Greenwood Community update: June 2024
Greenwood Community is our plant donation scheme, which involves collaborating with local schools, environmental groups, and charitable organisations, to donate a wide variety of different plants, shrubs, and trees. The aim is to help regenerate green spaces, positively contributing to the biodiversity of the local ecosystem.
2024 has so far been a hive of activity for our community initiative, with 11 donations already having been made, and plenty more in the works for the rest of the year. The types of project have also been refreshingly eclectic, ranging from sensory gardens, to willow tunnels, and everything in between.
Steyning for Trees
Toward the end of the bare root season, frequent Greenwood Community collaborators, Steyning For Trees, collecting 250 bare root whips, for various planting projects around the local area. The organisation was founded in 2019, with three simple aims: To fight climate change, to increase biodiversity, and to support the wellbeing and beauty of the Steyning and Bramber area. This is the third donation they have accepted from Greenwood, and the whips were divided amongst several landowners and conservations schemes, who have used them to help regenerate their woodland areas. Jo and George Gordon, who run the organisation, said “thanks so much to Greenwood for their generosity and support in helping us to plant more trees.”
Goring C of E School
In early April, Greenwood donated 40 young willow plants to Goring C of E Primary School, to create a willow tunnel. The school’s origins date back to as early as 1844, being in their current location from 1961. The school plans to create a willow tunnel, using the donated plants, which is done by weaving the growth of the willow plants around a frame. Gradually, as the plants begin to grow, the tunnel will take shape. Providing living infrastructure around the school grounds will provide many benefits to the children, not least giving them a space on the school grounds to enjoy during their breaks. This will be a long term project, which may take a while before we see the full outcome of the donation, but it is one which we are watching with great interest.
St Wilfred’s Hospice
Our Ninth community donation of 2024 went to St Wilfred’s Hospice, based in Bosham, Hampshire. The Hospice has been a regular collaborator with Greenwood Community, having already collected 3 previous donations, since the scheme’s launch in 2022. St Wilfred’s are dedicated to providing high quality specialist end of live care and bereavement support to local lives, and recently moved to a brand new facility in 2019 in order to further provide their services to more families. Greenwood donated a number of mixed native hedging plants to fill gaps in the hedgerows around the grounds. These hedgerows will provide valuable wildlife corridors, allowing the safe passage of birds and various creatures around the ecosystem. Promoting biodiversity to the gardens will allow them to thrive, and provide healthier, long-lasting green spaces for the patients to enjoy.
Yapton Eco Group
Longtime Greenwood Community collaborators Yapton Eco Group recently collected a donation of 200 mixed native hedge bare root plants, to be planted on the border of the local George V Field, in an effort to re-wild the field’s edges. Once established, the plants will provide vital food and shelter for vulnerable species of birds, mammals, insects, and more. The group, which is run by the local parish council, was set up in an effort to help regenerate and maintain the green spaces of the village, mitigating its impact on the climate. Additionally, Cornus stolonifera ‘Flaviramea’, also known as ‘Yellow Dogwood’, was planted along the border of a grassy bank, brightening up the area, which faces several local residents, and in the long term will provide more visual interest. Lastly, several donated willow whips were also planted on the borders the local play area, in existing planting schemes, in order to add some height to the green spaces. Mark Andrews, who runs the group, said “Yapton Parish and its eco group are delighted with the support we have received from Greenwood Nursery. In particular, we would like to thank Kevin Merritt for his interest in our work and for taking the trouble to maintain strong links with the village and supporting its eco group in encouraging wildlife diversity in all is forms.”
Camberley Manor (in collaboration with Graduate Landscapes)
Recently, we donated 85 plants to Camberley Manor Care Home, to a regeneration project involving by our longstanding client, Graduate Landscapes. The project was conducted as part of a charity event, organised by construction firm, SKANSKA. The aim is to regenerate and restore the gardens of the care home, providing both soft and hard landscaping solutions to give the residents a better quality outdoor space to enjoy. The plants were chosen to provide the residents with a sensory garden, which in turn promotes many benefits on mental and physical wellbeing. Not only are Greenwood always willing to get involved in community projects such as these, but supporting our clients in their charitable endeavours has always been important to us. Patryk of Graduate Landscapes said “We’re extremely grateful to Greenwood Plants for their generous donation of plants. The project was a resounding success and it was a pleasure to be able to contribute to a worthwhile cause”
If you know of a project that you’d like to nominate for a community donation, get in touch with us today.