We are very lucky to live right at the boundary of town and country, and to share our area with a wide range of wildlife from buzzards to badgers to bumblebees. Over the years, we have put a lot of work into making our area more floral, and more wildlife friendly.

We’re always looking for help, and it is highly enjoyable to get out with neighbours and plant flowers, which then emerge in full bloom. So if you see a patch of ground that you think could be more wildlife friendly (wildflowers, bird boxes, hedgehog homes etc.) or if you have any other thoughts on what we could do, please do email us at info@widcombewest.uk.

St Marks Gardening Group

Our most recent gardening project is the Gardening Group in the grounds of St Marks Community Centre. Over recent year our access to these grounds has increased and on Sundays we hold a leisurely two-hour gardening group session. As part of this we have created a community compost area and have our own tool shed. Anyone is welcome to come along – to do some gardening, chat about plants, gardening in general or, of course, the latest neighbourhood news. The timing of the Sunday session varies so if you are interested please contact Ruth White and she will add you to the whatsapp group.

Widcombe Parade Verge

WAVE (Widcombe Association Verge Enthusiasts) was formed when a group of locals decided to tackle the mess on the verge on Widcombe Parade.

Initially they met every Tuesday and Friday morning for a few hours to clear away all the overgrown shrubs and trees, clear the brambles, nettles, ivy and rubbish and generally spruce the place up. Over many weeks the slope was transformed. Once clear the volunteers planted over 400 daffodil bulbs and several beautiful shrubs. Many thanks to The Ram Pub and the council for their generous support to make this possible.

Previous projects

Back in April 2014 a stalwart group of gardeners met to clear a patch of woodland in Calton Gardens and plant bee-friendly plants and wild flowers. The shady position under the cliff has meant that some plants have struggled, although a spectacular group of snakes-head fritilliaries seems to have established itself, the trees donated by the council are flourishing and there are daffodils. The area certainly looks more welcoming than it did. No, it wasn’t just about standing around with glass in hand – this shot was taken after a good four hours of slogging.

After our community gardening efforts were rewarded with a “Thriving” award in the South West In Bloom “It’s Your Neighbourhood” scheme, the next year we went one step better and were awarded with “Outstanding” – a result which contributed to Bath’s overall success in the regional and national In Bloom competitions.

Calton Walk Garden Blog

A few years ago several of us worked together to create a a wildlife-friendly space in a resident’s garden as an example what can be achieved in a small city plot. Although this project was completed some time ago, it is still relevant to other residents in the area who are looking to encourage nature in their backyard. To see the design and planting plans check out Ruth’s Garden.