Butterfield Green gets prairie treatment

Annie Wilson of Butterfield Green Users' Group and Hackney Parks Service staff member

Butterfield Green in Stoke Newington has been given a bit of a makeover in a joint initiative to reinvigorate its plant life.

On Friday 12 March, members of the Butterfield Green Users’ Group and Hackney Council’s Parks Service staff spent the day at the Allen Road site replacing shrubs with a ‘prairie-style’ planting design of wild grasses and flowers.

The main benefits of using these kinds of plants are that they come up every year and require little care. Their flowers and seed heads also play an important biodiversity role, providing food for butterflies, bees and other insects.

Annie Wilson of Butterfield Green Users’ Group, said, “Many local people had expressed an interest in improving the planting in Butterfield Green.

“We were keen to use sustainable planting rather than bedding plants that get thrown away at the end of the season so we worked with the Council to create a planting scheme that is sustainable, attractive and beneficial to wildlife.

“We are all looking forward to seeing the fruits of our labour in the summer when the entrance should be ablaze with colour. We would like to thank Eleanor Johnson, Paul Foinette and Darrell Abercrombie from Hackney’s Parks Service who worked hard to make our vision a reality.”

Nicola Baker, Hackney Council’s Assistant Director, Culture said, “It is fantastic to see the collaborative work between the Council and the local community in helping to look after our valuable green spaces. The scheme will enhance the enjoyment for everyone using the space.”

More about Butterfield Green.