Please Don't Pick the Flowers!

Parents - Please Don't Let your Children Pick the Flowers

So many of the flowers on Newington Green get trampled on or picked by children, like these left to die on the stonework - and it really does spoil the look of the Green!

Hundreds of pounds have been spent by LB Islington and the Newington Green Action Group on new plants for Newington Green, in order to make the Green more attractive for all its users. NGAG planted a potentially beautiful purple wisteria to grow up over the kiosk building - but soon after planting, someone had pulled it down and snapped it in half. The flower buds died and we had to dig it up and take to a safe place - but the plant may not survive. This sort of thing  is very dis-spiriting, when we have spent hours of time and effort planting and caring for them, then to see so many plants trashed without thought.

Children love flowers and nature, which is great, but they can enjoy them in ways that don't ruin the plants and kill them. It's not just children - adults tear off branches for dogs to chew and this kills the young trees that have been planted. If you have a dog, please use dead branches for them to play with, not ones that are growing.

Perhaps your children could grow some flowers at home on the windowsill, or have a small patch of their own in the garden which they can enjoy caring for? Then maybe they will also be able to see insects such as harmless little hoverflies or butterflies visiting the flowers. Add a bowl of water and birds may come down to drink. Birds will even nest on balconies, if you give them the right conditions.

It's great watching some wildlife right outside your home and, as Mary Wollstonecraft put it -'Look what a fine morning it is. Insects, birds and animals, are all enjoying existence' (Original Stories from Real Life).

Poisonous Plants

Another important reason for children not to pick the flowers, is that quite a lot of plants are poisonous, or can cause allergic reactions - even some of those that look innocently pretty!

So please care for your children as well as the plants. Teach them to enjoy and care for flowers and plants, but not to pick, stamp on them - or to pull them up just for fun.

We need your help!

Help us to look after Newington Green, so that it can be a beautiful space for us all to enjoy.

April 2010