TREE PLANTING in Cotham Gardens park

On Friday 6th March at 2 pm. Redland & Cotham Amenities Society (RCAS) will be planting three trees in Cotham Gardens park

This is one of the Society’s contributions to Bristol Green Capital Year. This is a real community effort. RCAS have invited Colston’s Primary School to be involved and 60 pupils will be helping to plant the trees as part of a special study day which the City Council is assisting. Skanska, who are building the school’s extension in Elmgrove Road, have agreed to do the ‘heavy work’.

RCAS is funding the entire cost including watering and maintaining the trees for the first two years.

For RCAS Roger Mortimer said:

‘One of the three trees is an English Elm. We think this is the first elm to be planted in Bristol since Dutch Elm disease devastated the country over 20 years ago. Our new Elm has been grown from cuttings taken from elms in Essex which survived the disease, despite growing amongst trees that succumbed. The choice of elm is particularly appropriate here, as the adjacent Lovers’ Walk trees were originally elms – and gave their name to nearby Elmgrove Rd. These elms were replaced with the present lime trees in c.1910. The other trees are a Whitebeam, the very local Sorbus bristoliensis, sourced from the University Botanic Gardens. Also a Yew, a tiny cutting taken in the year 2000. This Millennium Yew has been grown on in its pot and is now ready for the real world. RCAS is pleased to sponsor this event as we consider that protecting our existing trees and planting new should be a priority for Bristol Green Capital Year’.

The Redland & Cotham Amenities Society Registered was founded in 1973 and now has some 1300 members. It aims to protect and enhance our area, its architecture, trees, parks, play areas and amenities for present and future residents. RCAS organises the annual Redland Green May Fair for local charities. It sponsors tree planting in streets and parks, including several new species in the small arboretum at the top of Cotham Gardens park.

Contact:

Roger Mortimer 0117 9240136

rogermortimer@jwmmail.net