Report on activities of Volunteers June 2021
Birds in the Square
The Bird Feeding Stations provided by the Commissioners were installed with a group of volunteers from Goodgym. These have been successful in attracting a range of different birds including Gold finches, Tits of different kinds, and Parakeets. With the more abundant food supplies now resulting from the heavy rains and the birds nesting there has been a lower take up of the seed. One regular visitor to the square thought that there had been an increase in the number of birds.
The bird watchers reported seeing a kestrel a few weeks ago and while weeding, volunteers also saw a kestrel drop on a starling and bring it to the ground, however, a large crow then dropped on the pair of birds and the starling escaped only to be chased by the crow, we did not see the outcome.
Nesting boxes have been supplied by the Commissioners and these were installed in the trees, however, they do not appear to have been used so far this year. Camden will be planting large shrubs in the north west entrance bed to develop an area to support additional nesting opportunities.
Volunteer work in the Gardens
Camden Contractors cut the grass the week before the Bulb planting started, however the ground was very hard due to the dry summer and the planting of the 10,000 Daffs had to be delayed as little progress was being made and equipment was being broken. After a period of rain, the planting was restarted and eventually it ended up being too wet! After several weekends with the help of volunteers and Goodgyn the job was completed, and a fence erected to provide protection. The bulbs were of 5 different varieties and have flowered from Feb to May. We received many compliments from regular users of the gardens who had seen us working and we hope that the display will be repeated next year. The fence around the bulbs was reinstated as uncontrolled dogs and children were causing damage. Next year it is likely that the fence will be required again.
Reseeding the lawns
During the autumn, Goodgym and other volunteers spent many weekends collecting leaves, mechanical collection of leaves only occurred once before the bulb planting, leaves were on the ground too long resulting in the grass being smothered. Camden recently has re-seeded and sanded areas to repair the damage, and these are now fenced off to allow the lawn to recover. Camden Events team though is proposing various events on the repaired areas. The Friends might have a view on whether these are appropriate.
Damage to flower beds by dogs
The box hedges were replaced as the moth was progressively killing the box, unfortunately the uncontrolled dogs have been chasing through the flower beds and the new box replacements and the herbaceous plants have been significantly damaged. Camden is going to erect notices on the lamp posts around the flower beds to request that dogs should not be allowed to enter the flower beds.
During lockdown 25 m3 of bark mulch was supplied and spread around the perimeter beds. The mulch helps to retain the moisture and to reduce the weed growth. It is hoped that further bark can be supplied after leaf collection to increase the area covered. Prior to gap planting two lorry loads of mushroom mulch was delivered to improve the fertility of the central flower beds. Both these activities were undertaken by the volunteers.
Other activities and improvements in the Square
Camden has completed gap planting in the central flower beds and at the north east entrance to the garden. A fence has been erected at the entrance to protect the plants from dogs who as the first port of call have been urinating on the shrubs resulting in the death of the plants. It is proposed to erect a trip fence around the area, this might need to be higher than suggested to design out the problem.
Due to lock down the volunteer’s activities have been restricted but nonetheless with Covid compliant conditions some work has been undertaken. Over 8 weeks the borders were dug to remove weeds and allow rain to penetrate the soil. We have now had the rain and the shrubs are looking refreshed and showing new growth. Summer flower bulbs were donated by the Commissioners and a small group planted the bulbs in the borders and central flower beds. These are now appearing and should flower in August/September. The volunteers have continued working and have weeded the central flower beds and will continue this work on the perimeter beds.
Camden Tree department planted one Lime tree to replace a Memorial tree that had failed. The Lime tree is one requested and will support bees and insects and improve the ecology of the garden, the insects provide food for the small birds to thrive. To provide early season colour and flowers for insects a Mimosa tree was provided by the Commissioners and planted in the border near the Duke’s Statue This will be watered by the volunteers for perhaps two years to ensure its establishment. The tree department had been going to provide additional replacement trees, these perhaps will appear later in the year. In the meantime, there have been requests for a Magnolia tree to replace another dead Memorial tree this could be provide by the Friends. The Gardener has said he would like to help plant the tree as a memorial to his father who died this year in Mongolia. This will ensure his support and attention for its success.
The shrubs provided by the Bedford Estates were watered regularly during the first lock down and are now showing new growth with the only losses being those around the north east entrance. Further Japanese Rose shrubs were provided by the Commissioners and these have been planted to provide colour, more flowering shrubs could be provided by The Friends.
Following very heavy rain in December there was significant flooding of the paths. To reduce this, new soakaways have been excavated, this should mitigate future flooding. Getting water into the sub-soil will assist the trees when dry conditions next occur.
Going forward; if the Friends were to provide central flower planters these could improve the central area and could be planted with seasonal plants and watered and cared for by the volunteers. If the Friends’ name was attached to the planters this would be seen as an example of an attractive use of their subscriptions.
Russell Square Volunteer Gardening Report 2020
Blooming of Gardens Good for Health and Environment
The call for Volunteer Gardeners in Russell Square has been answered by the community with residents, Bedford Estates, staff and students from the University of London, Imperial Hotel, and the British Museum all coming together. On Saturday 23rdMarch 2020 with plants supplied by Camden the Volunteers planted the first two flower beds to re-establish the area around the Fountains. The planting is of 900 insect attracting herbaceous plants, that will mature, creating colour and an enhanced ecological environment. This will be the start of bringing the sparkle back to Russell Square – an essential green oasis with trees and plants that absorb pollution and offset the negative effects of dwelling and working in an inner-city urban environment. The remaining four central flower beds will be planted over the next two weekends by other members of the Volunteer Group.
Laura thought ‘It was such a lovely initiative and, as a local student at SOAS, I had been looking for something along these lines for a while and was delighted to find that such a group exists. Not only was it fun to garden, but the social side of it really adds a community touch to the neighbourhood. In fact, numerous people saw our presence in the park yesterday and approached to find out how they could get involved, again demonstrating a real interest there.’
Priya thought ‘It was nice to work as a team and I also think as yesterday coincided with the People’s Vote March, there was a lot of traffic through the Square at the time we were working this also made for good publicity for our activity! It’s nice to meet different members of the community and do something very meaningful that so many people can benefit from, in addition to the direct benefits of gardening and interacting with nature.’
Kristyna said: I really enjoyed the gardening and the lovely lunch break afterwards 😊It felt rewarding to achieve so much with such a lovely people. I would love to continue volunteering with the group
Figure 1: Russell Square Central Flower Beds being replanted
‘Why not us?’
In Sir David Attenborough’s Davos talk, the views he espoused resonated with us, with the mention of ‘nations coming together’ and the importance of ‘practical solutions’ in determining a ‘species’ plan’ in the Anthropocene age.
‘The Garden of Eden is no more’, but closer to home the Gardens of Bloomsbury and the Green Spaces of London will be no more without the whole Community working together to combat the effects of austerity on the environment.
Humphry Repton the designer of Russell Square, said of Russell Square: ‘This Square may serve to record that the art of landscape gardening in the beginning of the 19th century was not directed by whims or caprice, but founded on due consideration of utility as well as beauty.’
So why not you? Why not be a Bloomsbury Bloomer’ and help Russell Square to rise again?
If you are interested in taking up the challenge of looking after this wonderful environment, please contact David Marchant on: marchant543@btinternet.com
Figure 3: Plants laid out and ready for one of the six main beds
Figure 4: Selection of Plants in beds
Insect Hotels
The Russell Square Insect Hotels were the idea of the new Volunteer Gardening Group for the Square.
This is a further perfect example of Community Action in the flagship Russell Square Garden, where the Community, the Council and Companies are coming together to provide an improved environment for birds, bugs and butterflies. The provision of two Insect Hotels and appropriate plantings that have been selected to be attractive to insects that will inhabit the Insect Hotels. The environment will be further enhanced by establishing new bird nesting sites in the Gardens.
Figure 5: Installation of Insect Hotel sponsored by Imperial Hotel Group
The Insect Hotels have been sponsored by two adjacent hotels (Imperial Group Hotel and Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel London) and were installed on 26th March by TCV Volunteers supplied from The British Retail Consortium.
Insect hotels are key to an ecologically healthy environment because of their role in encouraging insect pollination. The Insect Hotel has been constructed to the highest environmental standards from certified timber from managed woodlands and where possible recycled materials in place of plastic or metal. The Hotel has been designed to provide a home for several beneficial insects.
The Eco bee nesting tubes are for some of the 250 species of solitary bees. These bees are ‘the friendly bees’; they don’t sting, if the bees are in residence in this hotel, you will see the tubes sealed with either mud or a leaf that the mother bee has found to act as a front door, keeping the baby bees safe inside until they are emerging in the Spring.
Ladybirds are a gardener’s best friend and like a chamber filled with straw for overwintering, while Lacewings are carnivores and keep garden pest numbers down, the larvae and adults provide food for birds. In winter they will look for wooden slats to tuck themselves to hibernate.
Butterflies produce the first bright splash of fluttering colour on a warm day in Spring, however, over 70% of our butterflies are declining. To help them, we should plant flowers and shrubs rich in pollen and nectar, with a home for overwintering and shelter.
Figure 6: Completed Insect Hotel sponsored by Imperial Hotel Group
Birds, Bugs Bees and Butterflies
Sadly, many insects are struggling to survive and need flower-rich areas in a modern world of habitat loss and climate change. The installation of the two bug hotels in gardens of Russell Square aims to provide a habitat for insects including butterflies as safe hideaways can be hard for wildlife to find in some public gardens.
Figure 7: Completed Insect Hotel sponsored by Kempton Fitzroy Hotel Group
To support the insects, it is important to surround the insect hotel with nectar-rich flowers – essential food for butterflies, bees and other pollinating insects. The Central flower beds in Russell Square are being replanted with flowers that are attractive new planting that will also provide food for the existing bees from the hives to be found in the gardens and on the roofs in the area.
Insects are important element in the food chain and will encourage and support the birdlife, the evening song of the existing blackbirds is wonderful. As part of this initiative an area of the gardens is to be developed to provide a nesting site for the bird population, by growing climbers against walls which can provide brilliant shelter, as well as roosting and breeding sites for birds. Recently as part of the RSPB bird watch 36 birds of 15 different types were recorded in Gordon Square/Russell Square/Woburn Square, but unfortunately many species are suffering significant reductions in their numbers.
It is hoped that these Insect Hotels will provide a shelter for insects, to encourage biodiversity which will further support the bird population.
So ‘why not us’ taking up the challenge of looking after the environment.
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