HTA & Pictorial meadows' wall at Planted Festival re homed to local community - transforming a London housing estate

HTA and Pictoral Meadow's living wall at Planted Festival has transformed a strip of previously derelict land on a north London housing estate. 

The living wall hosted Planted Festival's six-part talks programme;  “delivering greener cities in a post-pandemic world” with a dedicated talk on how to rewild derelict urban spaces. 

"With Planted’s stated aim of re purposing or recycling all the stands at the event, we were delighted when a group of local residents from the Bemerton Estate secured a £500 council grant which enabled us to provide more than 60sqm of wild meadow in kind courtesy of Pictorial Meadows."

One of the local residents stated: “I love gardening and nature but I live in a one-bedroom flat with just a small balcony so it’s hard enough just to pot my plants.” 

“During lockdown the only thing I could do was to stare out of my window. The view was a patch of green on Bemerton council estate. It was really unloved - patchy grass and people would dump stuff on it, leave their litter and not even bother to pick up their dog poo. 

“The council were giving out £500 grants to people who had an idea for making our neighbourhood greener so a few of us got together to apply and were successful.

“On our wish list was a wild flower meadow on that green. The contrast next to high-rises is visually stunning and the bees and butterflies love the flowers.” 

The show of community spirit, which will enable local residents to reconnect with nature while improving biodiversity over the coming years,

Planted co-founder Deborah Spencer said: “It was amazing to see so many people mobilise to ensure these beautiful wildflowers will live on long beyond our first event,”

Read full article here: https://www.planted-cities.co.uk/journal-posts/planted-community