OOTS: Let's Play Catchup


In my build-up to this month's Out on the Streets (OOTS), I've come across quite a few posts on public planting which are worth taking a look at, particularly if you're looking for some inspiration for your own contribution.

Firstly, I need to properly thank a couple of contributors to previous OOTS which you may have missed: Patient Gardener showed us some particularly fine planting outside her local library in July and The Intrepid Explorer showed us an example of public unplanting way back in March, when work started on widening the road near her home. I'm also sneaking in a small contribution of my own in here today: I spotted the bus stop shown above in Princethorpe on the way home from Garden Organic a couple of weeks ago. It seems the residents across the road are taking pride in ensuring a pleasant wait for the surprisingly large number of bus services that stop by in their village.

Elsewhere, Always Growing has been musing on how tough some plants are in her local car park, whilst Montana Wildlife Gardener looked at native planting in a small neighbourhood park. Hyde Daily Photo Extra had a look at some colourful flowerbeds outside his Town Hall.

I've always found meeting fellow bloggers to be delightful, so it was good to see regular OOTS contributors Bicycle Garden and Greenwalks meeting up recently. Susan's account also shows the hell strip/ sidewalk/ pavement/ parking strip planting - you choose the term most familiar to you - that Karen so regularly blogs about.

Garden Rant have been actively talking about public planting too. Susan Harris sought sponsorship to attend a fantastic looking seminar on urban gardening and then reported back on the topic of Greenmapping, a technique used to document all the green assets a place has. I'm keen to try something similar for Chippenham.

Jane Perrone sent me a details of a fascinating critique of some of Bristol's perennial planting: I was pleased to see this as a visit to Bristol's bedding is on my list of things to do. It's also worth looking at Noel Kingsbury's blog for a different viewpoint as he's been involved with the design of similar plantings in Bristol and is conducting research into how effective they are. By way of contrast Fennel and Fern have been looking at Municipal Meadows.

Last but not least, I've found probably the least public of plantings to show you: the RHS announced this year's winner of the Windlesham Trophy last week - for the best kept prison garden.

Comments

  1. Charlotte4 September 2009 at 17:37

    Great post - and really enjoyable reading! Thanx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Joanne4 September 2009 at 21:36

    Hi VP I have taken control and done a post for OOTS I hope that it is ok I combined a trip to Bath with OOTS.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Esther Montgomery4 September 2009 at 21:59

    Didn't know about the Prison Garden Award.

    Esther

    ReplyDelete
  4. VP7 September 2009 at 10:36

    Charlotte :)

    Joanne - thanks for your a great contribution. I'll add your link once I've got Mr Linky up and running.

    Esther - I didn't either until about 10 day ago!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Frances7 September 2009 at 10:57

    Hi VP, you are such a technical whiz! I came over to let you know about my post and it was shown at the bottom already. I don't know how you did that, but thanks! :-)

    Frances

    Especially since these links don't seem to be appearin properly when I try to leave one in a comment. OOTS-Mouse Creek
    Maybe that will be better. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. VP9 September 2009 at 09:57

    Hi Frances - you credit me with more knowledge than I have - Blogger does that automatically when you link to a post. Your link works here and I've also added it to Mr Linky on the kick off post from a couple of days ago.

    Thanks for taking part in OOTS!

    ReplyDelete

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