SPRING 2014 ISSUE NUMBER 4
Rose bed renewal starts
Calverley Grounds is buzzing If you look carefully
at the cultivated spurge found in Calverley Grounds you are likely to see a variety of insect life including (above) the female of the tiny bronzy green mining bee, Lasioglossum morio. Look again and you might also see a winged fly Tephritis Formosa and the black garden ant, Lasius niger. Don’t know what they look like? Just follow Ian Beavis, @TWBC_Museum on Twitter, to see his great photos and regular updates on what’s buzzing around in our park.
Welcome to Trevor
A two year project to
revitalise the whole rose terrace began on 22 March when a group of FoCG members dug up 1 35 old, weak and diseased rose bushes. The soil needs to be rested and revitalised before replanting so a wild flower meadow will be sown for a floral display this summer. A new selection of Old English roses chosen for their colour and perfume will be planted in the autumn. There may be an
Kids stuff for free Seeds for the annual sunflower
growing competition for children will be distributed at the 5th April ’our’ man from Sodexo in Calverley gardening event. This year children and adults are also invited to sow Grounds. Trevor has worked in seeds to grow golden yellow Tunbridge Wells parks for over 1 5 vegetables and bring them back to years. Last time he worked in Calverley Grounds there were 3 full- put in the planters by the café in May time gardeners maintaining the park. once they are big enough. Times have changed! Trevor is full time working in Calverley Grounds and we look forward to enjoying the fruits of his labour during the summer. FoCG welcomes Trevor Twort,
opportunity to sponsor a rose but the details are still to be worked out. If you are interested email friendsofcalverleygrounds@ yahoo.co.uk and we will send you more details as we have them.
Poppy planting
To commemorate the centenary of
the start of WW1 , a field of poppies will be planted beside the tall steps on Saturday 5th April. FoCG members and friends are needed to prepare the ground and plant seeds, and to nurture seeds into plants for planting out later in the season.
Get in gear for Rollapaluza! Rollapaluza is
a unique cycle sport where two riders battle it out on a pair of custom-built rollers connected to a huge dial over a simulated 500m distance. It’s coming to Calverley Grounds on Sunday 11 th May from 3pm after a
ladies cycling and information event in the morning. ‘Rollapaluza-RollerRacing’ is open to both men and women. It is FREE to attend but you need to book your place in advance with Clare Maynard, email sales@wildside-online.co.uk.
Winning winter photos...
Oakdale Road, first prize in the adult category Many congratulations also to been the park for much of the winter, so it’s Finn Taylor of Mountfield Gardens whose hardly surprising that the entries for our ‘Benches’ won the under 1 6 category. (Top annual photo left) Hannah and Nathaniel received the competition reflected prize from FoCG Chairman Jim Kedge, this reality. The winners, while last year’s under 1 6 winner, Lauren whose entries ‘A Big Grant, presented the prize to Finn (bottom Splash’ and ‘Benches’, left). Our thanks to all those who entered. have already appeared in the ‘Courier’, caught Don’t forget you can share your photos of this well. Toddler, Calverley Grounds on our Facebook page. Nathaniel, splashed in a puddle to win mum, What’s On this Summer Hannah Roberts of Sun May 11th - Prosecco & Rollapaluza - cycling event Calverley Grounds does have a future! Sun June 8th - Urban orienteering Jim Kedge reports: “Our park is one of “Calverley Grounds, potentially the two that are mentioned by name in the ‘Tunbridge Wells’ town centre showpiece the Saxons Club Council’s recently published draft 5-year park’ in the view of the Friends, does Sun June 29th - Churches picnic ‘Vision 201 4’ for the town. The Council’s have an agreed and documented Sun July 13th - Mela - multicultural stated objective is that “Tunbridge Wells Management Plan. This is referred to in music, dance and food remains a prosperous, green and the draft ‘Vision’ document although the confident borough”. You’ll be glad to know Management Plan is not visionary in any Sun August 3rd WW1 interdenominational service that our park is seen as providing a key sense of the word. It lays out the contribution to delivering that vision. You maintenance and minor improvements Sat & Sun August 23rd/24th - ‘Local & can read the document in its entirety on that we can expect- better signage for Live’- music festival the Council’s website- comments are example, but it does not provide any overwelcomed up to the end of March. arching view for the park or where it fits “The challenge that we face as into the overall plan for the parks and FoCG Information residents, and as Friends of Calverley open spaces of Tunbridge Wells. Chairman Jim Kedge (521787) Grounds in particular, in pursuing the "We feel that this is a missed jimkedge@blueyonder.co.uk objective in relation to our park is one of opportunity. The Friends will continue to resources, ie money and time! Grosvenor push for the adoption of a vision for the Vice Chairman Nick Pope & Hilbert Park, the other park highlighted park, even though there is currently no nicholas.pope@yahoo.com in the Vision, has secured £2.7million of money in Council’s ‘Vision’ to pursue our Heritage Lottery Funding to improve and aspirations. At present, the Parks team Secretary Jane Fenwick restore the whole park in the style of its resource needed to put together a bid for fenwickjane@yahoo.com creator, Robert Marnock, the man who external funding is allocated elsewhere. Treasurer Lisa Grant also designed Dunorlan Park. Well done Naturally we will keep working on your to the Council team and to the Friends of behalf to make sure that the Management chavassier28@yahoo.co.uk Grosvenor & Hilbert Park who actively Plan is progressed and, with your help Facebook: contributed to and supported the bid. and physical support, will continue to FriendsOfCalverleyGrounds Work should start towards the end of this support the gardening efforts of the Parks year and will be the main focus of the team and their contractors, Sodexo, to Twitter: @FoCGTunWells Parks Dept over the next couple of years. make sure that Calverley Grounds will We all look forward to seeing the results eventually become a park that we can all Email: friendsofcalverleygrounds of their labours. be proud of.” @yahoo.co.uk Wet, grey and often empty – that has