On 20 Aug 2017 at 4:31pm Charlie Dimock wrote:
I read in Ruth O'Keeffes Priory News that an "experiment" is being carried out on the verges on the Nevill and Brighton Roads, which have not been cut after a designation as wildflower verges by ESCC, but not seeded. And to let her know what we think.
Frankly, my dear they are a mess, of common weeds and NOT attractive in anyway. Unsightly and a bad impression of our pretty historic town, which will only lead to more dereliction of other things. Can't the council even afford wildflower seed ?
On 20 Aug 2017 at 4:54pm Alan Titmarch wrote:
It seems a great idea in practice doesn't it? The council saves a few bob and the verges suddenly become a riot of colour and our wildlife is saved from extinction.....win, win all round. Sadly, it doesn't quite work like that....survival of the fittest means that the cute and fluffy stuff we all like will be quickly smothered by thuggish weeds and grasses which in turn will be smothered by brambles and what are called pioneer tree species, (sycamore, holly, birch and ash seedlings) and eventually there will be mature trees in completely the wrong place. (I quite like the idea of mature trees, indeed, I plant them all round the town). The trees I plant though, are ones that will benefit wildlife, enhance the area and generally make the place a nicer place to live in, not the scruffy, litter filled, badly managed and neglected trees you see around town....The top of where Nevill road meets Prince Edwards road is a good example. The verges need a lot of hard work and looking after to look good and I'm quite happy to pay my rates for this purpose. What is sad is that It costs far more to go round and tidy up the mess when it's all gone to pot than it would have done if the verges had been cared for on a regular basis.
On 20 Aug 2017 at 5:29pm Percy Thrower wrote:
I love the wild look of the verges. They are home to many species of invertebrate and some vertebrates. Just because there's some wild, overgrown area with no pretty wild flowers in, it doesn't mean it's not helping with the native fauna....even some species of bees and butterflies rely on nettles and brambles to thrive. Start thinking outside the box a little guys.
On 20 Aug 2017 at 5:40pm Buzzard wrote:
Nice parodies. Seriously, I'm with Percy on this...although it sounds more like Geoff Hamilton - I think Percy would have been keener on formal bedding. I notice some wild flowers similar to those on Landport Bottom turning up on the verges, like yarrow, hawkbit, restharrow and wild carrot. The commercially seeded 'wild flower meadows' are bright and cheerful but not authentically Sussex.
On 20 Aug 2017 at 7:14pm DFL wrote:
They be DFL seeds
On 20 Aug 2017 at 9:56pm Mavis wrote:
And anyone with a garden will be paying our extortionate council tax AND a gardener to deal with all the wind blown weed seedlings. One years seeds, seven years weeds !!
On 21 Aug 2017 at 10:38am Gertrude Jeckell wrote:
Dear Mavis, why don't you get your gardener to create a lovely wild garden for you? Then you will be able to see your weeds as the precious wild flowers that they really are. And remember, the love of gardening is a seed that once sown never dies, but grows to the enduring happiness that the love of gardening gives.
On 21 Aug 2017 at 11:03am Guerrilla gardener wrote:
I'm on my way!!
On 21 Aug 2017 at 11:11am Huh? wrote:
@ Alan Tichmarsh
Can you tell us how you go about planting mature trees around Lewes?
On 21 Aug 2017 at 3:35pm Alan Titmarch wrote:
@ Huh.........I'm afraid the page is very slow to load (on my steam driven xp computer anyway) ,but here's a good start if you would like to help.
Check it out here »
On 21 Aug 2017 at 6:32pm Arboreterian wrote:
Good work Alan