Planning the southern section: May 2023
At the beginning of the year, members of FOGG indicated what they’d like to see happening along the Glen: January 2023 Questionnaire – Friends of Glen Goyle
This was followed by a visit to the Glen and the start of putting together plans for the next stages: Site visit and planning February/March 2023 – Friends of Glen Goyle
In May 2023, Friends of Glen Goyle are now at the stage of firming up those plans – with the current focus on the southern section of the Glen.
What follows are:
- a map of the whole parkland – created by Mary Walden-Till and Katie Frost
- photographs for each designated area – taken by FOGG working party member Katie Frost
- suggestions of what could be planted in these areas – based on the input this year and with reference to the preliminary list from Mary Walden-Till: Working doc unfinished Possible plants for Glen Goyle
Areas 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 will be dealt with in more detail here; the other Areas will be considered later in the summer.
MAP OF GLEN GOYLE – MAY 2023
PHOTOGRAPHS OF EACH AREA – TOGETHER WITH PLANTING SUGGESTIONS
Area 1 north entrance
Planting suggestions for area 1:
Area 2 fernery
Planting suggestions for area 2:
Area 3 walled raised bed
Planting suggestions for area 3:
Area 4 acer and seat
Planting suggestions for area 4:
Area 5 tree fern area
Planting suggestions for area 5:
Area 6 the lawn
Planting suggestions for area 6:
Area7 walled bed north of the bridge
Planting suggestions for area 7:
Area 8 northern terrace by stream not yet planted
Planting suggestions for area 8:
- ‘subtropical’
- A bed or two set aside for the Getrude Jekyll look
- depending on soil and aspect, ferns, ‘grotto-like’ plants, perhaps rhododendrons and
azaleas, etc, interesting bulbs - Vibrant perennials
Area 9 Southern terraced area by stream mostly planted
Planting suggestions for area 9:
- Mostly planted
Area 10 unwalled bed south of badger sett
Planting suggestions for area 10:
- See area 8
Area 11 1960s photo
See also: The path through the Glen – from the 1960s – Friends of Glen Goyle
Planting suggestions for area 11:
- Woodland flowers
- Spring bulbs, wild flowers and flowering plants/shrubs
- The general approach is more under-storey cover and Victorian woodland planting; this would reduce maintenance and add stability/reduce erosion; the evergreen under-storey should be balanced to allow for spring plants.
- Fuchsias could be added, although there is the potential problem of fuchsia gall; there are different heights and unusual types.
- Other suggestions: more ericaceous plants; cotoneaster/pyracanthas
- Shade tolerant perennials could also be introduced for interest later in the year (foxgloves and astilbe already mentioned can give a nice display) – however I am not keen on the idea of prickly shrubs. They can be very harsh to the unsuspecting admirer. I want visitors to enjoy their visit, not be repelled. What about dogwood (cornus) instead of prickly shrubs?
Area 12 South entrance
Planting suggestions for area 12:
- See area 11
- a continuation of the big rockery stones, used further along that pathway, might be used – maybe on both sides of that access with spring bulbs to cover the adjacent ground.
- the use of railway sleepers: they used to use creosote on sleepers and that is very bad for wildlife, especially hedgehogs.
- Also: ‘demonstration species’ the Chilean Lantern Tree at the entrance
- Note: the far, western side of the brook to be kept relatively ‘wild’