News

The research begins!

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A group of volunteers met at Lambeth Archives last Friday to begin researching the history of the Rookery and in particular the White Garden.  We looked at a variety of sources including newspaper clippings, photographs, and local society publications.

We found a stunning image of the white garden on the Lambeth Landmark website from around c. 1910. However as volunteer Rachel put it at the end of the session, “As far as I understand things, we still don’t know when the White Garden was actually created, for whom and by whom.”

Was the White Garden created during the Victorian era? Was it created for a wedding? Who was the lucky bride? These are just some of the questions we are going to explore next…

If you are interested in getting involved, then please get in contact with Charlotte at Rookery100@streathamcommon.org

Garden Design Group Schedule

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Over the coming months, a voluntary garden design group will be helping to create new planting plans for the White Garden as well as other areas of the Rookery. They will be participating in research trips to RHS Lindley Library and Sissinghurst as well consulting with the lead garden designer about the planting plans.

Here are some of the activities which they will be in involved in:

Fri 14th March – Planning meeting

Tues 25th March – Visit to RHS Lindley Library

Sat 19th April – Survey of current planting

Fri 9th May – Trip to Sissinghurst

If you are interested in joining the group or learning more about the design plans, then please contact Charlotte at Rookery100@streathamcommon.org

 

 

Fruit Trees Planted

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Nine apple and three pear trees were planted by volunteers in the Rookery Orchard on February 23rd. Each tree is a different, carefully- selected variety. The varieties  include comice pear and bramley apple. They replace five dead or dying trees that have been removed.

New Trees Planted

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Scores of new trees were planted on the Common today as part of a biodiversity offsetting programme being managed by the London Wildlife Trust. The trees are just whips – less than a meter tall and aged 2-3 years. They are all native British species, such as hawthorn, field maple and guelder rose. The first batch were planted near the Streatham Common North / Leigham Court Rd junction.

In coming weeks, more tree whips will be planted further down Streatham Common North, at the bottom of Streatham Common South and in one or two other areas. More planting and some maintenance of brambles and woodland will be planned for the autumn.

Meanwhile, Lambeth council has been clearing back vegetation along the path that leads from the car park to Norwood Grove. This has involved cutting back brambles and removing some small trees, mostly dead elm trees. The work is intended to make the path  less hemmed in and therefore to seem safer.

 

Are you interested in Garden Design?

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We are recruiting a garden design group to help create a new planting plan for the White Garden as well as other areas of the park. The garden design group will meet on weekdays and weekday evenings on a monthly basis from March onwards. They will participate in research trips to RHS Lindley Library and Sissinghurst’s famous White Garden as well consulting with the lead garden designer. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the garden design process whilst also contributing your ideas to the future of the Rookery.

If you are interested in joining the group, please contact Charlotte Dove at rookery100@streathamcommon.org / 07931501422 or come along to one of our volunteer mornings on the third Friday of every month – from 10am-12pm, meet at the café on Streatham Common. We help with general maintenance tasks around the Rookery. Next session will be on Friday 21 February.

 

Garden Designer Job Advert

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Rookery Centenary Project

We are recruiting a Garden Designer to work alongside a group of volunteers to create new planting designs for the White Garden and areas of the formal gardens.

The new plans should reflect the garden’s history whilst also taking in to consideration limited maintenance budgets and environmental concerns. Volunteers will be conducting research about the history of the Rookery and the White Garden and will be an integral part of the design process.

Key responsibilities will be:

  • survey current planting in White Garden and Old English Garden, including review of Stephen Crisp’s plans
  • create new planting designs for White Garden and areas of the Old English Garden which combine the best of the past with sustainable, low-maintenance planting
  • liaise with volunteers about planting plans and incorporate their ideas and suggestions
  • compile plant order list and liaise with Lambeth Parks about order
  • facilitate community planting days alongside Rookery Coordinator and Lambeth Parks team

We are looking for someone with an excellent track record in garden design who will enjoy working alongside volunteers in a collaborative manner. Previous experience on community garden projects would be advantageous.

To download a copy of the job description, please follow this link

Deadline for expressions of interest: Sunday 2 March 2014

If you have any questions, please contact Charlotte at rookery100@streathamcommon.org

 

 

 

Competition to redesign Rookery Centenary Flowerbed

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We are launching a competition for local children under the age of 12 to redesign the Rookery Centenary flowerbed – the raised bed near the main entrance of the Rookery.

A panel of local residents, including children’s illustrator William Rose (famous for drawing Peppa Pig!), will judge the entries. The winning design will be transformed in to a carpet bedding display and planted in Spring 2014. Following the planting, there will be an awards ceremony to officially open the bed and to celebrate the work of all of the young people involved.

 

Guidelines for design

The judges will be looking for designs that respond to the physical characteristics, the atmosphere or the history of the site. Participants are encouraged to think about what the Rookery means to them and how they can best represent this in a simple and striking image.

The design should be circular, and does not need to include plant types or names. A garden designer will choose which plants to use once a winning entry has been chosen. The designer may substitute certain colours according to which plants are available.

 

Deadline and timeline

  • The competition is open to children under the age of 12
  • Deadline for entries: Friday 14 February 2014
  • Entries should be posted to: Sophie Hussey, 5 Strathbrook Road SW16 3AT
  • Shortlisted entries will be displayed locally, and the bed will be planted by end of May

Biodiversity Offset

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Environment Secretary Owen Paterson launched an innovative biodiversity offset project on Streatham Common  on 17th December 2013.

Biodiversity offsetting aims to ensure that new natural sites are created or enhanced as compensation in a measurable way for sites that undergo unavoidable damage or loss due to development.

The project will see native species of trees, shrubs and other plants planted at carefully selected areas on Streatham Common (most of which was declared Lambeth’s first ever Local Nature Reserve in April 2013). The planting – and some maintenance work – will more than offset the removal of trees necessary for the expansion of the Thameslink train depot in Selhurst and is aimed at increasing the biodiversity on the Common. The work will be overseen by the London Wildlife Trust, who will look after the new plantings until 2017. Work will begin soon but not until Lambeth Council and the Friends have agreed on the details.

read more at http://www.wildlondon.org.uk/news/2013/12/17/environment-secretary-launches-london%E2%80%99s-first-biodiversity-offset-scheme

 

Youth Facilities

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Last month, we held a public meeting on youth facilities on the common (one of four public meetings we held this year).

We recognise that there’s been little investment in Streatham Common facilities over the years, and some of the facilities we have are either reaching the end of their life or are already derelict. The meeting was to try to come up and prioritise ideas for regeneration.

A new group will be getting together soon to take these ideas forward, and start a wider public consultation.

You can read the minutes of the meeting here

Youth Provision Public Meeting Minutes 13Nov13

And email us or send us a note on the website if you want to get involved.