A highlight for TMAEG this summer was a trip to one of England’s loveliest gardens, Coton Manor near Althorp in Northamptonshire. This is a very special place, really a collection of gardens and landscapes, with something for everyone. And a learning experience for TMAEG into how to do things! A selection of photos follows; mostly taken by David Barratt, our former chairman. Thanks Dave!
Everywhere, colour abounds
For more information, visit www.cotonmanor.co.uk
By the end of this TMAEG year ending with the 8th Year Celebration & AGM on September 14th, we will have run some forty events – a mix of environmental schemes, visits, walks and socials. The need to safeguard and improve our environment is increasingly seen as vital to our planet’s future and to span all levels from the local – as here in Two Mile Ash – to the global. As a local environmental group, TMAEG seeks to do its bit both for the people who live, work and visit here and for nature and biodiversity. And in terms of the human species, we like to think that we are as much social as environmental as everything we do brings us together, providing opportunities for new friendships and contributing to our feelings of well-being.
Herewith, a small selection of the things we have been doing.
Summer planting at the Park Gateway
As part of a joint scheme with Hair Culture and the Dental Practice who own the large planters, TMAEG volunteers remove the winter pansies and daffodils and replace them with red geraniums and trailing lobelias. This happened in late May and will provide summer colour for this focal point of our village centre.
Maintenance of this big pedestrian area is a year-round task.
Earlier in the season, volunteers tamed a previously overgrown pyracantha bush.
They weeded the eye-catching Twin Gardens created by TMAEG in the spring of 2018,
and trimmed some of the Council’s shrubs which border the Twin Gardens at the entrance to the Local Park.
The result, a more attractive place for everyone.
Working with entry year children at Ashbrook School
Every year, about half way through the autumn term, TMAEG teams up with Ashbrook School to enable first year children to plant daffodil bulbs in prepared sites close to the school.
A view of the entrance to the Local Park in March 2019 – these are the newest of our Ashbrook daffodils, planted by children entering the school in the autumn of 2018.
Year by year, as the children plant more daffodils, and as the individual groups thicken out, the result becomes ever more striking.
Nature areas and spring flowers
Wood anemones in the Milesmere/Thorncliffe Woodland. These were planted some years back by TMAEG in a newly created glade and they are now coming into their own.
Native primroses have been planted in a second glade providing a fine spring display at the point where the woodland track joins the green ride running along the western edge of TMA.
A related species, the cowslip, can also be found here . . .
. . . as can the pretty flower, stitchwort.
Visits, Talks and Walks
The Year Eight Programme included two local walks led by Stan, three visits and our second Winter Social. The Local Heritage Walk in December reminded us that while Two Mile Ash is barely 40 years old, quite close by we have the remains of a Roman villa, a medieval priory and Georgian architecture. This walk was followed in the spring by another very enjoyable one covering the historic village of Loughton and the Teardrop Lakes.
The Winter Social at Holy Cross Church was attended by an audience of 25 members; our speakers were Kevin Slaymaker on local wildlife – and Chris Monk (TMAEG’s web master) on ‘IT Society and Local Memories’. A very thoughtful evening, giving rise to plenty of questions and discussion, and with refreshments provided by Lin and her team.
The Social was part of a cluster of TMAEG events held in February – see TMAEG’s flyers for the visits to the Waste Recovery Park (WRP) and the Linford Lakes Nature Reserve below. NB TMAEG’s summer visit to the Coton Manor Garden is the subject of a separate news item.
Bee Garden & Fernery
A walk the length of the Ashbrook Corridor – from Stonehill to Downland, shows much variety: a seasonal pond, a stream-side area planted with primroses and native bulbs, historic hedgerow reflecting an ancient boundary, stretches with TMAEG trees ‘notched’ into earlier planting and much more. The bee garden & fernery started some 3 years ago is another ‘bead on the string’ along this important landscape feature of TMA.
This area has three main components: the bee garden with its sequence of bee attracting plants; the ferns area with its complementary planting of foxgloves and; the native plants alongside the stream including hemp agrimony and water mint. The footbridge linking Haithwaite with the main path between Stonehill and the High Street provides a fine viewpoint, with the stub of the footpath leading to the line of the former bridge another one.
Open Gardens 2018
TMAEG’s largest venture last year was Open Gardens 2018, our fourth such event and our biggest yet. Radcote Lodge (garden shown below) was a new entrant and also hosted our planning meetings with the gardeners. A gallery of 130+ photos of all 24 gardens and other projects is available here.
The photos shown below are of a combination of two of the TMAEG schemes that we included in Open Gardens, and of some of the other things we did during the year.
Bee Garden and Fernery
This very varied area was one of TMAEG’s own Open Gardens projects – here are some of the wildflowers that came into their own after that Week-end.
Partnerships and ‘People Action’
A manifestation of our partnership with Ashbrook School is the tub planting on the school forecourt where the 12 tubs maintained by TMAEG look particularly fine alongside the ‘silver tree’. This year’s display was one of our best yet, the orange/red geraniums flowering long into the autumn.
‘Spot planting’ under our road signs is becoming quite a feature of Two Mile Ash. Often carried out by individual TMAEG members (this one by Lin) it brightens up these otherwise rather barren areas and demonstrates commitment to our local environment.
The Twin Gardens and Park Gateway
These photos show one half of the Twin Gardens and a view from the High Street towards the Local Park at the entrance to which the Gardens are positioned. The Twin Gardens are our second community garden and our biggest entry for Open Gardens 2018. They complete TMAEG’s work along the Park Gateway area and the emphasis now will be on keeping this area in good shape, supported by the local businesses and local residents.
The Ash Brook Corridor
Six years ago or so, it was practically impossible to spot that there was any water flowing in this watercourse across TMA. With the agreement of Milton Keynes Council, we adopted the corridor for enhancement, opening it up and planting trees and wildflowers. We seek now to maintain it as a biodiverse, semi-natural and visually attractive area. To take two examples (see photos), we aim to keep open views down the stream from the bridge over the High Street and to maintain the stream banks in a stretch of the corridor where wildflower seeding was carried out some five years ago (see above).
Stonehill Pond
We ‘autumn clean’ the Pond every year to remove branches and leaves and thereby prevent overmuch silting up. With our ten volunteers this year we were able to do not only that but also much work on the surrounding area. The stream sides were selectively cleared and the path was given a good sweep. One unexpected bonus, a wallet stolen several months ago was found in the pond and returned to its owner! Not surprisingly the money was gone but she was pleased to get the wallet back, nevertheless!
Autumn Litterpick
On this litterpick we tackled the section of the Ash Brook between Downlands up as far as the edge of the Local Park Play Area. Five bags largely of cans and glass bottles were collected.
Introduction of power tools
With support from the Parish Council, TMAEG has recently bought two Lithium Ion battery powered tools – a hedge trimmer and a strimmer. We have now tried them out on several sites – the photos show Peter operating the hedge trimmer in a length of hedgerow containing TMAEG trees. He was quickly able to cut away the brambles to prevent encroachment on the trees.
Winter works in Two Mile Ash
A view from roof level of the Stonehill Pond and spinney taken on the last day of January 2018. The previous November, TMAEG volunteers cleared leaves and other ‘tree litter’ from the bed of the pond. Remarkably, only one item of ‘human litter’, a single can, was found, a sign that the pond is once again a cherished community facility.
Winter season management of the Ash Brook corridor which crosses Two Mile Ash from west to east. We seek to keep the brambles under control and look after the many native trees and wildflowers that we’ve planted over the years.
If you follow the path from Stonehill, past the pond, you’ll soon reach the bee garden and the new fernery. In the upper picture, there is a viewing point for the fernery bounded by a low woven dogwood fence; the ferns lie in the distance on the far bank of the Ash Brook. The lower picture shows some of the newly planted ferns.
Flourishing spring wildflowers in the Milesmere Woodland
Wild daffodils. These English native bulbs are now well established in the first of TMAEG’s managed glades.
Native primroses are prolific in this area; they are one of the main signs of spring.
In the middle of March, TMAEG worked on its second glade, defining it with a low dogwood fence and planting many more native primroses to enhance this part of the woodland.
An early spring sight in Thorncliffe, the work of one of our open gardeners, Stan. A fine combination of topiary, bulbs and heathers in flower.
Two new areas for TMAEG’s daffodil planting – the greens at Capian Walk and Milesmere/Thorncliffe
Bulb Displays in our Village Centre
The wonderful purple and yellow crocuses that have adorned the green opposite Ashbrook School for at least three decades.
Crocus planting by TMAEG at the opposite end of the green, under the silver maples. This is the second season for these bulbs.
One of 12 tubs planted up and maintained by TMAEG on the forecourt of Ashbrook School.
Daffodil planting at the Local Park entrance. These February Gold bulbs (above) were planted in 2011 by Ashbrook School children at the start of an annual programme run by TMAEG in conjunction with the school.
The picture above shows the most recent planting (foreground) carried out in the autumns of 2016 and 2017. Each entry level child plants three bulbs.
Enhancing the Ash Brook at the Clay Hill entrance to the Local Park
In mid February TMAEG tackled this badly overgrown section of the Ash Brook. Masses of brambles and dead branches were removed’ opening up views of the stream.
At the same time, tree maintenance was carried out and the accumulated litter of many years was collected by our busy team. The morning’s ‘haul’ was 17 pink and black sacks of waste and recyclable materials.
The morning’s work provided a reminder that we have a lovely woodland resource here, a place to walk and play.
There has been great support from local residents and from passers by for the now well established Kepwick Garden that has transformed a strip of uncared for ‘leftover land’ alongside a footpath link to Capian Walk into a beautiful amenity for Two Mile Ash. Thanks to the garden and the associated environmental work along the adjacent woodland edge (photo on right), this footpath route has become a more attractive option for east to west walking journeys to and from Great Holm.
A second community garden is currently being created in the Park Gateway area. With the agreement of the landowners concerned, the local authority and the occupants of the two housing units, the outworn shrubs have been removed and a start has been made on planting these with colourful shrubs. The two facing strips of land will be laid out in the same way, matching the symmetry of the original Park Gateway design – hence the ‘Twin Gardens’. The photo shows the preparatory work about half way through.
The Bee Garden and Fernery
Now into its third year the bee garden is coming into its own with the pollinator attracting plants from seeds sown by TMAEG now taking over. Here are two of these species, garlic mustard and red campion.
In the latest stage of our work we have planted some 120 plug plants. These are of two types. Slightly over half of them have been put in place on the eastern bank of the Ash Brook; they include ox-eye daisy, greater knapweed and agrimony. The others have been planted in three areas on the sides and ‘floor’ of the brook (adjacent photo) ; they are ‘marginals’ suited to stream side conditions and include marsh marigold, purple loosestrife and ragged robin. All of these plants are either bee or other pollinator friendly.
Part of the fernery area which includes three species of fern. The area is bounded by hazel trees – to be coppiced in future years – and traditional ‘cottage style’ foxgloves are also to be planted.
Beauty in the Street Scene
Cherry Trees in Blossom
Dawn Redwoods coming into leaf
At a time of acute pressure on local government budgets, there is a growing role for community volunteers to assist in keeping their areas tidy and improving the environment. This has been particularly apparent in this 50th anniversary year for Milton Keynes; increasingly it is local people and groups such as the Two Mile Ash Environmental Group (TMAEG) which are setting the benchmarks. This was the key message delivered by the Mayor of Milton Keynes , Councillor David Hopkins who was guest of honour at TMAEG’s Sixth Year Celebration and AGM on Saturday 16th September.
That event provided the launch pad for a major new project spearheaded by TMAEG – a walking circuit that would open up Parks Trust land on the southwestern edge of Two Mile Ash for community use. As described in TMAEG’s background report , the proposals involve a combination of woodland paths to be constructed by TMAEG and other volunteers and a footbridge that would span a steep side stream, thereby connecting two sections of ‘green ride’ land and forming a key part of the circuit.
TMAEG foresees a combination of benefits. First, there would be proper access to a fine Norway Maple wood planted some 40 years ago, with the added attraction in spring of the fine swathes of english bluebells that have become established there.
Secondly there would be the benefits to our health and well being that would arise from the enhanced local opportunies for walking. A recent campaign by Public Health England advocates a brisk ten minute walk every day – this is actually the time that it would take to complete this half mile walking circuit. Third, the circuit has been designed to connect to other walking routes within Two Mile Ash, expanding the range of walks available and the scope for a regular stroll.
The walking circuit has been put forward as an MK50 associated project, although it is expected to be realised in 2018. That realisation would be dependent upon planning approval and consent from the water authority (the Internal Drainage Board) and subsequent funding through sponsorship. Prior to this, TMAEG plans a period of local consultation.
Consultation – Comments please by e mail to [email protected] by Monday 16 October.
The pictures that follow seek to give some flavour of our busy winter to spring season of events. The highlights include extending our tree planting to the Ash Brook corridor north of Clay Hill, dealing speedily with the sudden collapse of a tree in the February gales, and a further development of our partnership work at Park Gateway which includes a more varied display in the two big planters.
The season has also seen the planting of native species, including cowslips (for the first time) and – above all – the wonderful show presented by over a thousand daffodils and other bulbs. And, as always, we’ve been doing a lot of necessary management to enhance this area’s look and biodiversity.
The Ash Brook Corridor – extending our impact
TMAEG has now planted some 80 native species and shrubs along the Ash Brook corridor. These particular ones were mainly planted in the winter of 2013 as part of ‘The Big Tree Plant’ and all are now flourishing.
Two of our early project days this winter focused on the Clay Hill to Downland section of the Ash Brook. The channel close to Clay Hill is overgrown with brambles and these will need to be trimmed back in future sessions. However, we have already made a start on its enhancement through the planting of three bird cherry trees (left) and the collection of long accumulated litter (right).
Further down the Brook, and closer to the crossing we planted rowan, hazel and guelder rose in the gaps left by the felling of larger trees, including willows.
Ash Brook Corridor – Stone Hill Pond and the fallen tree
The February gales brought down one of the ivy clad trees on the rear bank of the Stone Hill Pond.
On the next available Saturday, TMAEG brought together a strong team to remove the tree and tidy other storm damage.
Harshad, Dave and Clare made short work of cutting up the trunk and branches, even though these were partially submerged.
Left – Many of the tree branches were used to form a log pile on the opposite side of the brook and right – a view of the area after the work and a busy morning!
The Ash Brook Corridor – wildflowers
As we are learning, it can take a long time to establish wildflowers but six years on we are getting there.
Left – Along the Ash Brook the native primroses are now seeding well and spreading down the bank and right – a colony of celandines has become established in one location.
Tools and Equipment
Left –The tools cart that TMAEG purchased last autumn has proved most useful and even includes a ‘refreshments station’!
Right – black and pink sacks are a necessary part of our kit; nevertheless our impression is that the sites we cover are becoming steadily cleaner. On the whole, the sites we cover are getting cleaner. These ones contain the litter and recyclables collected during a recent joint litter picking session with the Neighbourhood Action Group in the Local Park.
A Feast of Daffodils
Left – February Gold daffodils planted by Ashbrook schoolchildren last November and right – the same type showing in the tubs on the School forecourt.
Two new areas for daffodils – on the greens along Capian Walk. In the group nearer the High Street we have mixed varieties intended to lengthen the flowering season. The second group, towards the Dansteed Way footbridge, is made up of smaller Tete a Tete daffodils.
Other Corridors – Milesmere
Wild daffodils flowering in their second season in the first woodland glade. A second glade has now been formed and here it is hoped to establish wild primroses; the first batch was planted this Spring.
Other Corridors – Fringe of Golf Course
Left – Re-coating the log path during the Christmas break – and helped by a visitor from Prague, Chris Sadil
Right – A new project area along the footpath to Leafield Rise. A holly hedge is being established along with wild primroses.
Other Corridors – Kepwick
Left – The TMAEG garden after weeding and showing some of the many daffodils planted last autumn.
Right – The woodland edge after the March tidy up. A guelder rose hedge is being established in front of the tree line.
Left – The volunteers busy at a second site following their work in the garden and right – the finished result with the multi-colour tulips about to come into bloom.
Other Corridors – Park Gateway
The partnership between the businesses, residents and TMAEG in Park Gateway is resulting in a steady improvement in the look of Park Gateway. The large planters, which are owned by the two businesses, are now being managed to a planting scheme devised by TMAEG, and TMAEG volunteers continue to look after the communal areas; the most recent work session was on April 8th. In parallel, the private frontage areas are being increasingly well looked after.
Beautiful daffodils, most of which were planted by Ashbrook schoolchildren.