Chris99

Some planting of wild flowers can be beneficial for wildlife and attractive for people - but Katanita is right - it's also amazing what can happen if you just stop mowing grass within an inch of its life and let nature do its thing. Green Dale Fields is a good example of this (old playing fields left for 20+ years and reclaimed by nature). There are loads of places in the area where week after week the summer the Council will cut the grass, even though the areas aren't used by people (often areas around Council estates, for example). Reducing the cutting of some of these areas once or twice a year, or leaving patches unmown, so wild plants can grow would make these areas much better ecologically - and save the Council (and, by extension us, the tax payers) money. It would be great if James could explore this, as well as some planting of wild flowers.

Focussing on the facts, as you suggest @Penguin68... There's a small woodland to the north of the large Sainsbury's, known as Dog Kennel Hill Wood and it's fab (I recommend a visit - real haven in the city). The clues it's a woodland include the large number of trees hanging out together in one place. The Woodland Trust recognise this means its woodland(https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/wood/41153/dog-kennel-hill-woodlands/), so do Southwark Council (https://www.southwark.gov.uk/parks-and-open-spaces/parks/other-parks-and-gardens?chapter=5). The good news is that it isn't under any threat. The Friends of Dog Kennel Hill Wood is the Friends Group for this woodland - and they're taking an interest in what's happening in the adjacent Green Dale Fields (where the current Astroturf is). There's a separate friends group for Green Dale Fields - The Friends of Green Dale. https://www.friendsofgreendale.org.uk/.

I'm not sure what the butterfly was, but a good way to find out would be to join the Friends of Green Dale / Friends of Dog Kennel Hill wood Spring Walk tomorrow at 2pm. Led by Rachel Dowse of London Wildlife Trust, we're meeting at the picnic benches in Dog Kennel Hill Open Space (next to Sainsbury's) at 1.50pm. It's free and all are welcome.

Just thought I'd add a recommendation for Sylvain Jullien to this thread. He did a beautiful job of our patio and paths for a quote that compared well to the others we got. He's also very easy to work with, and was keen to ensure things were finished off as we wanted. I'd definitely recommend him. tel 07545233110 Email [email protected] Jullienlandscaping.co.uk

We recently used Mike Docherty to put in a bathroom extractor fan and connect a light and he did a great job for a good price - we'd recommend him.