One of the course participants wrote in to say “I just wanted to write to thank you for the inspirational Green Roof course this weekend; I feel ready (and keen) to start my extension roof and confident that I can!
I know that a feedback form will be coming but I just wanted you to know just how much I appreciated all the effort that you put into the course which hit the right note on so many levels.”
Building Green DIY course March 2013
Music to our ears!
Great weekend, thanks to everyone who took part and to Lee from Organic Roofs and Stephan and Charles from Brighton Permaculture Trust.
Here is a Flickr slideshow with photos from the course – and some of the roofs we visited.
Old tourism posters showing the seafront planting I talked about in the last post, and promoting the benefits of the ‘covered walkway’ along Madeira Drive – now known as Max Miller’s Walk.
For health and pleasure all the year round
Here’s a photo of the speed trials in 1905, with climbing plants clearly visible along Duke’s Mound.
1905 Speed Trials, Brighton Marine Drive
And here’s the front in 1932, full of greenery. Let’s keep Kemptown seafront green, don’t you think?
1932 Kemptown seafront, in it’s finery and greenery
Many Brightonians and visitors will have noticed the greenery on the seafront east of the pier. This is mainly Japanese spindle – an ornamental plant established in Edwardian era as part of the (now removed) formal gardens along Marine Drive, but there’s ivy and other plants too.
Green wall at Marine Drive Brighton
It’s possibly the largest and oldest growth of this plant in the UK – and without it the seafront would be a very dull and barren place – and wildlife like wrens and migrating butterflies would certainly suffer. I’m sure the green walls have a big benefit for managing run off too – and the ivy will protect the cliff render where it’s in good condition. I don’t think Max Miller would have approved – the aerial walk bears his name.
Japanese Spindle – Euonymus Japonicus
The cliff face in some areas is in poor condition, and something will probably have to be done to cut the planting back to allow stabilisation works. Here at Building Green we’re working with the Council to see how this can be done whilst saving this vital greenery.
Green wall at Marine Drive, Brighton
If anyone knows the best way to cut back or coppice this plant, would like to volunteer to do a botanical survey of the cliff, or can get involved in managing the Marine Drive planting, get in touch.
What we really don’t want is a repeat of what happened further East, where a long section of green wall was unceremoniously stripped away in the name of litter and pest control.
Who cut out the green – Building Green campaign for better treatment of the seafront environment
We are pleased to have had enough bookings to run the training course this weekend, 16-17 March. There will be site visits, presentations, discussion and a surgery with green roof professional and co-tutor Lee Evans of Organic Roofs.
Crew Club Brighton, early stages of colonisation
There are still a few places – if you’re interested book via Brighton Permaculture Trust!
In 2008 Building Green volunteer Hanna produced our first set of case studies – examples of some of the best green walls and roofs in Brighton & Hove.
You can download them here.
Keen volunteers to update them should post here!
Dusty Gedge opens the first virtual green roof and living wall conference, 12 Feb – 13 Mar 2013.
More here.
Building Green has a free step by step guide, which you can download here.
The next world famous Brighton & Hove Building Green DIY workshop is in March.
It’s a two-day course run in partnership with Brighton and Hove Building Green, Organic Roofs and Low Carbon Trust, in association with RESET.
Saturday 16 – Sunday 17 March 2013
Book and find out more here!
Ann Street/Providence Place Gardens (Lively Cities project)
Brighton & Hove Council invites you to view proposals and vote for your favourite
Earlier this year, Brighton & Hove City Council invited proposals to transform an underused piece of open space in Brighton – Ann Street and Providence Place Gardens to make it more welcoming and attractive.
Five different possible proposals to transform the Ann Street/Providence Place Gardens area in Brighton will be unveiled to the public on Thursday, 3 May.
The shortlisted schemes were selected from 38 wide-ranging proposals from architects, designers, artists and events specialists and will be on display at St Bartholomew’s Church on 3 May (12pm to 4.30pm) and 4 May (9am-4.30pm) for people to vote on their favourites.
Other exhibition dates and venues are:
The five designs are from the following practices:
Exhibition results will be reported to the Selection Panel in order to inform their choice of a winner at the end of May.
The winning design will be announced in June and given a trial run in September, with the most successful features becoming permanent fixtures.
The Ann Street / Providence Place Gardens scheme is part of the Lively Cities project, which receives financial assistance from the European Union through the INTERREG IVB programme.
Brighton & Hove Building Green 