West Berkshire Council – Project Update

We’ve previously featured West Berkshire Council’s rewilding initiative as a Case Study (see our spring 2021 newsletter update) and we continue to work alongside the Council to further enhance the areas under West Berkshire Council’s remit.

Areas installed previously have been incredibly well received and the Council has been very keen to expand the initiative, with additional sites selected for wildflower installation.

Trevor Bendall from Meadow Creations (and our former Production Manager!) was the Accredited Partner who has worked with us on this particular project, and a further three sites have been installed during autumn 2021.

The Waitrose roundabout in Newbury has received 305m2 of Meadowscape Pro™ Native Enriched alongside some additional annuals to ensure a spectacular pop of colour next spring and summer.

Waitrose roundabout BEFORE its wildflower transformation. (Image supplied by Meadow Creations.)

Greenham Road Recreation ground has also benefitted from the installation of 384m2 of Meadowscape Pro™ Native Enriched. The Recreation ground also received the installation of some additional annuals.

The project has seen both the Waitrose roundabout site and Greenham Road Recreation ground transformed from regularly-mown grassed areas into biodiverse wildflower sites.

Greenham Road Recreation Ground BEFORE its makeover.

 

The Greenham Road site is germinating quickly. This photo was taken in mid-November, only three weeks after installation. (Image supplied by Meadow Creations.)

Finally, a test site outside the old BT Tower off Bear Lane roundabout has also received a wildflower makeover. Previously a neglected eye-sore with space going to waste, Meadow Creations cleared 88m2 of gravel to expose a  paved area before laying substrate sacks and installing Wildflower Turf® over the top of the area. As the raised bed has been created above a concrete base, rather than a soil base, we are waiting to see how the Wildflower Turf® responds. If all is well, then this area will be expanded.

BT Tower area prior to Wildflower Turf® installation. (Image supplied by Meadow Creations.)

 

Podium substrate sacks in place.

 

The test site has rooted in quickly with good results thus far. (Image supplied by Meadow Creations.)

And this is only just the beginning, with West Berkshire Council continuing to look at other sites suitable for transformation in 2022.