This morning I led the community tree planting on behalf of Shepton Mallet Town Council. I designed a ‘Crown Copse’ in Collett Park to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. We planted 21 Amelanchier canadensis and there will be mown paths between the trees which will give the effect of a crown at the top end of the park. The grass will be allowed to grow longer to increase biodiversity and habitat for wildlife, it will be enriched with wildflowers such as ox-eye-daisy, cowslips, violets, snowdrops…
Amelanchier is a good tree for the smaller garden, it offers a long season of interest from its bronzy new foliage, white flowers, black berries and autumn colour. It is therefore also a plant which is beneficial to pollinating insects and birds.
The trees were planted by volunteers who were aged from each of seven decades of the Queen’s reign. It was a great morning and there was a ton of enthusiasm for the project!
