Bulb Planting on Newington Green

Bulb Planting Event 20 September 2009

Volunteers from the Newington Green Action Group and the local community got together on 20 September '09 and planted 800 hundred Spring and Autumn flowering bulbs on Newington Green, as part of NGAG's ongoing Wildlife in Newington Green, WING project. Alex Allardyce who was Chair of NGAG during 2008, planned and spearheaded the bulb planting event.

After the bulb planting, free wildlife boxes were given to volunteers to put up in their gardens or balconies, to help extend the green corridors we are developing around the Newington Green area. Some volunteers joined NGAG's membership at the end of the enjoyable afternoon.

The flowers that were planted are mainly native varieties that will look beautiful on the Green. They will also extend the seasons and help support bees and other beneficial insects when there are few flowers around for them to feed on.

Native bluebells ~ (Hyacinthoides non-scripta). Our own delicate native bluebell, which has deep, almost indigo blue bell-shaped flowers. They are much darker and daintier than the larger and paler Spanish bluebells which tend to be spreading everywhere, whilst our native bluebell is struggling. Bluebells provide a source of nectar and pollen for a variety of wasps and bees during the Spring.

Wood anemones ~ (Anemone Nemorosa).  Also know as the 'windflower'. These come out in very early spring, creating a carpet of white star-shaped flowers under the tree canopy. They provide a valuable source of food for honey bees when few other flowers are in bloom. Wood anemonies are part of our local plant heritage, having grown in the Newington Green area for hundreds of years.

Tenby daffodils ~ (Narcissus Pseudonarcissus Obvallaris). This semi-wild daffodil can be found growing in hedge banks in Wales and we hope they will create a beautiful splash of colour on the Green from February fo April. The hoverfly, the Greater Bulb Fly, feeds on the bulbs (perhaps this is a mixed blessing!)

Autumn crocus corms ~ (Crocus Speciosus). Some of these have already been planted on the Green by NGAG volunteers in previous years. Non-native flowers but they provide a welcome touch of colour to the Green during the Autumn.

Snowdrops ~ (Galanthus Nivalis). The word 'Galanthus' come from Greek and refers to the white flowers and means 'Milkflower'. Nivalis means 'like snow'. Snowdrops may possibly be native - they have grown in the UK for a long, long time.  Snowdrops can be seen in the coldest weather, even in snow, providing an important food source to insects early in the year and they are pollinated by the first bees to emerge on warm days.

The bulbs were provided by Greenspace and NGAG.