New Kent road planters - new site

[Ben Mason]

During the International Sunflower Guerrilla Day Walk (phew...) on May 1st we found some overgrown planters next to a petrol station. We planted some sunflowers amongst the weeds hoping to brighten the place up. But this seemed like too good a plot to leave like that so I popped back yesterday, cleared it and planted some bamboo and a ring of sunflowers in one.

I plan to go back at some point and deal with the other two planters. There are some decent plants in there that need help and there are a lot of weeds to clear.

Anyone fancy it one evening soon? I'll update this thread when I have more details.

Some pics of the planter I've tackled here. The other two are of similar width but taller.
Before:


After:

[Naomi Ivers]

Hello!

I volunteer my services to the cause of New Kent Rd!  Let me know when you're planning do get planting and I'll see if I'm free.  I live just of Old Kent Rd so it would be nice to see my trip to work brightened up on those cold and rainy mornings! 

[Ben Mason]

Hooray. I shall have a think and post some possible dates.

B

[rosebud]

I'm in.

[Erica]

I'm in

[Ben Mason]

Excellent

I can do Monday, Tues or Fri evenings next week. So that's 12th, 13th or 16th.

Let me know which ones you can do and we'll choose the most suitable. It'll give me a chance to grab some plants form the mkt on the weekend as well.

12, 13 or 16th?

B

[wallflower tim]

I could manage 13th but not sure if there are already enough people crying out for the spot? Looks smallish?

keep an eye out all you south londoners - i am plotting a revisit to the new cross gate site & its quite big!

[Ben Mason]

There are two planters that are the same width as the one in the pic. And prob some work on the one in the pic so I reckon  of us could work well.

Let's say Tue 13th for now and see who can make that.

B

[rosebud]

I can do 13th.

[Ben Mason]

FINAL DATE:  Tuesday 13th (tomorrow) at 8pm. Meet outside the garage (BP, I think) which is on New Kent rd & Theobald road.

You can see the overgrown planters here: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=theobald+st,+se1&sll=51.494472,-0.09028&sspn=0.000792,0.002511&ie=UTF8&ll=51.494403,-0.089757&spn=0.003166,0.010042&t=k&z=17&iwloc=addr

I checked the site yesterday and, despite having not watered it at all, the sunflower seedlings are sprouting voraciously.

I got a tray of Geraniums and Salvia at the market to add a bit of colour to the place. We've also got some reeds donated from somewhere else. And also some big bushes being donated that might or might not suit this. We can work that out.

Work is as follows:
-clear two overgrown planters of weeds but leave the established plants in.
-decide how to distribute the plants. I think we have plenty.
-add any to the bamboo/sunflower one i've done already
-plant even more sunflowers?!
-water it all loads. (i'll bring a bucket and we can pinch water from the petrol station

I'll bring the plants, sunflower seeds, a bucket, some compost and any spare tools/gloves that I can borrow and be there for 8pm. Bring any tools, plants and compost that you have but don't worry if you don't.

Please let me know if you're coming or not. Post here or call. My number is 07812 051 eight four zero.

Rosebud - I'll consider you confirmed.

Cheers all,
Ben

[Flash]

Get some pictures whilst you are there, would be great to see the results. 

[Ben Mason]

Update: plants, bucket and compost are still coming with me.

I can't borrow as many tools and gloves as I'd hoped so do try and bring what you can. I should have a trowel and a shovel and my own gloves. I'll see what else is lying around.

And we'll certainly get pics, Flash.

See those who can make it, at 8pm tonight.
B

[Ben Mason]

Lyla and I  gardened good! It was excellent and lots of fun. See the photos. There's still lots of work to be done on the site but its a good start.

And, as so often happens, we met some wonderful characters while digging. A nice man called Jasper stopped and talked to us for a while before getting a trowel and getting involved. And he let us into his lovely house to get water. And, to top it all, he took us to meet a local man who has a warehouse conversion full of plants and always has tired plants to dispose of. It couldn't have been more useful or enjoyable.

There's more work to be done here so if anyone's interested, do let me know.

[Lyla Patel]

wow it does look lovely! so simple so effective!

[Ben Mason]

Yes. I popped back the other night. We'd recruited a new chicken bone and lost a couple of flowers but its generally looking good.

[Flash]

Well done guys, it looks much better now! 

[GreenSpirit]

looks good,  how is it doing now??

Ben, please let me know of future activities as I'd be happy to get involved when I'm free!! 

[MarkSE1]

Just signed up, and am keen to be invovled, this is really close to me. Have a small garden and a car, so hopefully I can be of some help.

[Ben Mason]

Hey Mark,

Good to hear from you.

For now this place just needs lots of water. I was using the tap at the local BP garage but it's now broken. The planter has really suffered without much water.

Unfortunately we didn't dig all the soil over when we planted it. We first threw in sunflower seeds and they sprouted. So when we decided to do the whole planter up, we didn't want to disturb the sunflowers and so didn't dig it over. The problem is now that the soil is very dense and doesn't hold any mositure. And the roots of each plant have not become established enough so things are realluy drying out.

So if you fancy it, feel free to go and dump bucket loads of water on it at any point. I think giving it a few really good soakings would help loads. I'd be happy to join you, I'm just down the road at the Elephant roundabout. I don't have a car tho so it's difficult to get large amounts of water there. I can bring containers.

And then once the summer is over, we can dig the whole thing over and sort out the soil right through it before putting all the plants back in it.

If you want to chat about plans for it, just let me know and I'll send you my mobile number.

Ben

[lodgereviews]

Good Job Guys... Keep Up the great work..

[dimitris]

Hi everyone,

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[elisa wells]

I'm so new to this area. I'll learn more from all of you here!