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Showing posts from 2020

Sharing Seeds

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You've chosen a tree and are ready to go! Below is some guidance for choosing suitable seeds and plants for your new public garden and 7 varieties of seeds we can deliver to you up until 30 June free of charge. Guidance Choose plants which have a variety of flower shapes. A variety of flower shapes is key to provide pollination opportunities for as many different pollinators (inc different bee species) as possible. Consider choosing a mixture of evergreen plants, perennials (they die back each year but come back) and annuals (a one year show but collect seeds for an encore next year). We will keep sharing photos to give you ideas! Avoid planting spiky plants, or plants which can sting, or plants which are toxic or invasive species which the Council may remove i.e. ivy, Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam, or giant hogweed Let's try not to create trip hazards or problems for pedestrians. Don't plant anything that will grow too large (over 1m) and tie back any plants...

Who is this?

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Ever wondered what type of trees you're passing in your local area? In this activity you'll find out what kind of tree you've found, and share your discovery with other locals! What you'll need - Access to an online tree identification guide or a tree identification book The Woodland Trust have an amazing guide on how to identify trees, which you can find online here . They also offer a free app that can help you - download the app here. - Chalk You might also want - pen and paper - small bags If you don't have any of the above, let us know by email to sharingseeds2020@gmail.com Step by Step Head outside!  Find a tree on a street near you. Have a look at its leaves, bark, flowers and twigs, and at the overall size and shape of the tree.  Take some photos, draw some pictures, or even collect some sample leaves. (You might want some bags to keep your samples in, if you plan to take them home. Don't forget to label them if you plan to visit more ...

Keep an eye out

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This week is all about finding the right tree base for you. Have a read through these factors that could influence your choice and start keeping an eye out for The One. 1. Convenient for you - your garden will need to be watered regularly. If you’re lucky there will be a suitable tree right on your doorstep. If not, think about your regular routes. This could be on the way to your main shop, a friend or relative’s house, a club, school or work or on your usual dog walking route. 2. In need of some tlc - areas that look cared for are less likely to attract fly-tipping. Help transform an uncared for space. Choose an area prone to fly-tipping and make a statement! 3.  Sunlight  - our seedlings won’t have deep roots for a while and will also have a thirsty tree to compete with! Help them out by choosing a tree base that’s in the shade for part of the afternoon. This will depend a bit on the angle of the buildings around you but is likely to be on the north/west side o...

Listen to the landscape

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 Welcome to the first of our creative activities that will help you to use your imagination and observation skills to explore nature in the urban landscape of Wandsworth.  Right from the moment you step out of your house, if you look and listen carefully, you'll spot more wildlife than ever in the streets around you. In this activity, you can get an idea of what life is like for one of your neighbourhood street trees. What you'll need Scrap paper Pen or pencil Something to lean on A timer or friend to take turns with counting Let's get started! First of all, you'll need a scrap of paper, and a pen or pencil . It doesn't matter if you use the back of an envelope or a lovely drawing pad - either will work for this activity! Just remember, we aren't trying to make a beautiful drawing today, so it doesn't matter what the paper looks like when you've finished. This activity is all about taking the time to listen carefully, and hav...