Planting over the cracks in Camden Road…?

Weeding, seeding and litter picking

Keen council watchers will know that at the last B&NES council meeting a decision was taken to abandon spraying with glyphosate, a very toxic and carcinogenic weedkiller. Instead, weeding will be done manually. 

This has led a group of us to think a bit more laterally about pulling up weeds: instead of simply removing dandelions, chickweed and willowherb we are hoping to replace them where pavements meet garden walls with varieties of free-seeding plants that have already established themselves well in Camden streets – Erigeron, Corydalis and Campanula. I have spoken to the councillor responsible for rewilding, Jess David, and she is interested in using Camden as a pilot.  We may even be able to get a bit of money for seeds, but discussions are only at an early stage at the moment.

On Monday 2^nd August at 2 pm – weather permitting – we are planning to pull up weeds on Camden Crescent. 

Most of the seeding will not take place until next spring, which will give us plenty of time to take decisions about planting, but in the meantime we want to keep the big beasts at bay, so any help would be appreciated at this stage.  It’s very difficult to keep on top of this big job if only three or four people turn up to help.

It’s nine months since I raised the issue of litter and weeds in Camden at the residents’ association AGM and there has been some real progress in that time along Camden Road, even though the weather appears to be hell bent on disrupting our efforts – we have been rained off on a few occasions. 

A number of people have asked me for council bags and litter pickers, and are keeping their own sections of the road clear of litter and weeds, which is already starting to make a difference, especially just after the recycling lorry has been round on Thursdays.  Many thanks to all those residents. Bags are available from me ([email protected] or 07950 462285) and I can order more litter pickers if anyone would like one.  They take up very little room in a garden shed and are surprisingly addictive to use!

Julie