will need to be prepared and seeded to improve the variety of grass and flowers.
These areas will need to be strimmed, raked and cleared or as much organic matter as possible, and then a shady wildflower seed mix scattered.
Volunteers will not be required to do any strimming! Volunteers are needed to rake and sweep the area, and scatter the wildflower and grass mix.
We are looking for residents who have access to a strimmer to help prepare the areas before planting. Please get in contact if you can help.
The proposed plan is shown on the map below. All suggested locations have been identified in consultation with IEL based on sun/shade, visibility and benefit for the most residents, not blocking pathways, and approval from Lambeth Landscapes grass cutting team. We are liaising with the Lambeth tree maintenance team on the locations as well where the suggested areas are close to existing trees.
If you have any concerns or suggestions please do get in touch as plans can be modified and amended.
Spring Day – 26.04.25 10am-1pm
After the success of our spring day last year we are holding another day on Saturday 26.04.24 from 10am.
The day is a great opportunity to come and have a go at gardening, even if you’ve never done it before! It’s also a chance to meet and chat with your neighbours, as well as getting outside!
The aim of the day will be to tidy the planters across the estate, weeding, spreading wood chip, pruning plants if needed, and planting out the seedlings grown by our residents.
Help look after the planters on our estate
We are looking for volunteers to look after the planters on our estate. There are wooden raised planters on the block platforms along Palace Road, allotment planters on the grass behind Despard/Chalner Houses, and the round stone planters on Coburg Crescent.
The planters on Despard platform and Ponton platform have already been adopted by local residents who weed, water, prune and litter pick throughout the year.
If you want to get involved please email gardening@prera.org.uk or let us know on the gardening WhatsApp group.
Summer gardening evenings
From May to August 2025 we are hoping to organise gardening evenings once a month. A poll will go out on the gardening WhatsApp group soon for preference of day of the week and time. Keep your eyes peeled!
Local gardening and nature events
And last but not least Incredible Edible Lambeth have a series of events coming up. Checkout out our IEL community consultation roundup and plans for 2025! blog post to find out more.