Local residents, schools and businesses, who use and enjoy the local railway, create and maintain the gardens year round. We want to give our stations a village identity, and to encourage use of the sustainable transport network on our doorstep.
Each garden has its own theme depending on the configuration of the station property and amount of land available, as well as the interests and input of the local community.
Foxton has tubs on the platforms, maintained by the Foxton Gardens Association. At Meldreth the tubs on the platforms are maintained by local volunteers and watered by Duke of Edinburgh Award participants. The garden at the front of the station is maintained by Meldreth Veg Club. At Shepreth, in addition to platform planters maintained by Sustainable Shepreth, we make use of the area around the entrance adjacent to the car park, for a wildlife theme garden sponsored by Shepreth Wildlife Park and Barrington Primary School.
Local people – individuals, families, schools or businesses – are welcome to sponsor the care of one or more of the planters. This can involve supplying potting soil and summer or winter annuals, which can either be purchased or grown in advance from seed. You can also help with maintaining the good care of the planters, in whatever way suits you. Helping with the watering rota is always needed – even just being on holiday cover for someone else.
At Shelford and Whittlesford Parkway we have teams of Station Adopters, supported by Greater Anglia. The planting at Shelford is specifically designed to support insect life, and at Whittlesford Parkway there is planting beside both platforms.
We’re pleased that station gardens are treated with care and respect. British Transport Police have reported that crime and ASB is markedly lower at well tended station environments.
