With thanks to a successful funding application from Lincolnshire County Council, the Friends of Boston Cemetery invited members of the Boston in Bloom Partnership to help design and install a new Bog Garden, located on the site of the historic ponds. The older part of the cemetery is now a nature reserve, the new garden running along part of its border with Red Cap Lane.
With help from Community Payback, Boston in Bloom members, supported by the Friends’ members have this week started the installation of the new feature, which it is hoped will attract new wildlife to the already thriving area.
Bog gardens are known for being successful in areas that struggle to keep a pond full due to shady canopies or a low water supply. Similar to ponds, bog gardens can attract frogs, toads and newts, and, when planting is complete they hope that damselflies and dragonflies, bees and butterflies will be attracted to the pollinator plants. The bog garden in the cemetery has a plastic liner, pea shingle, a thick layer of fallen tree leaves followed by a covering of top soil. Planting will take place once the newly created area has settled with extra wildlife habitats planned using logs and branches from the grounds.
The Cemetery is already well known for the diversity of its wildlife, including muntjac deer, squirrels and a large variety of unusual birds.
Following the morning’s work, Boston in Bloom Chairman, Alison Fairman said: “Bog gardens are successful in encouraging wildlife to come to an area. To have this opportunity to work with the Friends of Boston Cemetery has been a great privilege for us, helping them to create a unique and special area, in a part of the Victorian Cemetery. Special thanks go to the 15 volunteers, the Payback team and Boston Borough Council.”
The installation of the Bog Garden will also be included in the 2018 Boston in Bloom campaign, with East Midlands In Bloom judges scheduled to visit the town in July.
