Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom Portfolio 2017 Contents

Foreword and welcome Page 3

Section A: Horticultural achievement Page 4

Section B: Environmental Responsibility Page 10

Section C: Community Participation Page 17

RTW in Bloom funding summary Page 25

Our key partners Page 26

2 We have increased number of competition entries to South and South East in Bloom. Calverley Grounds Foreword and and Grosvenor & Hilbert will now compete with Dunorlan Park in the Large Park category. Tunbridge Wells Cemetery and Crematorium entered the welcome to judges competition in the Large Cemetery category, and Tunbridge Wells Common in the Commons / Open We would like to extend a warm welcome to our judges for space category. 2017: Reg Harrison and Reg Leach. We have increased our sponsorship both financial and The in Bloom campaign was ‘in kind’ contributions, particularly with Coolings Garden re-introduced in 2010 with Tunbridge Wells entering the Centres’ involvement. National competition in the large town category being We have again delivered more and a wider range of awarded Silver. We were delighted by our continuing community projects successes with the town maintaining Gold, best in award, Oakley School winning their category and Dunorlan We have changed some of our displays and Park maintaining a Gold Award. encouraged others to do likewise reflecting on planting to help wildlife. We are fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers who turn out for voluntary activities to maintain and We have increased our representation in the business improve the visual and environmental aspects for all community. residents and visitors to Tunbridge Wells. We continue to support the S&SE in Bloom schools Our campaign is organised by a committee of volunteers competition with a support by Oakley School. with professional support from Tunbridge Wells Borough We have significantly increased our marketing efforts Council and the Kent High Weald Partnership. We benefit with more press releases, radio coverage, a more from high levels of sponsorship and support from other exciting launch, posters, leaflets, pens, stickers and voluntary organisations and the business community. other promotional materials. We have an informative Notwithstanding the prolonged difficult financial period our website and regularly post on Facebook and Twitter. campaign has gained increased support both in terms of financial and voluntary support, proving that our community We are looking to the future particularly to further values the work we do to improve our environment and increase the neighbourhoods we work with and we bring people together. Of particular note has been gaining have agreed with the Council to include many Bloom sponsorship to the value of some £5,000 from our Key related projects in the HLF Programme for Grosvenor Sponsor, Coolings Garden Centre of Knockholt. They have and Hilbert Park which has been awarded a £2.3 million provided invaluable financial and professional support this grant back in 2015. Works on the community pavilion, year and already have told us they want to carry on into the playground and landscaping have been completed last future. We have gained additional sponsorship from Royal summer. Victoria Place, The Co-op Funeral care, Hotel Du Vin and Although 2016/17 has proved to be a challenging year for One Warwick Park Hotel. Tunbridge Wells in Bloom we have been able to further Our Judges from last year, Jean and Nick, provided our role in supporting communities improving the local valuable feedback and their practical comments helped environment for the benefit of us all. us to focus and improve our efforts. We have continued previous year’s actions and enlarged our campaign with some of our key successes and improvements shown Councillor David Elliott: below: Chair: Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom. We have sought continue to support our neighbourhood groups Calverley Grounds, The Grove, The Friends of Woodbury Park Cemetery and Grosvenor and Hilbert Recreation Ground who have had continued success in the ‘its your neighbourhood’ campaign, we continue to support them with funds, materials and advice.

3 Section A: Horticultural Achievement

A1: Impact Before we started as a group the town centre did not have any baskets or three tier units and the planters were full of conifers and ivy. Since our formation we now have all Fritillarias at Woodbury Park Cemetery year round displays and have steadily increased these as sponsorship has become available. In the past twelve months we have continued to work with local community groups to increase our range of floral delights. Examples of this include the planters at Calverley Grounds, Grosvenor & Hilbert Park and Dunorlan Park and the introduction of more displays in highly visible areas (e.g. Pantiles, High Street, Calverley Precinct and Fiveways). To keep the town centre blooming in the winter and early spring we planted up three tier planters, barrier troughs and wooden planters at the Precinct and the Fiveways. Bloom team also organised winter planting of wooden mangers at . We continue planting bedding displays across all major parks in both winter and summer seasons. Planting of summer bedding

Pantiles planter in Spring

4 List of Winter 2016/17 bedding and container plants: 400 x Polyanthus Crescendo Blue 150 x Polyanthus Crescendo Mixed 240 x Polyanthus Crescendo Red Shades 1200 x Polyanthus Crescendo Orange 1810 x Polyanthus Crescendo Rose Shades 2090 x Polyanthus Crescendo White 400 x Polyanthus Crescendo Yellow 1170 x Polyanthus Piano Mixed 390 x Polyanthus Stella Mixed 100 x Polyanthus Stella Champagne 400 x Polyanthus Stella Luna Gold 400 x Polyanthus Stella Regal Red Spring at Calverley Grounds 175 x Viola F1 Sorbet Jump Up Mixed Cell 7 x Berberis darwinii 1730 x Polyanthus F1 Fire Dragon 800 x Campanula Rapido Blue 720 x Hedera Mixed 4 x Cleome White 50 x Skimmia japonica 8 x Cordyline Cherry Sensation 50 x Dahlia Dark angel Sub Happy Days Yellow List of Winter 2016/17 bulbs planted with bedding and in containers: 50 x Dahlia Dark angel Sub Happy Days Red 500 x Diascia Juliet White 200 x Daffodil Decoy 125 x Gaillardia Arizona Sun 420 x Daffodil Pacific Coast 6 x Gaillardia Fanfare Blaze 410 x Hyacinth Peter Stuyvesant 175 x Gaillardia Mesa Peach 400 x Tulip Ballerina 300 x Geranium Horizon Scarlet 390 x Tulip Marilyn 50 x Geranium Palladium Candyfloss 250 x Tulip Merlot 1000 x Geranium Frank Headley 220 x Tulip Mrs John T Scheepers 300 x Geranium Horizon Star 200 x Tulip Purple Prince 300 x Geranium Horizon White 800 x Tulip Queen of the Night 300 x Geranium Light Pink Splash 200 x Tulip Red Shine 360 x Impatiens Sun Harmony Salmon 120 x Tulip Spring Green 200 x Impatiens Deep Orange 200 x Tulip West Point 60 x Impatiens Harmony Magenta 100 x Tulip White Dream 60 x Impatiens Harmony Pink Smile 800 x Tulips First Proud 200 x Impatiens Kokomo – Salmon Frost 200 x Impatiens Paradise Logia List of Summer 2017 bedding, container and hanging 12 x Ipomea Bright Ideas Green baskets plants: 4 x Ipomoea Star of Yelta 250 x Ageratum Champion Blue 200 x Iresine Cherry 6 x Gaillardia Fanfare 400 x Liriope muscari varigata 720 x Geranium Vancouver Centennial 250 x Nicotiana Dynamo Red 2275 x Lobelia Blue 1200 x Petunia Black 200 x Lobelia Purple 800 x Osteospermum 300 x Lobelia White 20 x Passiflora Purple Haze 200 x Bacopa Abunda Colossal White 12 x Phormium Platts Black 56 x Begonia Elegance Million Kisses 80 x Salvia Nemorosa Snow Hill 150 x Begonia Heaven Pink 25 x Salvia Oceania Blue 150 x Begonia Heaven Red 800 x Salvia Sensation Rose 400 x Begonia Heaven White 300 x Scopia Gulliver White

5 25 x Sedum Sea Star 30 x Sedum Siebodii variegated 15 x Sedum Sieboldii 3 x Stipa giganteum 200 x Verbena Obsession White 700 x Verbena Royal Purple

Winter display at the Town Hal

Spring display at TW Cemetery chapel

Winter bedding at Crematorium gate

Barrier troughs winter planting

6 A2: Horticultural practice We have reviewed and changed our bedding schemes to be more sustainable by using permanent edging and dot plants, with attention to all year round interest. We aim to demonstrate to the community what can be achieved in difficult spots with a good range of well chosen plants in the right place. Quality of plants used in our bedding displays and planting schemes across the parks is very important to us. Over the past two years we ordered bedding, baskets and planters from Bagintons Nurseries who supply great quality plants and have a local connection with Tunbridge Wells. Trees we planted over winter came from well known nurseries of Barcham and English Woodlands and a local Perryhill Nursery. We order shrubs and perennials from local Coblands and Palmstead nurseries. This year we developed a promising relationship with Boningale Nurseries. Preperation of winter Three Tier planters Maintenance of our floral displays and parks and open spaces is provided by our grounds maintenance contractor A3: Residential and community for the town, Sodexo Horticultural Services. The grass verges and most of the roundabouts in the town are being gardening maintained by Kent County Council. Residential gardening There are plenty of beautiful gardens in Tunbridge Wells and every year we encourage our residents to join the local Bloom competition and to celebrate horticulture with us via volunteering and taking part in our events. This year we have received 143 of competition entries in residential categories. In June we organised first ever Open Gardens tour in Tunbridge Wells, together with the Hospice in the Weald. Six local residents opened their gardens for the day and over 300 participated in the tour.

Town allotments TWBC owns and manages 10 allotment sites. In total 373 plots are available to rent. At the moment 340 plots are Cloister garden in November being used by residents of Tunbridge Wells. Number of allotment holders taking part in the local Bloom competition keeps growing larger year by year. This year we have 24 allotment plots participating in the competition.

Community allotments –– Pepenbury Food for Thought: Pepenbury is an organisation that runs a Food for Thought campaign that involves school children, people with learning difficulties and volunteers to grow local fruit, herbs and vegetables. The charitable group has raised funds to provide a large allotment style garden, poly tunnels, raised beds and a cafe. The produce grown on site is used in the cafe and sold. Other products include hanging baskets made by the volunteers and children.

Heaters and Azaleas at Crematorium rose gardens

7 –– Community Allotment in Southborough: A4: Business areas and premises Community Allotment provides an opportunity to have a taster in allotment life. It is run by former We encourage local businesses to improve their grounds members of Transition Tunbridge Wells which has – no matter how big or small. We work with local traders folded. They run gardening sessions and teach how associations to improve the street scape around their to grow organic food by sharing skills, labour, tools shops. Over the past 12 months we have worked closely and produce. with Camden Road traders, shopping centre, Royal Tunbridge Wells Together and businesses –– Volunteering at the Pantiles to increase the floral interest in the town. Our main parks and open spaces have volunteer This year for the second time we involved Town Hall groups who work with the Parks team, helping to offices to enter our Best Windowsill competition. Again, plant and maintain borders, trees and seasonal the competition proved to be very popular amongst many bedding displays. Majority of Friends groups have TWBC departments. a gardening sub-committee taking active part in Local Businesses taking part in RTWiB (by entering maintenance of the gardens. Conservation sessions the local competition and/or providing support): organised by Kent High Weald Partnership are also very popular and attract a steady number of – Halliwell Care Home volunteers. We also receive support from corporate – Morgan Hodges volunteers, mainly from the biggest employer in – Ashurst Park Care Home town – AXA Group. – Crossways Community – One Warwick Park Hotel – Hotel du Vin – W A Turner – Ellenor – Southeastern Railway – AXA – Pembury Cemetery – Greggswood Medical Centre – King Charles Church Hall – Town and Country – Manna – The Bedford – The Barn Clearing of Library Bed in autumn – – King Charles Church Hall – Karen’s Foam Store – Derroll Tozer Upholstery – The Grove Bowls Club – The Nevill Crest & Gun – Pembury Cemetery – DS Restoration – Sodexo Horticultural Services – Biffa – Treework

Planting of Pantiles planters in October

8 Over the winter we planted 39 of trees across all our parks. About 20% of trees purchased were sponsored by Friends groups or donated by residents of Tunbridge Wells as memorial trees. List of trees planted across our parks in the Winter 2016/17: 1 x Acer campestre 1 x Acer x freemanii Autumn Blaze 3 x Araucaria araucana 1 x Arbutus unedo 4 x Cedrus deodara 1 x Carya illinoinensis 1 x Castanea sativa Judging of Town Hall windowsill competition 2 x Cercis siliquastrum 1 x Cornus kousa Stella Pink 2 x Crataegus leavigata Paul’s Scarlet A5: Green spaces 1 x Davidia involucrata Encouraged by our success in last year’s South and South 1 x Fagus sylvatica East in Bloom competition, this year we entered again 1 x Fagus sylvatica Black Swan seven of our parks and open spaces as separate entries in 2 x Liriodendron tulipifera Aureomarginatum their own categories: Dunorlan Park, Calverley Grounds, Grosvenor & Hilbert Park, Woodbury Park Cemetery, 3 x Magnolia Galaxy Tunbridge Wells Cemetery & Crematorium, Tunbridge 1 x Prunus Pandora Wells Common, Barnett’s Wood Local Nature Reserve. 1 x Prunus Shirofugen All listed sites have active Friends groups who help us 3 x Sorbus aucuparia Edulis with planting and maintaining of the gardens. Volunteers 2 x Prunus Accolade planted lots of bulbs and shrubs over the autumn and 1 x Prunus avium winter time. 3 x Salix daphnoides List of bulbs planted across our parks in Autumn 2016: 1 x Sorbus aucuparia Edulis 200 x Narcissus Thalia 1 x Sorbus torminalis 100 x Narcissus Katie Heath 1 x Styrax japonica 100 x Narcissus Stint 1 x Quercus robur 100 x Tulip Sylvestris 1 x Quercus rubra 100 x Erythronium White Beauty 30 x Camassia esculenta Blue Melody 100 x Narcissi Green Eyed Lady 1300 x Pseudonarcissi lobularis 600 x Bulbocodium conspicuous 500 x Narcissus poeticus Actaea 200 x Narcissi Scarlett Gem 200 x Narcissi Pueblo 600 x Autumn flowering crocus mix 1500 x Anemone Nemerosa Alba 390 x Hyacinthoides non-scripta 90 x Galanthus nivalis

Delivery of trees

9 Rose gardens in the winter

for threatened birds (skylark, song thrush), and amphibians. KHWP deliver regular volunteering Section B: sessions on the site, including hedgelaying, meadow Environmental management activities and Education Access visits. Responsibility

B1: Conservation and Biodiversity We are blessed with several high value conservation areas within the town. Most of these sites are managed by charitable organisations and our key partners. All of them are managed in accordance with best practice to conserve the environment but allow appropriate levels of access and educational and other activity.

Kent High Weald Partnership: Bird box workshop at Calverley grounds The Kent High Weald, one of our key partners, is an organisation running a range of conservation projects in the High Weald landscape. Their practical volunteering sessions range from coppicing, hedge laying, tree planting and woodland management to survey work, meadow management, fencing and boardwalk construction. KHWP works with local communities and landowners in con- junction with volunteer groups, schools and partners. KHWP manage a number of sites in the town. Below is selection of these: –– Barnett’s Wood Local Nature Reserve: Barnett’s Wood was the first site to be designated an LNR by TWBC in 1998. It is managed jointly by the KHWP, the Friends of Barnett’s Wood, Southborough Parish Council and TWBC. It consists of ancient woodland, meadows, species- rich hedgerows, and ponds. It is an important site Reynolds Lane pastures

10 –– Hilbert Woods Local Nature Reserve: Hilbert Woods is an urban reserve within Grosvenor and Hilbert Park and it is managed jointly by the KHWP and TWBC. It consists of coppiced woodland, bluebell areas, medieval wood banks, stream and open grassland dotted with wildflowers. Recent projects included installing of a circular boardwalk and planting marsh plants near the stream.

–– Reynolds Lane Pastures – Local Wildlife Site Reynolds Lane Pastures, adjacent to St John’s Recreation Ground, are rich in variety of habitats: lowland meadow, mix broadleaved woodland, wet woodland, hedgerows, rocky outcrops and a stream. KHWP manage the site with help of volunteers. Regular tasks include coppicing and rotational scrub clearance.

Tunbridge Wells Common Conservators: Tunbridge Wells and Commons are set up as a charitable trust to manage the common and to conserve its natural heritage. Located close to the town centre and extending into the countryside, the 256 acres Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons provide an important refuge for wildlife within the urban area. Unlike most public open spaces they have never been cultivated or landscaped. The commons today consist of a wide range of habitats, in which surviving areas of heath and grassland, along with open sandy areas around the major rock formations, coexist with tracts of secondary woodland. Further Treework putting bird boxes at The Grove diversity is provided by a series of semi-natural ponds. Current management aims to preserve this diversity, and a reasonable balance of different elements, by containing Parks & Open Spaces – natural meadows the spread of woodland and expanding the open areas. and bird boxes Regular volunteering sessions, organised by the Warden In 2012 we established new meadow areas in several of and the Friends of the Commons, are taking place nearly our parks and open spaces. This approach has also been every first Saturday of each month. taken for many of the verges around the common and is publicised to the public. Last year, with help of Dr Ian Beavis, we started to assess the biodiversity of the meadows. Most of the areas currently support a range of native wildflower species like Pignut, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Bugle and Knapweed. In future, by careful maintenance and monitoring, we hope to be able to identify a larger number of native flower species. A wide variety of insect species have already been spotted on the meadow, including White-tailed Bumblebee, Bronze Furrow Bee and Red-horned Nomad Bee. Dr Ian Beavis keeps monitoring meadow areas in our parks, then recording his findings and posting them on social media. During the last winter we installed nearly 30 of new bird boxes, mainly in The Grove and Calverley Grounds parks. Both actions were initiated and partly sponsored by the Friends groups.

Wild flower meadow at Calverley Grounds

11 Tunbridge Wells Cemetery – Green-winged Orchid and Waxcaps The Cemetery grounds have been designated Local Wildlife Site for their fungi population and appearance of the Green-winged Orchid. Together with KHWP and Sodexo we have taken action to protect and enhance areas where significant numbers of waxcaps and the orchids have been found. We ceased mowing areas with Green-winged Orchids in the months of May and June, and we remove grass arising safer each mow from fungi-rich areas to keep low nutrition levels.

Green-winged orchids at Tunbridge Wells Cemetery B2: Resource management (recycling, minimising demand on resources) Recycling Within the Bloom partnerships in the town we promote and encourage local groups to recycle and minimise waste. When judging gardens in our local competition we also consider recycling. Within the Allotments and School categories this is a significant element of the scores. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council campaigns to increase participation and recycling rates with promotional literature, schools presentations and other events. The Street Scene team is undertaking an active campaign to promote responsible behaviour that leads to recycling, reduction of littering and dog fouling. This includes events alongside Bloom launch, where Street Scene team has their promotional materials to give out in the town centre.

New composting bay at Grosvenor & Hilbert Park

Martin Allison, mycologist. Fungi walk. Photo by Caroline Auckland

12 Carbon management and minimising consumables Over the past seven years, TWBC has supported a number of initiatives to encourage local action on environmental sustainability and climate change. In 2014 TWBC has approved its ‘Climate Local’ commitment for delivery. ‘Climate Local’ includes actions to support residents to save money on energy bills, attracting new jobs and investments in green industries, supporting new sources of energy, managing local flood risk and protecting local natural environment. TWBC is setting the example by making significant steps to reduce its energy use to save money and cut its emissions of carbon dioxide and is on target to reduce its carbon Street Scene team promoting recycling emissions by 25% over the next five years. Initiatives have included:

–– The installation of voltage optimisers in the Town TWBC offers the following waste and recycling services to Hall and Assembly Hall kerbside properties: –– Fitting more efficient lighting and controls –– Collection of residual waste in a green bin during replacement in the planned maintenance –– Collection of plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, programme metal cans, aerosol cans, foil, metal food trays and –– Reduction in gas consumption at the Crematorium cartons using a 55 litre green box through changes in work practice –– Collection of paper and cardboard using another 55 –– Working with Biffa to rationalise the street cleansing litre green box routes to improve performance and reduce our –– Collection of garden waste and food waste in a 240 carbon footprint by 10% litre brown bin The town has many fine examples of sustainable buildings Waste and recycling is collected on an alternate weekly and carbon management schemes, e.g. a modern purpose basis – residual waste one week and recycling the built hospital on the edge of the town includes a green roof, following week. Glass can be recycled at several stations sustainable drainage scheme, solar panels and use of grey situated in town, mainly by large supermarkets. water. Over the past year as a community we have achieved an Sustainable Parks overall recycling rate of 49.42%, with 22,576.00 tonnes of Sustainability is a key objective for the Parks department recycled materials: and opportunities are taken wherever possible to ensure green options are considered. The Parks team along with Sodexo are fully committed to environmental management Kerbside Recycling Collection 2016/17: of the park through management in an environmentally Compostable 12,014.00 tonnes sensitive way. This includes: – Paper and Cardboard 5,071.00 tonnes – Green waste composting at Dunorlan Park, Hilbert Park and TW Cemetery Plastic and metal cans 2,000.00 tonnes –– Mulching programmes using compost produced WEEE 30.32 tonnes from the household green waste –– The use of two electric buggies –– Equipment and vehicles running on bio fuel

Water usage –– Floral displays with water reservoirs Our horticultural displays and the gardening methods we –– Mixing permanent plants in our bedding schemes use are designed to help the community see what can –– Reducing CO2 emissions with vehicle movements in be achieved by the correct choice of plants, techniques parks kept to a minimum and practices. These include mulching, soil conditioners, design choices and other methods that Judges will see on –– Use of peat free planting mediums, with minimum route. Watering of newly planted trees only takes place practical packaging during prolonged dry spells. Bedding displays, hanging baskets, planters and new trees are watered using water from a bore hole in North Farm Depot.

13 –– Energy efficient park buildings e.g. recent built of Royal Tunbridge Wells has great examples of historic a new sports pavilion at Hawkenbury Recreation parks and open spaces that still play an important part Ground: the building is designed expressly to within the town centre and neighbourhoods. Protection minimise energy usage with state of the art and enhancement of existing heritage character is an insulation, under floor heating and energy efficient important objective of management plans for each site; so equipment. The biomass boiler utilises locally is conservation of existing wildlife habitats and protection sourced woodchip and provides all the energy for of trees from loss or inappropriate removal. the building. Examples of developments enhancing local heritage sites: B3: Local Heritage Sherwood Lake The purchase and development of Sherwood Lake as The Tunbridge Wells borough has a wealth of built a new community park (mainly for residents of the new heritage in its towns, villages and hamlets; each, with its housing development in the area) will help to keep the combination of buildings, spaces and landscape creates site preserved and enhanced for current and future a strong and unique character. In recognition of this, generations. A set of improvement works have been and to protect their individual character, many of these carried out since: a new bridge has been completed which settlements are designated as conservation areas. There goes over the spillway – the level of which has been are twenty-five in total. raised. A series of access works have been carried out and a new access path to the Lake, steps, a deck across the spring and new drainage have been completed. Kent High Weald Partnership are running a series of free guided walks and regular volunteering activities to help everyone enjoy the lake and woods.

Grosvenor and Hilbert Park A Heritage Lottery Fund bid was submitted in 2013 to refurbish a historic Marnock landscape of Grosvenor and Hilbert Park, with a grant of £2.3 million being awarded in early 2014. The grant enabled complete restoration of the park and helped to increase community participation – thanks to funding of employment of Community Engagement Officer, who is organising now series of events and volunteering sessions. The restoration and improvement works have been completed last winter and Historic trees and the fountain at St John’s Rec included:

–– Dredging and repairs to the historic lake and dripping wells Whilst most conservation areas are confined to the historic core of villages, larger areas include centres such as Royal –– Bio diversity and habitat improvements Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, and Cranbrook. –– Soft landscaping More than 70% of the Borough of Tunbridge Wells –– Wetland viewing area and boardwalk and new lies within the High Weald, considered to be an Area bridge over stream of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The status of –– Entrance refurbishment and access improvements an AONB is equivalent to that of the National Parks –– General infrastructure repairs including paths, and together they share the highest level of protection edging, steps etc. in relation to landscape and scenic beauty. TWBC –– New park furniture, interpretation boards and recognises the importance of this area and will only permit signage development if it protects or enhances the natural beauty and special characteristics of the area. The Tunbridge –– Lighting improvements Wells borough contains a number of nationally, regionally –– Play area improvements and locally important sites designated for their wildlife or –– Covered space by the side of the cafe and minor geological importance. works to the pavilion

14 Pantiles clock

Dunorlan Park in Autumn New cafe and Pavilion at Grosvenor & Hilbert Park

Burning invasive Rhododendron at Sherwood Lake Restored Marnock’s dripping wells

15 1300 tickets. This year, thanks to Southeastern and Bloom B4: Local environmental quality initiative, five new cigarette bins have been installed at TWBC Street Scene team, together with contractor Biffa, Tunbridge Wells railway station. take care of cleanliness of the town. This includes removal of litter and fly-tip, dog fouling and graffiti. TWBC Parks team deal with littering and dog fouling issues within parks of Tunbridge Wells, with support of Sodexo.

Abandoned Vehicles Members of the public can report to the Council vehicles which they believe to be abandoned, checks are made and notices posted on the vehicles. If no contact is received regarding the vehicle, the vehicle is removed within 7 days. Over last year we have received reports on 654 abandoned vehicles. Graffiti Graffiti is removed from public areas by TWBC contractor – Biffa. Where graffiti is obscene or offensive it is removed urgently. Businesses are encouraged to remove graffiti Cigarette bins installed at Tunbridge Wells station from their properties and graffiti kits can be lent out to assist with the removal. In our parks graffiti removal is part of the grounds maintenance contract with Sodexo Horticultural Services.

Fly Tipping Fly tipping is removed as soon as it is reported or, pro- actively, if seen by either a Bloom Campaigner or staff at the Council. Where there is evidence amongst the rubbish and the culprits identified, the offenders are taken to court and fined.During 2016/17 we removed 57.00 tons of fly tipped rubbish.

Street Scene in action Dog Fouling The Council’s Street Scene Enforcement Officers carry out patrols both on street and in the parks to encourage dog owners to clear up after their animals. Fixed penalties can be issued if dog faeces are not cleared by the owner. In our parks we try to educate dog owners to clear up after their dogs by providing bio degradable bags and displaying signs and posters.

Flytip B5: Pride of Place Littering Street furniture across the town is being maintained by TWBC Street Scene team. This includes a regular Fixed penalty notices are issued by the Council’s Street painting programme and rationalisation of street “clutter” Scene Enforcement Officers if members of the public are and design. The signs and most of the lampposts are seen dropping litter or cigarette butts. Litter is removed responsibility of Kent County Council. quickly to prevent accumulations. We have recently employed a private company to support our Enforcement The town’s environment has been recently improved with Officers and in2016/17 they have issued in excess of new hard landscaping schemes including a new paved area at Five Ways and extensions to the cycle path.

16 In Tunbridge Wells Crematorium gardens a new bespoke designed Memorial Wall and new memorial niches at Cloister Garden have been built and opened to the public Section C: this spring. Community Participation

C1: Year-round Community Participation, Development and Continuity We feel that our greatest achievement this year again has been to vastly increase community gardening projects. This has been achieved mainly by using available funds to support our partners to organise Bloom community projects on our behalf. We have combined that with direct action DS Restoration installing pavers for new bench – from the Bloom team. Crematorium Gardens Community gardening – Friends groups We work primarily with community groups who have in some cases taken over areas to design, plant and maintain them as part of our campaign. Often we fund materials or support in other ways to achieve common aims and to promote our campaign via Friends groups. At the moment there are nine Friends groups in our parks and open spaces, who actively take part in horticultural and conservation activities. Here are some examples: –– Friends of Woodbury Park Cemetery Friends of Woodbury Park Cemetery, formed in 2007, have put an enormous amount of time and effort into transforming once forgotten and neglected Victorian cemetery into a wildlife haven and a great educational resource. Beside on-going grounds maintenance of this heritage site, the Friends New planted garden at Crematorium Wall keep fundraising for their projects, organise public lectures, guided history and nature walks, open air concerts and plant and craft sales. They created extensive historical and ecological record for the site and restored over 120 historic memorials to date.

Over the past months FoWP worked to develop a wildlife area in an overgrown corner of the cemetery. Together with local children they built an impressive bug hotel and a log-pile house. The group continued with planting of native mix of hedging around the boundary on the park, and worked to enhance existing wet meadow.

From the end of March 2016 to the beginning of April 2017 FoWP contributed 733 volunteering hours at total value of £5,233.62.

Opening of new Memorial Wall at TW Crematoriuml

17 –– Friends of The Grove Examples of ongoing projects led by KHWP: The Grove is one of the oldest parks in Tunbridge –– Barnett’s Wood Wells located in the residential area in the town From June 2016 to May 2017 KHWP organised centre. Friends of The Grove are a small local 144 task days at Barnett’s Wood.. A total of 570 group helping with the maintenance of the borders. hours were completed by volunteers attending the This season they carried out tree, shrub and bulb sessions. Tasks included: hedgelaying, scrub and planting in the autumn and clearing of the borders woodland management, construction of boardwalk and pruning in spring time. Friends also fundraised and fencing, maintenance of ponds and installation for new bird boxes to be put up on trees at the park. of new interpretation signs. From autumn 2016 until Summer 2017 Friends –– Hilbert Woods of The Grove contributed in total 30 volunteering hours at total value of £214.20. With total number of 1180 volunteering hours contributed at Hilbert Woods, lots of alien invasive –– Friends of Grosvenor & Hilbert Park (FoGH) species have been removed and construction of FoGH are actively helping to deliver HL programme the boardwalk have been now completed – after of projects in the park. Over the past year they couple of years of hard work! A new section of helped with planning, preparation & delivery of boardwalk was constructed to improve public events (like Hanging Baskets workshop, Working access. Volunteers helped with coppicing and scrub horses rides, In your Neighbourhood preparation, clearance, and with construction and planting of bee Community Orchard, Park clean-up day, Apple friendly beds for the Cross-Pollination Project. Day), marketing & promotional activities incl. –– Number One Community Centre at Showfields website & social media, conservation works in the park and woods; basket, flower and shrub planting As part of the Broadwater Urban Garden Giving and maintenance, general repair and maintenance Scheme (BUGGS) volunteers planted up raised works. beds constructed last year for wildlife friendly planting. Plants are maintained as part of the In total, from July 2016 to end of March 2017, the BUGGS project and are being watered by the group contributed 974 both skilled and unskilled doctors’ surgery staff. volunteering hours at total value of £9,436.00 –– Dunorlan Park Over the autumn and winter season KHWP In total all Friends groups contributed over 5000 of volunteers contributed 570 hours at Dunorlan Park. volunteering hours in gardening year 2016/17, at the Works included coppicing and clearing around the value of just over £36k. ponds – willows on the island was coppiced and vegetation removed from the stream. The sight –– Community Gardening – BUGGS Project line from the bridge was maintained through reed cutting. Volunteers also built raised beds and filled it The BUGGS project (Broadwater Urban Gardening with top soil for the Cross-Pollination Project. Giving Scheme) was formed in 2014 to make the Showfields/Broadwater area of Tunbridge Wells Love Where we Live – keeping greener by creating a new community gardening neighbourhoods litter free group to assist residents with gardening their own plots and to some degree promoting wildlife Working with the Council’s Love Where We Live campaign gardening where appropriate. It was also designed we offer local community groups such as church groups, to improve the network of greenspaces in the area guide and scout groups, the use of equipment, high through community planting schemes. The scheme visibility jackets, sharps containers, first aid equipment, is part funded by Town and Country. litter pickers and black sacks to hold clear ups in their area. TWBC deliver the equipment prior to the clearance and Community Gardening – with Kent High collects the rubbish after the clear up. Weald Partnership Over year 2016/17 we held 12 major litter picks across The Kent High Weald Partnership has delivered a Tunbridge Wells town and the borough. range of conservation and gardening projects on 11 sites across Tunbridge Wells in 2016/17 season. In total KHWP volunteers contributed 3,450 hours at total value of £24,633.00

18 Bug hotel at Woodbury Park Cemetery Great British Spring Clean 2017

BUGGS planters at Showfields Hilbert Woods boardwalk reached the finish line!

Friends of The Grove Planting Day in autumn KHWP clearing Dunorlan lake

19 C2: Communication and Education

Bloom launch This year we launched the 2017 campaign at the Town’s Precinct area. As always, our event attracted many people interested in gardening. We were handing out Bloom literature including our competition entry forms and we gave out 1000 of bedding and basket plants, eco friendly shopping bags, pens and other promotional materials. Our Friends from KHWP were running most popular bee- themed craft stall for children.

RTW in Bloom Competition KHWP volunteers at Barnett’s Wood We run our own internal Bloom competition with 13 categories for both residential and commercial properties. We use a simplified version of the RHS award system to recognise the achievements and developed criteria to reflect amateur gardening. This year we have seen an increase in the number of entries over all categories; this is the result of a promotion campaign by the Bloom committee: posters, launch event, social media posts, website, press articles, letter drops to houses and businesses. The judging team will once again be volunteers. Every year since launch of the RTW in Bloom we organise an Awards Ceremony in the autumn where we celebrate the involvement of the community and achievements of all involved. This year event is hosted and sponsored by One Warwick Park Hotel.

Planting at Grosvenor & Hilbert Park Friends Friends groups in our parks and open spaces are the most important way of communication with the residents of the town. We rely often on their networks to pass information on our plans and projects to the wider audience. It works both ways –often we receive feedback from the public via Friends groups. It works very well for us as all Friends groups are very supportive of Bloom and take active part in gardening projects or clean up days.

Local Press This year we had a lot of support from local press who kindly include articles about our campaign – mainly Times of Tunbridge Wells, Town Crier and So Magazine. We receive on-going support from editors at the Local Magazine.

Social media Tree planting at The Grove Over the past couple of years number of social media followers increased significantly – at the moment we have 194 followers on Facebook and 328 on Twitter. We continue with regular updates on Bloom events and planting schemes in town.

20 The Cross-Pollination Project Helping bees and insects in our very own gardens and parks is probably the most widespread and easy opportunity we have to make a difference. The Cross Pollination Project has launched in summer 2016 and brings together scientists, gardeners and communities in Tunbridge Wells so we can grow seeds of knowledge into action. This three year Heritage Lottery Funded project is also offering fantastic opportunities to get involved and learn new skills as annual talks, training and workshops will be available to the wider community. With help from local communities and schools combined with expert knowledge from Sussex University, the Bee posters for Blooming Art competition Cross-Pollination Project campaigners created 6 public demonstration gardens loaded with pollinator friendly plants. These gardens (three of each can be found in public spaces like Hilbert Park, Dunorlan Park and Calverley Grounds) are raising awareness of appropriate bee-friendly gardening and offer a citizen science opportunity as local volunteers and students will use them to collect important data. The project is managed by the Kent High Weald Partnership, working in partnership with the University of Sussex’s Laboratory for Apiculture and Social Insects, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, local artists and beekeepers Ellen Montelius and Lizzy Clayman, and other local organisations.

Planter Workshop for All In spring we held a planter workshop, organised by Coolings Garden Centre. The event opened to all residents Beekeeper Ellen Montelius judging Bee Art of Tunbridge Wells allowed participants to plant out their school posters own pot / basket with pollinator friendly plants for free. The event started with a brief talk by one of the directors from Coolings on planting compositions and the best choice of plants.

RTW in Bloom – Blooming Schools –– Blooming School Gardening Competition is open to all schools across Tunbridge Wells town. We send over RTW in Bloom literature to all schools, trying to encourage children and teachers to become involved in horticulture and to participate in RTW in Bloom. Over the past couple of years we saw an increase of the number of schools taking part in the competition. We will be judging the schools in late summer and will be inviting all those who participated to our Awards Ceremony in September. This year’s theme for schools was Wildlife Friendly Garden. Children helping at Woodbury Park Cemetery This year seven schools are participating in the Bloom gardening competition.

21 Coolings planter workshop Cross-Pollination planting at Grosvenor & Hilbert Park

Cross-Pollination Project at Dunorlan PArk

Cross-Pollination planters Launch event at the Precinct

22 Launch of RTW in Bloom 2017 Garden at Temple Grove Academy

Planters at Herbilicious Project

Steff leading Forest School at Grosvenor & Hilbert Tree planting at Southborough Pre-school’

23 C3: Funding and Support

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Aims of RTW in Bloom campaign would not be possible without on-going support from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, mainly the Environment and Street Scene department and our Councillors.

Sponsors RTW in Bloom gives and excellent opportunity to promote local business while helping to keep the town blooming. Everyone can get involved by sponsoring a planter or becoming a major sponsor. Our Sponsorship Opportunities: Oakley School helping to plant at Caverley Grounds 1 Level One sponsorship (up to £300)

–– Hanging Baskets £50 –– Blooming School Art Competition – –– Barrier Trough £50 this Spring we initiated Bee Art competition for –– Wooden Planter £150 schools, in connection with the Cross – Pollination –– Three Tier Planter £300 Project. We encouraged children to explore different art media to produce exciting Bee posters. The 2 Level Two sponsorship (£300 upwards) artwork has been judged by Ellen Montelius artist 3 Level Three (in kind donations) and beekeeper based in Tunbridge Wells. The winning best posters will be displayed on the Donations at Level One helped us to install more floral Library Bed opposite Tunbridge Wells Museum and displays across the town. Donations at Levels Two at Bloom Awards Ceremony in September. The and Three help us with funding towards running of the winners will be invited to visit a local apiary. campaign. This year three schools are participating in the Royal Tunbridge Wells Open Gardens tour Bloom Bee Art competition. This year we made our debut in Open Gardens scheme. Oakley School We have teamed up with Hospice in the Weald to help them launch their Open Gardens in Tunbridge Wells town. Our portfolio would not be complete without a special The Open Gardens tour took place in June and allowed mention of this amazing school with dedicated teachers residents and visitors at Tunbridge Wells a rare chance to (who are also keen Bloom campaigners and wonderful have a look at six of interesting gardens in town and help children who love their gardening and spread that message to raise funds for both organisations. As well as beautiful around our town. Judges will see the school on route, but flowers to view there was a raffle, plant sale and cream what they will not see all the work that the children have teas to enjoy. The event was very successful and we hope done away from the school. This includes planting, garden to be able to organise another tour next season. maintenance and help with our Bloom judging day. They love it and inspire us to do more ourselves. During Open Gardens we sold over 300 tickets and raised overwhelming £2,037.40 towards RTW in Bloom Sessions for Children at Grosvenor and the Hospice. & Hilbert Park Thanks to HLF funding and help from Friends of Grosvenor & Hilbert Park our Community Engagement Officer there organises and runs two regular projects for children: Forest School and Wildlife Gardening. Sessions involve exploring the park’s nature (through bug hunting, nature trails, wildflower walks), planting vegetables within the allotments and helping out at the community orchard.

24 Tunbridge Wells in Bloom Funding Summary Royal Tunbridge (August 2016 – July 2017) Type of Funding Value in £ Wells in Bloom – Cash funding TWBC Grant 10,000.00 Coolings Garden Centres 3,000.00 funding summary Randalls Property Agents 50.00 CMS Group 50.00 Donations at Launch 224.23 Open Gardens tickets and donations 1,018.70 Town & Country & KHWP BUGGS 2,000.00 fund Total value of Cash funding 16,342.93

In kind donations Hotel Du Vin 1,000.00 Southeastern Railway 300.00 Total value of in-kind donations 1,300.00

Value of Volunteer work (at £7.14/hr) Open Gardens plant sale RTWiB Committee 8,540.00 KHWP 24,633.00 Sodexo 150.00 AXA 750.00 Oakley School 750.00 Love Where We Live clean ups 2,570.40 Parks Friends Groups 37,717.00 Total value of Volunteer work 75,110.40 Total estimated value of RTWiB 92,753.33 campaign

Open Gardens - visitors at Ivy Chimneys

Crematorium gardens in the Spring Barrier planters at Grosvenor & Hilbert Park

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