Friends of Holywells Park 2010

Supported by: Ipswich Borough Council

News

A lot of work has been going on in the park over the past couple of years. The Park management is keen to point out that the Council is not changing the Park€'s look and feel simply catching-up on a backlog of work. During the winter it looks much more drastic than it actually is; some of the grass is taking a bit of wear and tear with the heavy machinery but remember grass grows from the roots and in spring it will soon grow. memory.

So what is the council doing? Briefly:

• Removing sycamore as these trees cast deep shade and are very prolific so in no time at all the under-storey becomes is engulfed in deep shade and lifeless. Opening-up the woodland areas by removing sycamore helps improve the bio-diversity.

• Removing some of the holly as much the same reasons as the sycamore but the clearance will focus of the woodland path edges opening out the woodland path making it lighter and more bird and creepy-crawly friendly.

• A few trees have been identified as dangerous and so will be felled or limbs removed before they fall.

• Clearance of the undergrowth by the terrace and completing the work started last year to improve the views of the Park from the terrace and beyond.

• Improving the drainage along the canal footpath and laying some wood chip dressing to the woodland foot paths (good for Stag Beetles).

The picture shows some of the damage caused by December's severe snow fall.

Please let us know what you think about the council's work via email.

Holywells Park is steeped in history; it is also a focus for family fun and a wildlife bonanza. To help visitors to the Park understand what is what, the Friends have agreed to spend £10,000 on interpretation boards. These are being designed at the moment and this year the first three will be in situ.

To find out more about what the friends do email us.

The Friends are pleased to support the Park management's plans to redesign the formal gardens on the original site of the John Cobbold's mansion house.

The friends have donated £400 towards the provision of shrubs and herbaceous plants which will form the basic structure for the Walled Garden. Ipswich Borough Council will provide the labour and annual plants.

We would really like to know what you think about these new planting schemes once they have matured, email us.

Winter is a busy time for the workers in the Park and the Friends have been busy too. We focus our efforts in the Orchard, where most of our community events take place.

The work we have completed so far is to dig-out a dammed stream-bed to make it a more attractive place for toads to mate and lay their spawn as a Toad Maternity Hospital idea you like.

Why did we do that? Last year in our Bug Hunt event some toad tadpoles we seen in the stream so we have made it easier for adult toads to get in and out of. Lets keep our fingers crossed that they come back this spring.

We have also pruned the fruit trees in the Orchard, a big job as these trees are really mature. Last year we had a huge crop – massive apples and quince all of which were used during the Apple Day event and lets see if next year's crop is as good.

Other work planned includes planting of 100 trees and some 1000 Snowdrops all of which have been provided by Ipswich Borough Council.

The picture shows Sarah with an apple and a quince from the 2009 harvest.

If you want to help or find out more please email us.

Not a real one but the Park management has suggested using a cornfield print material to cover the corrugated screening used to protect the Orangery. The material was used originally used to shield the scaffolding around the Cornhill buildings during recent renovations.

It is also suggested that ivy be planted to help shield this, to be quite blunt, eyesore as well.

The picture shows the printed fabric in situ at the Cornhill.

Please let us know what you think about this suggestion by email.