The second garden I visited on Tuesday 17th October was not open to the public - so I put my camera lens through the railings. It looked as though autumn had arrived early - and I must return in the summer. Here is some of the history.
Fann Street Wildlife Garden is one of three gardens on the Barbican Estate provided for the enjoyment of its residents. It is considered by City of London Corporation to be an important open space, providing a green corridor for wildlife movement in, around and through the City.
The garden is tended by Barbican Wildlife Group (BWG) - residents and other volunteers - under the management of City Gardens. The group's objectives are to enhance wildlife and provide a peaceful but interesting environment for residents.
The garden includes a wildflower meadow, a sunny, dry pollinator bed garden, a shaded shrubbery with under-planting, two ponds, two native hedges, a variety of trees and a compost area. There are also a number of insect habitats, including bee boxes, as well as bird feeders and bird boxes.
The garden is now in the second year of a five-year management plan, prepared with the assistance of City Gardens and the London Wildlife Trust. As a result, 2016 saw the construction of a second pond, the hard work being carried by volunteers from Trust of Conservation Volunteers.
In August 2015 the BWG celebrated 11 years of volunteering in the garden, working with and learning from excellent City Gardens. London in Bloom had twice awarded the garden a Certificate of Excellence, and Friends of City Gardens one of its first Gold awards and two Certificates of Excellence. In 2016 the garden received Gold awards from both London in Bloom and City in Bloom.
