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Work has started on the construction of a new sensory garden in Clarence Park, St Albans, which will turn an under used corner of the park into a colourful and attractive area for all visitors to enjoy.
The project developed from a public consultation exercise, which was carried out by St Albans City and District Council in partnership with the Green Hearts organisation.
The sensory garden project was included in the park's management plan, and the council allocated additional funding in its Clarence Park budget. Groundwork Hertfordshire, the county's leading environmental regeneration charity, managed the project on behalf of the district council, working with local schools, the community and the St Albans Access Group to create a design that would appeal to a wide range of users. The draft plans and designs were tested for public feedback by displaying them on the park's notice boards and on the council's website www.stalbans.gov.uk, as well as sending them to members of the park's Forum.
The construction work has been put out to tender, and the successful contractor, Southern Landscape Construction, started work in the second week of April.
The project has attracted sponsorship from Lafarge Aggregates through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Once the basic design is in place, the public will be invited to take part in a planting day, in the presence of the Mayor. In particular, schools and people who were closely involved with creating the design, will be invited to help with the planting.
Plants incorporated in the design for the sensory garden have been chosen for their texture, scent and the sound they make in the wind, as well as their visual appearance. A variety of natural materials have also been chosen based upon their texture and feel. Many of the selected plants should also attract wildlife to the garden, such as bees and butterflies and a seed or nut feeder will be installed to encourage a wide variety of birds.
It is hoped that a second phase of the development will cover additional elements that were requested during the consultation. These include a moving water feature and pergola. Allowances have been made to accommodate these in the existing design.
Brian Lee, Community Project Officer at Groundwork Hertfordshire said: "We are very proud to be involved in this project and are looking forward to seeing the area transformed for wildlife and visitors to enjoy."
Mike Pendock, Senior Planning & Estates Manager for Lafarge says: "With so many local parks and playing fields being taken out of use, we are delighted to be supporting this new sensory garden project, which can be used by so many different groups of people. We look forward to seeing, hearing and feeling the finished project". |
