On Friday 17 October 2003, sixty children from Newtown School returned to their former school site to help staff from Gosport Borough Council and Friends of the Grove take cuttings of shrubs.
Newtown School moved from their Victorian school in Grove Avenue to a brand new state of the art building a few years ago. As well as vacating the main school building, they also vacated nearby land used to accommodate overspill classrooms and a sports field. After much discussion Gosport Borough Council purchased the field from Hampshire County Council and together with local residents the transformation began to establish a communal garden for everyone to enjoy – named 'The Grove'.
Local residents then formed the 'Friends of the Grove' and the group undertook much work to slowly transform the area. The site had to be cleared, paths laid, seats erected and many hundreds of trees and shrubs planted to provide the peaceful and beautiful leisure area that we see here today. An area that is enjoyed by young and old alike said Mick Gore, Parks Officer for the Council.
To ensure the continued development of this wonderful garden, two parties of youngsters, all pupils of Newtown School, revisited the site to take hardwood cuttings from the existing shrubs planted in the borders. They were joined by members of the Friends of the Grove on this joint initiative and local Councillor and resident, Councillor Derek Francis.
Under the advice and instruction of a member of Gosport Borough Council's Nursery Staff, Linda Yorke, and using pots and compost, supplied by the Council, each child selected and potted three cuttings. The children then took the cuttings home to look after for a year. Hopefully the cuttings will then root ready for the children and Friends to return next autumn and plant the new shrubs in the borders to boost the gardens stock. Cuttings were taken from Viburnum, Forsythia, Cornus, Photinia, Escallonia, Hebe, Ceanothus, Choisya and Prunus.
Due to a high level of youth nuisance leading to regular vandalism on the site and the local residents registering their dismay at the decline of the ornamental garden through a best value survey, local Councillors and Council Parks Officers got together to produce a solution to return the garden back to a safe place for all to enjoy.
Vandal proof seating has been installed to replace old style benches that were constantly broken.
A rolling programme is underway to replace the mature planting that enclosed the site and is now two thirds complete. This has already opened the site up completely from Foster and Anglesey Roads, with local residents commenting on an increased use of the site by people sitting in the garden just enjoying the view.
The Parks Officers decided to use a wide range of shrub species to increase the interest for the public, with one or two unusual plants to catch the eye.
The pergola in the middle of the garden was also a regular target for the vandals. So the Parks officers came up with the idea of growing attractive, but thorny climbing roses up the supporting pillars and across the wooden beams. This seems to be working with vandalism of the pergola reducing and the roses are starting to make good progress.
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