We hope everyone had a lovely Easter. What a treat the blossom has been this year, the Magnolia and Camelia have been abundant and the daffs beautiful as ever.
We are delighted to report that the new beach garden at Central Car Park is up and running. Since the rebuild we now have a slightly smaller garden on the left but more space on the right, on the dune.
We have agreed with Rother DC and their experts, that the dune side will be planted with native plants, and they have helpfully provided the plug plants to start. We started with Marram grass to help stabilise the dune and then planted in drifts towards the railings. We have incorporated Lady’s Bedstraw, Autum Hawkbit, plenty of Sea Campion and Common Daisy. If they take, it will be a picture throughout the summer months.
The garden side started with the rescued plants from the old garden, including the Tamarisk for shade, herbs and lots of Sea Thrift. There are bulbs and seeds in the ground, including the Poppies that have lived there for years.
The sand is already starting to cover the site and the storms in March have shredded some of the new plants.
But that’s the fun of it! Trying to find plants that thrive in that tough old space and rehoming those that don’t.
We’re also trying a new technique to get plants into those hard-to-reach areas.
Some seeds only germinate after the seed shell has cracked. You can do this with a knife or sandpaper, but nature’s way is with ice and frost.
So, we have frozen seed into ice cubes and then can lob them into the dune. In theory this breaks the shell, dents the soil and starts the seed with some water. We wait with interest to see if it works.
Our biggest problem to date is the lack of available water.
We will try a water butt and hope it doesn’t disappear (IYKYK) but, until then, we will ferry water to the garden in buckets.
We’re also trying a new technique to get plants into those hard-to-reach areas. Some seeds only germinate after the seed shell has cracked. You can do this with a knife or sandpaper, but nature’s way is with ice and frost. So, we have frozen seed into ice cubes and then can lob them into the dune. In theory this breaks the shell, dents the soil and starts the seed with some water. We wait with interest to see if it works.
Our biggest problem to date is the lack of available water. We will try a water butt and hope it doesn’t disappear (IYKYK) but, until then, we will ferry water to the garden in buckets. The pictures are before the demolition and the latest small shoots space.
