Friends of Preston Park

A resident has lost a black ladies jacket in Preston Park on 1st April with 2 sets of car and house keys (lego and pink keyrings). Please get in touch if you come across them.

CPRE Sussex are delighted to announce their annual Tree Festival photo competition is back for a third year! I Love This Tree Because… invites you to celebrate the trees you love through photography. They are looking for photographs that capture a meaningful moment with a tree – something that inspires, informs, or simply makes you smile. Entries could show a dramatic landscape tree, a hidden woodland gem, a favourite climbing tree from childhood, or the tree that brightens your daily walk. Whether you are an experienced photographer or simply enjoy taking pictures on your phone, everyone is welcome to take part. Alongside a photograph, they invite you to complete the sentence “I love this tree because…”.

The submission deadline is 11.59pm on 28 May. Click here for more information and entry forms.

The photo competition forms part of the annual Tree Festival.

This year’s festival will take place on:

Sunday, May 24

Friday, May 29 to Sunday, June 7

Saturday, June 6, to Sunday, June 7

A year ago, in January 2025, Phase 2 of the refurbishment of the Rose Garden started with 250 new roses replacing the old and ailing ones on the west and east outer beds. In November 2025 the two central round beds were replanted, and we added the new rose, the King’s Rose, to the Rosemoor bed by the pond. The replanting was made possible owing to the generosity of David Austin Roses, the rose grower, who donated the roses, as well as fertiliser two years running. FoPP purchased the King’s Rose and Buckingham Rose Soil from Bury Hill Landscape Supplies in Horsham. 

The volunteers were treated to two complementary David Austin Roses pruning workshops, where they also gleaned many pieces of advice on how to look after shrub roses all year long.

Looking after hundreds of roses is a mammoth task and volunteers meet every Tuesday to weed, deadhead, prune, edge, and fertilise according to the season. We are also greatly helped by our Rangers who bring in their team of volunteers, as well as companies and schools who organise volunteering days for their staff and pupils. Our resident CityParks groundsmen are always happy to give a helping hand, especially when we have to dig clay and chalk for planting. 

We started pruning in December 2025 and once pruning is over, feeding and mulching the Rose Garden in Spring is our next big task. Mulch will slow down weed growth, lock the moisture in the soil and help the roses thrive. FoPP will supply the mulch.

Preston Park Rose Garden is one of the largest public rose gardens left in the country and its survival is only due to the relentless work of the volunteers who look after it all year round and the generosity of David Austin Roses. It is a much-loved place by the residents and visitors who enjoy the beauty of the blooms and scent and it has been awarded Level 5 Outstanding by South and Southeast in Bloom in September 2025.

So, why not joining our dedicated team of volunteers on Tuesdays 10-1pm. No gardening knowledge needed, just a pair of gloves and an urge to help us maintain this beautiful community space.

NB Residents may have noticed that the Community Book Swap Box has been removed from the Rose Garden. This is due to continual vandalism. We now have a book swap bookcase in the Rotunda Café. We are hoping to put a box back in the Rose Garden at a later date in the new year.