Xmas 2014 decorations at LRB

It’s that time of year. We’ve moved on from Christmas, but it’s still dark and wet. Never mind – a good time for meeting and looking forward. We’ve just had our Annual General Meeting: our report and accounts can be viewed under Documents above or by clicking here. And here are four key things we want to work on for 2015, in addition to our usual work on the edible plot and the shady triangle of shade-loving ornamental plants.

1. We hope to be bringing splashes of colour again to the area when we plant up (or renew planting in): 3 planters on station platform, the tree pits in Shaftebury Place, 2 planters at The Signalman and the hollows of the trees cut down on Ditchling Rise. We’ve overwintered and propagated lots of geraniums and fuchsias ready for late spring planting, we’ve also got alyssum seedlings on the go, ivy plants are growing well, and I’m hoping the purple red heuchera cuttings don’t get undermined by vine weevils.

Vivid colours in our platform planters

2. The big old planters we were looking after at Preston Circus are to be removed. We’ve cleared most of the plants, and we’re talking to BHCC about a new planter at the bottom of Clyde Road with more harmonious paving and a community notice board at Duke of York cinema. We’ve repotted santolina, festuca grasses, a couple of hardy chrysanthemums. Sadly, plants in the Duke of York planters had suffered from vine weevils.

Removing nettles on Brighton Greenway

3. We’re also involved with Brighton Greenway to try to make this into a really pleasant walkway up to Brighton station, as well as a thriving wildlife area and mini-park, with interpretation boards celebrating its railway heritage and possibly with some food growing. Next Action Day: Sunday 8th February 12.30 to 3.30 meet back of Clarendon Centre, BN1 4GQ. Contact Madeleine (madcary@yahoo.com) or me if you’re interested in taking part.

4. And finally … We’d like this year to get another nomination for Southern Railway’s Stars and Tsars Best Community Station award: to do this, we need to keep up efforts to tidy and improve environment at the station, and keep everybody involved in gardening, composting, events etc. We’re going to do a recce of the station and areas which need a bit of attention: the Albion in the Community group did a fantastic job clearing weeds, but they do come back, and walls by the edible plot need repainting. And there’s paint peeling away in various places – all ready for a spring spruce-up, once we get the spring.