Hedge planting and the borough’s biggest leaf pile this month at West Ham Park, writes Lyndsay Jones

grass and flowers — Image courtesy Friends of West Ham Park

Are you ready to plant, rake and jump?

Alongside this year’s Newham’s Biggest Leaf Pile event on Sunday 17 November, Friends of West Ham Park will be leading the planting of a hedge around the park playground. This hedge will be made up of species which have flowers and fruits to help our local insects and birds through the year.

You can come along from 12 noon, and plant a section of hedge, which you can visit all year round and keep an eye on the progress of “your” section.

Then from 13.30 onwards you can join in with raking up fallen leaves to make the Biggest Leaf Pile. After a little help from our big, shiny red tractor, everyone can climb, jump and play in the pile.

How high will it be?

Early in 2025, we will host another planting event, this time to create swathes of perennial flowering shrubs and plants among the grassy mounds, which are found between Linden Gate and The Bandstand. (Did you see the wonderful area of spring bulbs planted last year in this area? They will flower every year)

The new planting will provide pollen and nectar for insects well into the autumn. It will be easy for everyone to watch butterflies, bees and other insects around these flowers. Dates for this event will be advertised nearer to the time.

We look forward to seeing everyone. Please check our website and social media for further details.

Note if Newham’s Biggest Leaf Pile is delayed, the hedge planting will still go ahead on 17th November from 12 noon-1.30pm

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