March 2025
CORNWALL GARDENS BULLETIN
Dear Cornwall Gardens Key Holder and/or Resident
GARDEN IMPROVEMENT PLAN UPDATE – PLEASE KEEP OFF THE MOUND, EASTERN BORDER AND ADJACENT BEDS
David Ashton, our Gardener, has started filling out the Mound, Eastern Border and adjacent beds with the new planting carefully put together by Carola Enrich, a management committee member, landscape architect and resident. The pictures below were taken a couple of days ago and show the plants in the Eastern Border. More planting here and in the other areas mentioned will follow.
All the new planting is at a very early stage of growth and requires a considerable amount of care to avoid losing or damaging them.
We have asked David to take further steps to barrier off this area and put up appropriate signage.
We would ask that you respect these measures by ensuring the barriers are not trampled on and that no-one enters the area. This will help avoid damaging the plants, compressing the specially prepared soil or interfere with the newly laid irrigation lines.
When the all the new planting is in and the plants properly established, the barriers will be removed and young children will be able to use the stone steps on the Mound to explore nature and have some fun together. If the planting is damaged, our project will be significantly compromised, and the expenditure directed at it, to which we are all contributing in the annual garden charge, will be wasted. So please take heed of and observe the temporary arrangements.
GARDEN CHARGE 2025/26
You should by now have received your Council Tax bill for 2025/26. Although we held the garden charge levy at £90k – the same amount as last year – a slight reduction in the number of properties paying the full rate of council tax has resulted in a percentage increase of around 2.2%. This will yield the same amount of levy ie £90k.
MUSIC FOR LENT, SATURDAY 5 APRIL 2025 AT 7.30 PM IN ST STEPHEN’S CHURCH, GLOUCESTER ROAD/SOUTHWELL GARDENS, LONDON SW7 4RL
We are delighted to welcome back the Choir of the 21st Century performing works by Tallis, Byrd and others at St Stephen’s Church.
Please see a message below from Philippa John, their Secretary, with more information on the programme and how to book tickets.
Philippa writes: “Our conductor Richard Gowers has created a contemplative programme of Lenten music from the English Renaissance and the present day. Book-ended by the Tallis Lamentations, the array of music contains John Tavener’s Funeral Ikos and two settings of the penitential Psalm 51 (Miserere Mei): rather than the well-known setting by Allegri, instead a polyphonic masterwork by Robert White and a contemporary response to the same text by the wonderful James MacMillan.
Thomas Tallis (1505 -1585): Lamentations, Part 1
James MacmIllan (b 1959): Miserere
William Byrd (1540-1623): Infelix Ego
Robert White (1538-1574): Miserere
John Tavener (1944-2013): Funeral Ikos
Thomas Tallis (1505-1585): Lamentations, Part 2
Book your tickets via Eventbrite here. This link to Eventbrite will take you to the booking page directly too. Email me if you experience any problems!
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Best wishes
Philippa John”
Email: philippa.john@rllj.com
A more detailed bulletin will follow in April 2025 with news and updates.
John Varley
Chairman, Cornwall Gardens Committee & Residents Association
07775 552050
Alan Lester
Secretary, Cornwall Gardens Committee & Residents Association
07816 324335
