Inspired by spring blossom trees, Blossom Together in Coventry is a project which aims to create a place where the local community can connect with nature and enjoy the seasonal delights of blossoming trees.
The blossom space will act as a location for natural play for families and children. With input from the community, the project will create a legacy that will provide families and residents with a place to relax, reflect, play, and connect.
About the project
Located in Charterhouse Heritage Park, Blossom Together in Coventry is being delivered in partnership between the National Trust and Historic Coventry Trust. The project is made possible thanks to the funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
The new space is adjacent to Charterhouse, a Grade I listed building and 14th century Carthusian monastery, which is owned by Historic Coventry Trust.
Local schools, communities, and volunteer groups continue to have a key role in helping to design and develop the space. Design, consultation, and landscaping has also been provided by Coventry-based business Beechwood Trees and Landscapes, and Coventry City Council.
In October 2023 children from All Saints CofE Primary school and local residents came together to plant 20 blossom trees in the space. Many chose to name their trees or dedicate them to lost loved ones.
The space will officially open in the spring of 2024 as part of the National Trust’s annual Blossom Watch Festival of Blossom celebrations.
The work so far
In July, test pits were dug in the area during the Festival of Archaeology. Archaeologists from the University of Leicester were on hand to help search for the lost Chapel of St Anne, and to check the ground for historical remains before the landscaping works began. With no significant finds, tree planting and landscaping were able to go ahead as planned.
During August, Beechwood Trees began the landscaping works, creating two mounds that will form a grassy amphitheatre in the play space.
In October half term, students from All Saints CofE Primary School, Blue Coat Primary School, and members of the local community planted 20 special blossom trees in the play space.
In spring 2024, join us to celebrate Blossom season and the official opening of this beautiful community play space. With family activities and performances from the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage and his band LYR (Land Yacht Regatta), over a weekend in April 2024, it promises to be a beautiful celebration of blossom in Coventry.
Check back soon for dates, times and activities of the opening event.
Use the hashtags #BlossomWatch #Coventry to join in on social media. If you’d like to get involved on the day or would like more information about the event, please email Birmingham-Blossom@nationaltrust.org.uk
Benefits for people and wildlife
Inspired by spring blossom trees, this new space will bring important benefits for both wildlife and the local community.
By planting more blossom trees people will be able to celebrate the beauty of spring year after year, while creating a year-round space for families to meet, play and relax. The trees and additional wildlife planting will help to improve air quality and also create attractive habitats for important pollinators like bees and beetles, and other wildlife species.
By creating a space which encourages children to play and explore, the partners hope to enhance the offer for families and children visiting the Charterhouse Heritage Grounds, creating a well-used and loved space for local people living and working in the area.
The project supports the National Trust’s ambition to provide communities with more access to nature through the creation of green spaces and planting of blossom trees, especially in cities where access to nature may be more limited.
Enjoying nature in the city
We know the space will be cherished and enjoyed by families and communities from across Coventry.
The National Trust and Historic Trust Coventry will provide advice and support wherever possible to help support the legacy of this community-led project. The local schools and communities who have played such a vital part in helping to create this space will continue to care for it after the official opening.
We look forward to watching nature and the local community Blossom Together in this space.
To find out more about the National Trust’s Blossom Together projects and work in urban spaces visit: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/our-cause/communities/helping-communities-blossom
