Looks like the rain is persisting today, so meadow planting has been postponed till 10am tomorrow.

Join the Blythe Hill Biodversity Group on WhatsApp for updates.

Join us for a day creating ‘mysterious crop circles’ on Saturday 21 October from 10am, as we partner with Big City Butterflies to add some new meadow zones and boost biodiversity in Blythe Hill Fields.

We’re looking for an army of local volunteers to help us plant fifteen 3m2 circles of new meadow species, using plug plants and seeds provided by Big City Butterflies.

These crop circles will serve as ‘colonisation windows’ that will allow more diverse meadow plants to gradually move into the park over time.

Greater biodiversity boosts the health and resilience of ecosystems, meaning they can take less damage during shocks, such as extreme weather. Urban green spaces like Blythe Hill Fields are mportant local ecosystems and often home to more diverse plant and animal communities than you find in the countryside.

The meadows project, which will be followed by a tree planting day on Saturday 2 December, is kindly supported by Big City Butterflies. it is the first stage of the Friends’ Biodiversity Plan, which will add a range of new habitats to the park as well as creating a new wildlife garden.

Want to join in? We’ll be at the top of the park, where the paths cross, at 10am.

We have a limited amount of kit, so please bring any of the following if you have them:

• Digging tools, like hoes or spades

• A wheelbarrow

• A garden trug or bucket.

Children are welcome, as long as they are supported by an adult.

Using a mix of plug plants and seeds, we’ll be:

• Planting five new circles in the woodland zone, using plug plants

• planting 10 new areas in the South-facing meadow slopes

Want to learn more? Join the Blythe Hill Biodversity Group on WhatsApp for regular updates.

The map below shows our planting plan, which has been developed with the support of Lewisham Council’s Ecological Regeneration team.