May/Jun 2024

16
South Woodford Village Gazette
Opposite the roundabout on
George Lane, Eastwood Green was
started by a group of volunteers
in autumn 2022, with the intention of
transforming an uninspiring patch of grass
into a vibrant haven for
people and wildlife.
What a difference
a year and a half
has made! The
wonderful work
undertaken
by the South
Woodford
Gardeners in the
local area shows
how much
difference green
space can make
to our community.
However, we also
wanted the area to be low
maintenance. All the work
here is carried out by a team of
fantastic volunteers in collaboration with the
South Woodford Society and funding from
Redbridge Council. What we have created
is essentially a meadow, which includes a
diverse mix of wild flowers and bulbs. The
plants were selected to be drought-tolerant,
so no watering necessary. The occasional
weeding is all that’s needed, but we embrace
the wild aesthetic. We’re also trialling some
grass alternatives, such as chamomile and
thyme. These plants are an attractive, lowmaintenance
option for those who like a lawn
but don’t have time to maintain it.
As well as creating a pleasant space for
residents to enjoy, one of the main goals of
the project was to increase habitat and food
sources for our struggling pollinators. We
have seen a catastrophic decline in flying
insects, with the numbers dropping by 60%
in the past 20 years! Sadly, Britain is one of
the most nature-depleted countries on the
planet. Some of the reasons for the decline
are habitat loss, food shortage and pesticide
use. It is estimated that 84% of EU crops rely
on insect pollination. If this continues, we may
not have enough pollinators for all the crops
we need, which is a scary prospect.
To advertise, call 020 8819 0595 or visit swvg.co.uk