The idea
Hello - we are a gardening group called Bethnal Green Fingers based in London E2 and support the gardens on our estate which is owned by a Housing Association. It is run by a resident Antony Nelson who is a Landscape Architect with horticultural training. We have been going for 12 years, and in that time have transformed our space. Unfortunately about two years ago our Housing Association stopped funding us and took away our paid professional gardener that supported us. Although we try hard and do our best as volunteers, without any funding we are finding it difficult to replace plants and continue adding to the gardens and securing its future. It's a lot of work all year round and we always counted on some part time professional help, which we can no longer have as support.
What we'll deliver
- Tranform a small overgrown and derelict part of the estate into a wildlife garden.
- Buy and plant 100 new plants for the wildlife garden and other areas.
- Buy some new gardening equipment for volunteer gardeners.
- Hire and pay a professional part-time gardener for 100 hours work per year to help us if possible.
- Hold a big gardening day event later in the summer of 2021 to create the wildlife garden.
Why it's a great idea
The benefits in supporting us will:
- Increase the number and the variety of plants and biodiversity.
- Specifically attract pollinators that are in decline, such as bees.
- Create a richer, more verdant setting for the community to enjoy.
- Help maintain the gardens and reduce litter and anti-social behaviour.
- Buy secateurs and gardening gloves for volunteers.
- Help in educating and training families and children on the estate through regular gardening events, with the benefits of plants, water management and biodiversity emphasised.
Steps to get it done
- Buying 100 new plants, digging and clearing an area and planting them in our new wildlife garden this summer.
- Buying some new gardening equipment, including secateurs and gardening gloves.
- Holding a big community planting day event with training and support
- Buying a bug hotel for the gardens to improve biodiversity.
For all those that support us we would encourage you to visit us. We are also happy to show you around and treat you as a 'friend' of the gardens. We will happily sit with you outside as well and share a cup of tea (or wine) and tell you about our neighbourhood. You have a friend in this vibrant area of east London! We can check us out on Instagram and appear on it. Look for Bethnalgreenfingers.
