Gardening maintenance meeting 2023
Summary
Estate Gardening Maintenance Walkabout
Spring / Summer 2023
During the summer, members of the estate residents association (GDRA) met with the head of the gardening maintenance team - Alvis - and Billy Blankson of Southern Housing.
We had a walkabout, shared residents thoughts and concerns, and identified problems across the estate.
The most common concern raised by residents has been the recent condition of existing landscaping, particularly empty patches where plants and shrubs have died away. The quality of the soil in the planting beds has been raised as contributing to this. Alvis said it would be possible to get woodchip to cover for the soil, which could help improve the condition. Some residents have asked for grass and wildflowers be left to grow in the empty space.
Another reoccurring complaint relates to untended gardens and a stretch of overgrown ‘no mans land’ behind the long block towards Cazenove Road. We learned that this area has never been on the gardening teams rota and that the gardens were allocated under condition of maintenance responsibility the residents that signed up for them. Block residents have complained that many are overgrown and causing problems. Solutions? Some residents would like to see the gardens re-allocated. Shared gardening tools were suggested to encourage resident maintenance (where would money come from for this and how would storage work?) Some residents have suggested they would be open to helping out in gardens of residents who are not able to maintain them, in return for use of the space.
Billy, our estate home services officer has thoughts and ideas (dependant on funding) about adapting aspects of the landscaping relating to some specific issues that have been raised. In relation to the fly tipping and other anti social behaviour Billy suggested strategically building up shrubs at the estate perimeter to increase privacy. SH has also been looking into funding for gated bin areas. The question of CCTV was touched on but not considered a realistic option for a number of reasons, including high cost to residents. In response to complaints about dog fouling the possibility of fences with gates for dog-free spaces at Cazenove and Alkham ends of estate was raised.
The gardening maintenance head and home services officer are interested in residents thoughts and future discussion is welcome. That said, it’s been made clear that the garden maintenance team is working to a very tight schedule with no additional budget for any significant changes or developments. For now there will be an emphasis on maintenance adjustments rather than landscaping changes.
We discussed possibilities around resident involvement - for example watering during hot dry spells. Some residents have previously expressed an interest in creating gardening groups. Residents at Alkham tower have been given some space where they plan to plant and care for wildflowers. There is potentially scope for wider development in terms of community gardening if funding can be secured.
