Sprowston Diamond Field hedgerow
In March 2022 Sprowston residents took part in a community planting event to create a new hedge row on the edge of Sprowston Town Council’s ‘Diamond Field’. Funding came from a Broadland Community Tree Grant and Sprowston Town Council planting budget.
The event was extremely popular with over 60 residents of all ages taking part.
270 young hedge ‘whips’ were planted. All native species of Hornbeam, Beech, Crab Apple and Hazel, sourced from a local nursery.
The project aimed to soften the appearance and improve the character of a community recreation area: covering the current chain link, and providing better screening for sports field users from residents and vice versa. As well as the practical purpose, the hedge would add to the biodiversity of the area with much needed bird and insect habitat.
Biggest success
The planting day was a real community affair with local children and families planting many of the hedge whips. This was made possible by the careful preparation work of the Sprowston town council ground staff, ensuring the planting could be carried out by all ages and abilities.
This kick-started community engagement with the project, with enthusiasm for extending the planting coming from members of the community.
An ongoing challenge is discovering a section of concrete causing an unplanned gap in the hedge planting. Ideas are being generated for how to ‘re-purpose’ the gap – with alternative ways of planting or another way of filling the space. Suggestions from local residents are welcome!
Challenges
An ongoing challenge is discovering a section of concrete causing an unplanned gap in the hedge planting. Ideas are being generated for how to ‘re-purpose’ the gap – with alternative ways of planting or another way of filling the space. Suggestions from local residents are welcome!
What was learnt
Once the hedge was in place, the team decided to install some additional temporary protection for the hedge whips to avoid any accidental damage in light of the use of the field for sports. If the hedge is extended in the future, this would be part of the plan from the outset.
A top tip
A top tip from the community planting day was using tags with the names of children who planted hedge whips as a marker to promote on-going community engagement and sense of ownership across all ages.
Sprowston Town Councillor Dawn Coleman, who led the event said on the planting day:
“The roadside of the field is currently a bare steel fence with no greenery along it at all. Putting in a hedge will create a new habitat for wildlife and improve the appearance of the area. We also chose to include a few Crab Apple plants in the hedge to provide food for birds and insects.
The response from the public has been really great. Loads of residents have popped over to ask questions and say what a good idea they think a hedge is. It was lovely to see so many young children getting involved and getting their hands dirty too.”
What’s next
There is hunger within the community for extending the hedging, and ideas about tree, hedge or bulb planting on other areas of land the town council manages.
