A new wildflower labyrinth on the Hawker Hill outdoor area in Longwood Park has been unveiled.
We’ve been working with Slough Borough Council and Independent Councillor, Madhuri Bedi, on the project. It’s one of several plans the team have been working on in response to requests from residents.
And it’s already a hit! Residents have said:
“It’s great to look out from my flat, the views from 12th floor are amazing!”
“Looks really nice and really adds beauty to the green space now especially with the bright flowers”
“Brings real positivity to the area and I am looking forward to the next phase”
Shabana Farooq, Community Development Officer at Abri, said: “The new labyrinth in front of Linden House not only looks beautiful, but it will also increase biodiversity in the area and support residents’ mental health and wellbeing. Residents can also download the ‘seek’ app and learn about the wildflowers as they walk around. We’re proud to support this project; it’s part of our mission to help create thriving communities and empower lives and our £15m five-year investment to make sure we’re driving change where it’s needed most.”
Cllr Madhuri Bedi said: “It was wonderful to see residents of all ages using the interactive app, that enabled them to identify the wildflowers and insects. The labyrinth was opened to give residents the opportunity to walk within it paths and capture the beauty within. It has now been closed again in order to retain the outer site protection fence until the end of February 2022, when it will open to the public. By doing so, the designers have said the fibrous root system within the mounds will stabilise and also add to the seed reservoir for next year. The big gain will be the massive carbon capture after the strim in autumn. These extra measures will ensure the space is sustainable and will last for years to come.”
This is all part of the Slough Urban Forest Project, funded by Slough Borough Council and the Forestry Commission, the project includes over 9,000 trees being planted across 31 sites in the borough. One of those sites was Hawker Hill, where trees and flowers were planted at the site in March 2021.
The next phase of the project is being planned, and we’ll share more on this when we can.
