Friends of the Library Garden

The Library Garden is perhaps an unlikely site to find a stunning wildlife garden. Adjacent to London Road Car Park, with its cinema and various fast-food outlets, you find a small oasis of calm and birdsong. The presence of the garden here, is all the more remarkable when you learn that it came quite literally within hours of being destroyed to make way for extra parking spaces.  

However, as the fences went up, the local community stepped up and arrived at the site in numbers. Four brave campaigners remained in the garden despite being fenced in overnight, supported by local people who passed supplies and blankets over the fences. A flurry of media interest followed and around the noon on the following day an offer from the developer led to a solution being found. The garden was saved.

But that was not the end of the story. The connections made during the campaign and the vision of a small number of volunteers led to the creation of Friends of the Library Garden. With the space and trees saved for the community, there was a feeling that the garden could represent something special and play a real part in bringing wildlife back into the heart of Newark as well as providing a space to promote wellbeing and community. 

The planting of trees, shrubs and wildflowers, and the creation of a pond have exceeded expectations and the area is now flourishing. People regularly visit to enjoy the peace and connection it offers. The area is pesticide-free and wildlife is flourishing thanks to the vision and hard work of the volunteers and a great relationship with a very supportive Street Scene Team at NSDC. To support this ongoing project or get involved why not visit:

https://www.facebook.com/folgnewark 

Or email: WildNG.NewarkandSherwood@protonmail.com and we will pass on your details to the Friends of the Library Garden