Working alongside The Springfield Project on the Sparkhill Child Friendly Neighbourhood, there are many projects ecobirmingham can be proud of having contributed to, such as the brilliant Growing Up Green Festivals in June 2024 and 2025 taking place in Sparkhill Park, or the implementation of very popular weekly forest school sessions at the Knowle Road site, aimed at home ed families (and everyone else during the school holidays!), or again getting young people involved in improving some pocket green spaces in their neighbourhood such as improvements to Eucalyptus Corner.
Eucalyptus corner sits at the busy junction between Stratford Road and College Road and features a gorgeous, towering Eucalyptus Tree. To be more precise, it is possibly a Sugar Gum Eucalyptus, identified through its thousands of tiny seeds, its elongated leaves and curling, peeling bark covering the ground like a natural carpet.
There are two more young trees along Stratford Road as well as some shrubs where some gorgeous small ermine moths were spotted last summer.
In August, young people were involved in the first phase of planning the improvements, dreaming of a welcoming space where passersby would enjoy sitting down after their busy shopping spree on Stratford Rd, parents would socialise while waiting for their children attending neighbouring Springfield Community School, surrounded by, yes the sound of speedy cars, but also a visually appealing space with a rainbow of colours from planted flowers, artful decorations and inspirational quotes painted on the pavement.
A space that would offer wildlife a little break too, with additional nectar from wildflowers, some bird boxes and oh! a bugs hotel too, just in case!
Then in November and December, two action days followed, attended by six young people each day.
On the November Action Day, supported by the lovely Alison from The Patchwork Meadow, we planted a mini meadow, clearing some creeping ivy and creepy litter. The young people prepared the ground before scattering happily the early summer flowering seeds.
During December’s Action Day, another batch of six energetic young people braved the inclement weather to show the site some more love!
They cleared some more litter, used dibbers to dig in hundreds of spring flowering bulbs, dressed one dead-looking conifer with lovely woollen decorations, adorned the railing with an old bike wheel woven with colourful fabric and looking like a flower (more will join!) and identified space to hang up three bird boxes painted by children from the Springfield Project’s Art Club.
The site is slowly starting to look loved, and we can’t wait to see the riot of colours erupting at springtime!
Next time you’re in Sparkhill, why not check the corner for these improvements and send us your ideas to continue turning the corner into a beautiful pocket garden enjoyed by the community.