Friends of Preston Park

A selection of drawings from the 8-12 age group:

A selection of drawings from the under 8 age group:

Arrangements are now in place for our second Easter quiz for children up to the age of 13. Last year’s event was really successful, everyone had a great time, although the heat meant that both children and choccy eggs had to be kept cool!

As before, each child will be given a question sheet (different questions than last year’s) and will have to hunt down the answers which will be dotted around the park. The questions will all relate to the park in some way: its history, flora, fauna or architecture – so not only will it be fun, it will also give children a better understanding of our beautiful park. There will be two question sheets for two age-groups and everyone will have a small prize. There will be also be a drawing area where a picture of something in the park can be created – the most interesting picture for both age-groups will win a special prize.

The event will start at 11am and we’ll be there until the eggs run out (last year we ended the event at about 2.30pm). We’ll be in a marquee next to the children’s playground.

Sunday 20 May, 10am-1pm
Come and swap or buy seedlings for your garden! Have you got some spare seedlings you’d like to swap for some new and different varieties? Or perhaps you had the best intentions to sow some seeds but just didn’t get around to it? Join us for the swap, plus family-friendly activities by our vegetable garden in Preston Park. Organised jointly by the Food Partnership’s Harvest project and Brighton & Hove Organic Gardening Group.

More information

We have received the following from Fiona Stokes, Parks Project Officer for City Infrastructure:

Dear All

Thank you for your considered responses to the consultation.

The result of the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Cabinet Members Meeting on 24th January 2012 was a recommendation to support the proposals with an agreement to revise the maximum number of hours that one can park in the park for up to 6 hours.

A further opportunity to view and consider the detailed proposals which will control parking in the park will be advertised in the local press, on the council website and around the park from the 2nd March, for 21 days until the 23rd March.

Kind regards

Fiona

You may remember this hedge was laid last Spring. There has always been a hedge here, as far back as records go. Without leaves, the structure of the hedge is clear to see.

This picture shows one of the newly-planted trees in the park. In the background are other trees also recently planted.

This path is in the process of being laid at the back of the Rock Garden.

A happy new year to you all!

Would you be interested in using this building? The former Ladies Bowls Pavilion, next to the Rotunda in Preston Park, has two good sized rooms and facilities. If so, please contact us on info@friendsofprestonpark.org with brief details of what it is you would use the building for and a phone number.

Hidden House: Behind the Scenes at Preston Manor
9 December 11am-12.30pm, Friday 27 January 11am-12.30pm, Wednesday 15 February 11am-12.30pm & 2-3.30pm, Thursdays 15 March and 12 April 11am-12.30pm & 2-3.30pm
£10.50, members £8.50, includes admission, book in advance
Discover Preston Manor’s hidden history. Go behind the door marked ‘private’ and see parts of the house off the public route. Tea and biscuits included.

An Edwardian Christmas
Saturday 10 December
11am-1.30pm £11, members £9.50 includes coffee and cake
An illustrated talk exploring how the Edwardians celebrated Christmas, set in the comfort of this Edwardian house. Learn about jolly festive customs, traditions and gift ideas, and enjoy seasonal readings.

The Victorian Séance
Fridays 3 February, 9 March, 13 April
8-9pm £12.50, members £10.50
In November 1896 a séance was held at Preston Manor. Séances became the ultimate fashionable Victorian after-dinner entertainment. This new event looks at what séances were and why they thrilled their audiences.

The following report was sent to us by Andy Jeavons, Garden Manager:

The last year at the rock garden has been a bit of a whirlwind and has seen some monumental changes within the garden.  Some of the changes are fairly small and insignificant such as the fact that the Yew hedge in front of the chalet has been reduced to the same size all over … the old “twin peaks” have been removed.  The litter bins have now gone with no increase on litter and all the benches have now been sanded down and given a coat or two of paint. A new watering point has been added so I can actually water the plants I grow too.

The beds and screes on the front grass have been “mulched” with purple slate chippings which show off the plants and grass very effectively and also help to surpress weeds.  The bridge has had a makeover and we have a super new set of steps to the right of the chalet.

The on-going waterfall situation is this.  We started to put out the feelers to get the pump working again back in January. With every step we took going forward, we seemed to take three backwards with the problems it incurred. The pump was fixed and then the pump house was deemed structually unsafe. This was fixed back in the early autumn and a new roof and floor constructed.

We’re now at the point of getting an electric supply to the pump house … a task far bigger than we ever thought. However, the conduit for the cable is now in and all we’re waiting for is the electric company to put the cable in, add a electric meter, wire up the internal pump house bits and hey presto!!! We are moving in the right direction and now we feel we’re taking 1 step backwards and 3 steps forwards.  As soon as I have any more news, I’ll let you know. Watch this space for a grand “switching on” of the pump in the spring.

You may have also noticed that there has been a lot of the mature shrubbery has been completely removed. We felt that the plants that were there had really outgrown their welcome and were looking tired. The whole area on the bank either side up to the bridge is now completely bare. I have taken several trips to RHS Wisley this summer to admire their stunning herbaceous borders and to get ideas. As a result, we have approx 1,000 mid-to-late summer flowering herbaceous perennials, grasses and small shrubs and trees. The idea is that we plant the beds up to give us large drifts of colours … purples, yellows, oranges, reds, whites, blues, plus some foliage too. This, in my opinion, will be jaw-droppingly stunning and will create a riot of summer colour … something that has been missing in the past.

We’ve also planted 5,000 bulbs consisting of 1,200 dwarf tulips (12 varieties, 100 of each variety), 1,000 crocuses, 1,000 narcissi, 500 dutch iris, 500 reticulated iris, 200 autumn flowering cyclamen  and 600 muscari. This will hopefully be part of an on-going bulb planting programme.

You may have also noticed the chalk area under the large beech trees near the southern entrance. Approx 12″ of the top soil was removed and replaced with solid chalk.  This has now been planted up with native chalkland wild flowers such as pink and white campion, bird’s foot trefoil and small scabious. This will form a part of City Parks’ plan to increase the diversity of flora and fauna within its green spaces and hopefully attract many different species of wildlife.

Lastly, I’d like to give a huge thank you to everyone who’s been involved with the development of the garden.  In particular, my volunteers (Trixie, Anastasia, Sue, Charlotte and Jaqui), the community payback team, Amex for the superb “community” day, Green Gym, Garry Meyer (Park ranger) and last but not least, my manager Graeme Rolf for making all this happen.

Charlotte is a volunteer gardener at the Rock Garden.

Why have you decided to be a volunteer gardener?
To gain experience for the horticulture course I’m studying at Stanmer Park.

What is it you enjoy about the work?
Andy [Jeavons, Head Gardener at the Rock Garden] is a really good gardener, very knowledgeable, and I’m learning a lot from him. I also enjoy doing something different every week.

What is it you’re doing in the Rock Garden at the moment?
We’re redeveloping the woodland area at the back – getting it all cleared and planted up. We’re also building a ‘dead hedge’ that is, making a wooden, woven frame which has shrubs planted in between which will encourage wildlife.

What are your ambitions for the Rock Garden?
I’d like to see more events being held in the Rock Garden – it tends to get forgotten about. The garden is, and will be more so in the future, a really good place to see a great many different types of plants growing.