August and the footpath’s clear.
Would it were so all the year!
“So what has changed?” I hear you say.
“Have Wombles come on holiday
To help us tidy up our street
And make our pavements nice and neat?”
Well, if they have, I hope they’ll stay...
...September’s nearer every day!
(If you get my drift?)
Despite a month of appallingly windy and sometimes torrentially rainy weather Friends of the Parks have still been out litter picking, weeding and dead-heading roses, not to mention one Saturday morning excursion when some Friends set out to clear up some of the hedge clippings left lying by the Contractors after they had “cut” the boundary hedges of the Rec. It wasn’t the Contractors’ most successful job but perhaps the bushes were to blame, being severely overgrown – weather or neglect? Who knows?
Some hardy Friends even braved the weather on our last official Working Party Day. (It was so wet on that Saturday that most of us stayed home!) Well done them!!
Don’t you wish the Contractors cared as much? A phone call to the Council only resulted in a partial clear up of the hedge mess, and the grass is, again, only part mowed round the rose bed. OK, so the rain is partly responsible, and maybe we are rather particular, but it is disappointing after all the Friends hard work, isn’t it?
However the Friends’ devotion to their Rec has not gone unnoticed.
We actually managed to win an award in the People for Parks (Best Outdoor Community Project) competition.
Stephanie Waddington from High Elms and Andrew Barnet from the Council, as mentioned in our June newsletter, judged “Beautiful Bromley”, on 25th June. Cllr Ann Manning and Carrie from Give2Give judged the Best Outdoor Community Project on 26th July.
The Friends had three representives for the actual judging in the afternoon. Councillors Benington and Norrie joined some of us in the morning for a good clear up of the Copse and Rec, which resulted in two dustbin bags full of litter and one particularly unpleasant half-filled bag of dog droppings! Thanks Brenda for volunteering to pick those up! You’re a star!
When our judges arrived all was neat and tidy – except the Pavilion, of course, which sported a bright pink coat of graffiti. Cllr Manning and Carrie were generous enough not to remark unkindly on it, except to say that the Coney Hall building (of a very similar type) is planted around with firethorn as a vandal deterrent. Is this something we might consider? Do let us have your views.
The presentation of our Award (which includes an engraved cup) will be later this year.
While we are on the subject of your views – have you decided yet how you would like the swimming pool car park to be screened from the Rec?
If you have ideas please let us have them as soon as possible before someone else decides on something none of us like!
If you have had a chance to wander through the Copse recently you will have noticed that the bramble growth has largely returned, as was predicted back in February.
Not being experts on woodland management ourselves (obviously!) we decided to seek advice on how we should proceed to ensure a proper balance is maintained between all the four layers of the wood i.e. ground (moss etc), field (plants), shrub (bushes) and trees.
We were lucky enough to be introduced to Julian Fowgies from the Council who came along to the Copse and has given us some very valuable and helpful suggestions. More selective clearing will be needed this year, but no bonfires (shame!) Perhaps when the dates of our work parties are fixed you will be able to come along and help? Many hands make light work, as they say.
The only downside of Julian’s visit was his considered opinion of the health of the trees by the rose bed. Apparently, as a result of the damage caused to their lower bark by over enthusiastic strimming in the past they may not be long with us. Shame! If, or rather, when we get new ones we must take care to protect them – both from vandals and careless contractors.
Incidentally, as you pass (carefully) by the huge nettle bed that has covered the old fly-tipping site by the footpath, take a moment to look a little more closely at the nettle flowers. Did you know that nettle plants are either male or female, with differently arranged flowers on each plant?
Mind you, if you can tell the difference between the male flowers “on long pendant branches” and the females “in tight clusters” you’re a better man than I am Gunga Din! It’s worth a look even so, if only to witness the occasional puff of smoky pollen emitted by the male flowers.
As a matter of interest, during the Second World War, vast quantities of nettles were collected for dyeing camouflage nets, as they are abundant in chlorophyll. Brave in more ways than one then... folks back then!
Our nettles are, hopefully, being used as food plants for caterpillars of the beautiful butterflies that we hope to see, if it ever stops raining! Poor things – it’s not been a good year for them, has it?
Dates for your diary
High Elms Open Day
Sunday, 31st August 2008
12.00 –4.00pm
A free event to discover more about Bromley’s countryside………
Woodland crafts, Wildlife rescue charity, Hedge laying demonstration, Face painting, Orpington Beekeepers, Kent Wildlife trust, Hewitt’s Farm, RSPB Bromley, Bromley’s Green Team, West Kent Badger Group, Tree climbing demonstrations, Orpington Astronomical Society, High Elms history walks. Music by the Croydon Steel Orchestra
Next Working Party
Saturday 6th September
Meet 9.30am at the rose bed
The aim of this work party is the tidying up of King George VI Avenue (leading to the Cemetery from Kingsmead). Although not actually part of the Rec it is, nevertheless, one of its entrances and is in a dreadfully overgrown and messy state. Bushes need cutting, nettles need clearing and litter needs picking so that people visiting either the Rec or cemetery can do so along a pleasant stretch of road. Secateurs may be useful, gloves and high vis jackets are essential (we have spares for use on the day). Please try to come even if only for an hour.
See you there!
Next Meeting
23rd September
7pm at the Spitfire Centre
Queries, complaints, comments or suggestions to bhfotp@googlemail.co.uk
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