Rochester's Full Frontal gardeners go wild for wildflowers

Having been awarded 'Outstanding' last year by the South and South East Britain in Bloom awards, Rochester's Full Frontal gardeners once again played host to the assessors to see if they can match the achievement this year.

Fern Alder, the driving force behind Full Frontal Gardens, invited David and Sallie Shaw from the It's Your Neighbourhood scheme to see for themselves how the local community are transforming their neighbourhoods. Four areas of Rochester have been entered: Longley Road; Castle Avenue; Clarence Road and Clive Road. Elsewhere, The Vines, Broomhill Park and Rede Common are also nominated.

Longley Road have embraced the Wildflowers theme – and added in a little extra bite. Fern said:  "We don't tell people what to grow but we do supply a few extra seeds - this year we seemed to have inadvertently created a Devilish theme, with Crocosmia 'Lucifer' and Cosmos 'Diablo' and Devil's Bit Scabious!"

Rochester Avenue is the newest road in Fern's Full Frontal Gardens scheme and resident Viv Hudson came along to Longley Road to find out more about It's Your Neighbourhood. She said:

"Our street joined the Full Frontal scheme earlier this year. Had we been left to our own devices, Helen and I would still be dithering about how to get people on board.

Fern motivated us, provided us with free plants and encouraged us to get out and talk to people and invite them to a plant swap. Within a few weeks of starting up we had 20 houses on board, more than 10% of the road.  Schemes like this only work with someone as enthusiastic and dedicated as Fern. She motivated us and gave the impetus we needed to get the scheme up and running. She is still very involved - constantly emails us to offer advice, advise us of freebies and tries to attend our social events.

I have gone from knowing only my immediate neighbours to knowing two dozen families in the street. We chat in the street, organise litter-picks, meet up socially, swap tips and seedlings and from a few plants have grown into a community."

If you would like to be involved in making your street a nicer environment to live in, you can find out more and contact Full Frontal on their website here.