Metropolitan Public Gardens Association Annual Report and Accounts 2014 ! THE METROPOLITAN PUBLIC GARDENS ASSOCIATION Letter from the President, President Hugh Johnson OBE Mr Hugh Johnson OBE ondon was looking particularly for gladdening our eyes in hundreds of lovely last spring. We had the spots where inspired locals have taken Vice Presidents Lsunniest April ever, after a winter the initiative. The Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury with no serious cold. Everyone who You see an opportunity? Get in touch, The Rt Rev and Rt Hon the Lord Bishop of London could was going outside which meant with the MPGA and we’ll do our very The Viscount Davidson that green spaces were in higher best to help. And of course you can Sir David Howard Bt demand than ever - and all over the help us too - by becoming a member or The Master, The Worshipful Company of Gardeners capital the local gardens and squares giving a donation (hopefully gift-aided), Mr Wesley Kerr OBE and triangles and scraps of garden were however small. Mr Christopher Woodward full of people enjoying themselves. We were sad during the year to say Chatting or picnicking or reading a (a last) farewell to Michael Birkett, our Chairman Mr William B Fraser OBE book in the fresh air, surrounded by trees late President, who as a lm-maker, Hon Treasurer Mrs Marjorie Dowbiggin and owers, is now an essential part of at the National Theatre, and running Hon Secretary Mrs Helen Knight our city’s life. The MPGA is here to keep ‘parks and arts’ at the GLC in so many Hon Minutes Secretary Ms Nicola Freshwater it so, and to enhance it in every way we ways enhanced the London scene. He can. Think what joy the jolly colours of epitomized the goodwill and common Executive Committee tulips have brought to millions. This year cause for beauty that makes London Ms Rosie Atkins FL, Mrs Shirley Brihi, Mr Benedict Bull, Mr Patrick Hegarty, again we have Taylors Bulbs to thank the best of all cities. Mr Mark Lane LVO, Mr Rex Thornborough RD FCSI, Mrs Paula Tomlinson Hon Legal Adviser Mr Vivian Robinson QC The London Spade Award 2014 Hon Independent Examiner Mr John Clark FCA he 2014 London Spade was presented Trustees Tto Anne Holman for her unstinting work Mr William B Fraser OBE, Mrs Marjorie Dowbiggin, Mr Rex Thornborough RD FCSI for London In Bloom as their Campaign Manager. She joined in 2003 when entries OBJECTS numbered just 29. Now the entries have The Objects of the Association are: grown to over 250 which Geoff Hyde, 1. The acquisition, protection, preservation and safeguarding of gardens, Chairman of London In Bloom, says is due disused burial grounds, churchyards and open spaces within the in large part to Anne’s devotion to the 32 London Boroughs and the City of London Corporation for use by the public. organisation. Anne manages the day-to- 2. The provision of grants for seats, plants and trees in public spaces. day operations of the campaign, liaises 3. The encouragement of public interest in the maintenance and cultivation of front with Britain in Bloom and the RHS together gardens, window boxes, estate gardens, allotments and other similar areas. with masterminding the London in Bloom Awards Ceremony. Anne Holman receiving the London Spade Edited by Helen Knight Designed by Emma Nisse The MPGA London Spade has been from Lord Davidson. awarded annually since 1970. Anne Website: www.mpga.org.uk Email: [email protected] was selected for the award for her great are most grateful to Bulldog Tools Ltd for Registered Charity Number: 303330 service to London’s open spaces. We donating the Spade for our award. 1 Annual General Meeting Chairman’s Report, William Fraser OBE he Association’s AGM was held he highlight of our year in 2014 for over 20 years and his very wise on Tuesday 7th October 2014 in has again been our association counsel and knowledge will be missed. T the magnicent surroundings of T with Taylors Bulbs. This year alone, Andrew has moved out of London and the Mansion House. The 80 plus guests, 200,000 bulbs were distributed to is no longer able to participate. We are including London Mayors, were voluntarily manned open spaces across very grateful to them both for their past welcomed by the Chairman and London through our “Bulbs for London” contribution and we wish them well in addressed by Nicholas Woolf, Lord campaign. As you will see later in this the future. Mayor’s Consort, who acknowledged Report we receive many photographs We have recently received the sad the outstanding efforts of the MPGA from grateful recipients showing just news of the deaths of Lord Birkett and over the past 132 years in restoring and what a great difference the bulbs have Michael Upward . They were both preserving London’s open spaces. made to so many open spaces. We wonderful supporters of MPGA and we The Chairman presented the Annual are very grateful to Taylors Bulbs for include a tribute to each of them in this Report and Accounts for 2013 which sponsoring this extremely valuable and Report. were approved. He paid tribute to Leo Wesley Kerr (left) and Stephen Crisp. much appreciated scheme. I am again very grateful to our Chapman, an MPGA member, who We have seen a substantial increase President, Vice Presidents and had fought a long campaign to open Spade to Anne Holman for her work in the number of grant applications. Committee Members for all their support Seward Street playground to the public over many years as Campaign Manager Wherever possible members of our and enthusiasm. The constant ow of and also gained funding from his local of London in Bloom. A presentation committee like to visit the sites applying grant applications demonstrates how Council for its refurbishment. followed by Roger Taylor, Director of for a grant. It is very heartening to see much our grants are both needed and Three new Vice Presidents were Taylors Bulbs of Holbeach, the MPGA’s the time and care so many volunteers appreciated. welcomed to the Association – Lord partner in Bulbs for London. Since the are putting in to maintaining and Davidson, Wesley Kerr and Christopher scheme was launched in 2012, over improving their local areas. Woodward. Several members retired from 500,000 bulbs have been distributed We are pleased to continue our the Executive Committee during the year throughout London to a wide variety of support for London in Bloom, Open – Janet Owen, David Sadler and Andrew open spaces. Garden Squares Weekend and Turvey – and the Chairman thanked them The family company of Taylors Bulbs, London Federation of City Farms and for their service. There were two new now in its fourth generation, was started Community Gardens and the full list of members to the Executive Committee, after the First World War by Roger’s grant recipients can be found later in this Paula Tomlinson and Benedict Bull. In grandfather, who became a pioneer Report. addition three new volunteers were of bulb growing in England. From small We are grateful to all our Members appointed: Nicola Freshwater as Minutes beginnings, Taylors now farm 1,885 and to our supporters who have made Secretary, Marc Owen who wrote the acres and supply nurseries and garden donations enabling us to assist so many rst of his blogs for our website and Hazel centres. They have won many accolades open spaces. Muncey who began work on the MPGA including 21 Chelsea gold medals and We are now reviewing our Constitution archive. The ofcers and Executive the Queen’s Royal Warrant, in 1985. to ensure it is up to date with current Committee stood for election and were With the formalities concluded, guests practice. re-elected en bloc. enjoyed convivial drinks and canapés in During the year David Sadler MBE Vice President, Lord Davidson, had the the ne surroundings of the Old Ballroom and Andrew Turvey resigned from our pleasure of awarding the MPGA London of the Mansion House. Executive Committee. David has served Marcus Garvey Park 2 3 MPGA Grants 2014 CHURCHYARDS, BURIAL GROUNDS green space in the London Borough Rain Garden in the garden’s central AND CHURCH GARDENS of Islington, one of the most built-up owerbed, as this area had always St Mary’s Church in the London London boroughs. Freightliners contains been rather boggy, and one where it Borough of Haringey reopened the a farm with traditional and rare animals was proving difcult to grow anything Church of the Good Shepherd in 2010, and three kinds of gardens: ornamental, successfully. The rain garden, built by following seventy years of closure. wildlife friendly and productive. In 2015, volunteers, is now an integral part of the The MPGA was successfully the farm was awarded the prestigious garden. The story of its development approached by the Church to help Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service . from a bombsite to an attractive improve the look of the building through In 2013 a new Potager Garden was community garden is featured on the creating a small garden on the street created. This garden is an ornamental MPGA’s blog www.mpga.org.uk. in front of the church. The garden vegetable and herb garden and The Sherland Road Association is was deliberately designed to be low includes a mix of decorative, useful and keen to encourage other gardens with maintenance and the plants chosen fragrant plants. The following year, the the same problem and to assist have not only for their beauty but for their Potager Garden supplied the Farm’s uploaded on to their website their photo Sherland Road Rain Garden.