Landscape architecture students to look at Golden Lane

[Paul Lincoln]

Following discussions with the Gardening Group, a group of landscape architecture students from Writtle School of Design will be looking at various aspects of the Estate landscape.  They will be using it for their course work, making models and considering ways to make the estate greener.  They will also be looking at spaces like the disused nursery playground to see if they can be brought back to life with allotments or other planting schemes.  If you would like to find out more about what they are doing, ask a question or comment on any ideas, please make use of this forum.  To find out more about the Gardening Group, please go to its page and to join the group, please go the groups sectdion.

[Zoe Willis]

Hi, im a student from Writtle College, and I am very excited to get started on our new project on the Golden Lane Estate! :) I was hoping some residents would be able to answer me a few questions to help me with my research.

1. Could people describe in a few words how they feel about living in Golden Lane and what main points excite you about living there!?
2. Is there certian areas of the estate that get used more than others? What are they?
3. What do residents want that isn't in the 'green spaces' already?

Thanks. Zoe.

[Lucy Pickering]

1. The balance between privacy and community
2. It is a pity that 'the bastion' - i.e the strange fat turret-like structure - isn't open to be used more, though I can imagine having drunks sitting on it at night would get annoying pretty quickly.
3. I'd really like the estate to attract wild birds.

chrisbill said:

Hi Zoe, thanks for this I will have a good think and get back to you soon

Zoe Willis said:

Hi, im a student from Writtle College, and I am very excited to get started on our new project on the Golden Lane Estate! :) I was hoping some residents would be able to answer me a few questions to help me with my research.

1. Could people describe in a few words how they feel about living in Golden Lane and what main points excite you about living there!?
2. Is there certian areas of the estate that get used more than others? What are they?
3. What do residents want that isn't in the 'green spaces' already?

Thanks. Zoe.

[Zoe Willis]

Thanks Lucy, thats really interesting to hear. And very helpful.

Lucy Pickering said:

1. The balance between privacy and community
2. It is a pity that 'the bastion' - i.e the strange fat turret-like structure - isn't open to be used more, though I can imagine having drunks sitting on it at night would get annoying pretty quickly.
3. I'd really like the estate to attract wild birds.

chrisbill said:

Hi Zoe, thanks for this I will have a good think and get back to you soon

Zoe Willis said:

Hi, im a student from Writtle College, and I am very excited to get started on our new project on the Golden Lane Estate! :) I was hoping some residents would be able to answer me a few questions to help me with my research.

1. Could people describe in a few words how they feel about living in Golden Lane and what main points excite you about living there!?
2. Is there certian areas of the estate that get used more than others? What are they?
3. What do residents want that isn't in the 'green spaces' already?

Thanks. Zoe.

[Dan Davis]

1. To live within a well designed building and a good sense of community.
2. The Community Bar get's used quite a lot! Obviously the walkways/promenades get used most but it would be nice to see the walkway behind the shops utilized more and I'd like the Main Square to be used for something more than a thoroughfare. Oh and of course.... the roof of Great Arthur House.
3. Benches, an invitation to sit.

Zoe Willis said:

Hi, im a student from Writtle College, and I am very excited to get started on our new project on the Golden Lane Estate! :) I was hoping some residents would be able to answer me a few questions to help me with my research.

1. Could people describe in a few words how they feel about living in Golden Lane and what main points excite you about living there!?
2. Is there certian areas of the estate that get used more than others? What are they?
3. What do residents want that isn't in the 'green spaces' already?

Thanks. Zoe.

[Lucy Pickering]

Vertical growing would be amazing. I've thought several times about trying to jury-rig some sort of living wall against one of the sides of my balcony but as a ungreenfingered individual I've thought better of it.

chrisbill said:

1. Living in a great modern designed estate with community and potential
2. We are recent arrivers but from where we are there is between Great Arthur and Crescent a large area used by the public cutting through and nothing to welcome anyone to linger resident or other
3. Vertical growing ideas and structures for balconies and if possible more green spaces and seats and finally think of the variety of people older, with young children, older children & teens, and working adults all with prehaps different requirements and at different times of day and evening ( in summer)

[marit rosbak]

Dear Residents!
I am a student from the Landscape and Garden Design course at Writtle College. I am excited about the project, but unfortunately I did not manage to visit you 1 1/2 ago when the rest of the students visited. I just thought I'd let you know that I will be visiting the Golden Lane Estate today to take some pictures and do a few quick sketches. I hope this is ok for all of you.

Sincerely
Marit Røsbak

[John Dennis]

Hi, my name is John. I'm also from Writtle College. BBQ's sounds like a brilliant idea. In reply to Chrisbill request to for apple trees to grow in pots, here are a few;

•Apples, culinary: ‘Arthur Turner’, ‘Bountiful’ and ‘Howgate Wonder’
•Apples, dessert/eating: 'Alkmene’, ‘Discovery', Falstaff, ‘Fiesta’, ‘Greensleeves’, 'Kidd’s Orange Red’, ‘Pixie’ and 'Sunset'

Some considerations before buying.
•At least two to needed for pollination
•Position fruit plants in full sun.
•Water generously but allow the compost’s surface to dry out before the next watering, without it becoming bone dry.
•To avoid the roots becoming pot bound, re-pot every year or alternate years after leaf fall. Once in its final pot, a plant can be root-pruned every other year with 30 per cent of the compost refreshed. In intervening years, replace the top layer of compost. For more info: Royal Horticulture Society. Fruit: growing in containers [www document] https://www.rhs.org.uk/AdviceSearch/profile.aspx?PID=321 (accessed 13 February 2010)

Talking of compost any objecting to a communal composting heap? This would increase crop of fruit and veg.

And talking of pollination, as Bees are dyeing out and are needed to pollinate most of the food we eat is there any objections to having Bee hives on the roofs of the estate? Would anyone be interested to be a bee keeper?
Bees on the estate would produce high yields of fruit and veg grown on the estate, produce honey to sell or share as well as restoring Bee populations.


chrisbill said:

There are several vertical balcony ideas online but not sure about them.
Another thought - biodiversity in plant and animal life so encourage birds and insects pollinations etc. English Orchards are disappearing fast , down 60% so are there varities of apples we could grown in pots?
North facing areas are very exposed and the well area down below Cuthbert Harrowing could provide an interesting area and a challenge. There is one tree at the moment, it could be a cool refuge on a hot summers day.

Finally are we allowed any outside BBQ community areas for events, celebrations, e.g welcoming new babies, older birthdays, Harvest Festival, or simple get togethers, competition for the best excuse for a summer party

[Paul Lincoln]

So here is a question for Writtle students. Although I know that you will be looking in details at individual spaces later in the year, your thoughts on allotments would be helpful. We will be able to get access to the space next to the nursery for about six months. Anything we do needs for the moment to be temporary and experimental. We need to create an allotment on a pilot basis which allowed us to get going. This means bags but how big, how deep and how do you transport them when there is no road access? Should we get the bags and fill them with loose soil or get the bags ready-filled? Any immediate thoughts would be appreciated.

[Lucy Pickering]

I think bees would be great - have you seen the new 'Omlet' beehouses (like the chicken Eglus)?
I work full time (and then some) so I couldn't do that much, but I'd certainly be willing to pitch in a bit on beekeeping.

John Dennis said:

Hi, my name is John. I'm also from Writtle College. BBQ's sounds like a brilliant idea. In reply to Chrisbill request to for apple trees to grow in pots, here are a few;

•Apples, culinary: ‘Arthur Turner’, ‘Bountiful’ and ‘Howgate Wonder’
•Apples, dessert/eating: 'Alkmene’, ‘Discovery', Falstaff, ‘Fiesta’, ‘Greensleeves’, 'Kidd’s Orange Red’, ‘Pixie’ and 'Sunset'

Some considerations before buying.
•At least two to needed for pollination
•Position fruit plants in full sun.
•Water generously but allow the compost’s surface to dry out before the next watering, without it becoming bone dry.
•To avoid the roots becoming pot bound, re-pot every year or alternate years after leaf fall. Once in its final pot, a plant can be root-pruned every other year with 30 per cent of the compost refreshed. In intervening years, replace the top layer of compost. For more info: Royal Horticulture Society. Fruit: growing in containers [www document] https://www.rhs.org.uk/AdviceSearch/profile.aspx?PID=321 (accessed 13 February 2010)

Talking of compost any objecting to a communal composting heap? This would increase crop of fruit and veg.

And talking of pollination, as Bees are dyeing out and are needed to pollinate most of the food we eat is there any objections to having Bee hives on the roofs of the estate? Would anyone be interested to be a bee keeper?
Bees on the estate would produce high yields of fruit and veg grown on the estate, produce honey to sell or share as well as restoring Bee populations.


chrisbill said:

There are several vertical balcony ideas online but not sure about them.
Another thought - biodiversity in plant and animal life so encourage birds and insects pollinations etc. English Orchards are disappearing fast , down 60% so are there varities of apples we could grown in pots?
North facing areas are very exposed and the well area down below Cuthbert Harrowing could provide an interesting area and a challenge. There is one tree at the moment, it could be a cool refuge on a hot summers day.

Finally are we allowed any outside BBQ community areas for events, celebrations, e.g welcoming new babies, older birthdays, Harvest Festival, or simple get togethers, competition for the best excuse for a summer party