Chalkhill Park was opened in time for the May Day Bank Holiday weekend in 2013 - a day of great excitement for the children of Chalkhill. I thought it would interesting to take a look at how it is doing as there were quite a few sceptics at the time who doubted that it would be looked after and thought that all the saplings would be torn down and benches vandalised.
They were wrong. The planning of the park involved the Residents' Association and children, creating a real sense of ownership and it has been well looked after.
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| April 2012 |
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| First plantings |
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| May 2013 |
The architect was keen that planting should be tough and sustainable in future climatic conditions. As well as tree and shrub planting and flower beds a wild flower area and a copse surrounding a willow tree were incorporated into the design. The result is not the formal flower beds that you see in Edwardian Parks (although they are much less formal these days) but more natural planting, often under-stated but with splashes of colour and something of interest all the year round.
The trees as you can see have matured nicely and both trees and flowers have survived the recent very dry weather reasonable well.
Lockdown has made people appreciate the greenspaces on their doorstep, not just for exercise but a place for quiet contemplation amidst the greenery.
This is how the park looks today - with of course the playground and outdoor gymn closed off due to Covid19 restrictions.
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| Wild flower meadow |
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| The mysterious copse |
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| A pear tree |
