Last Friday afternoon, the restored Central Square flowerbeds were officially ‘launched’ at an event attended by numerous Suburb residents, local dignitaries, and respresentatives of the organisations that made it all possible.
Those present included MP for Finchley and Golders Green Mike Freer, the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor John Marshall, staff and Trustees of the Trust, the designer of the new flowerbed scheme Stephen Crisp, and the Trust’s gardener Jonathan Gordon.
The restoration scheme has been funded with contributions from the Central Square residents association, the Hampstead Garden Suburb residents association, the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust, and the London Borough of Barnet, along with individual donations by other Suburb residents.
It was a hot summer’s afternoon and a good crowd gathered under the shade of one of the Square’s limes to hear a few words from the project’s organiser Richard Townley, as well as designer Stephen Crisp, and the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Brian Salinger.
Mike Freer and the Mayor then made use of the original spade used by Henrietta Barnett to ‘turn the first sod’ of earth in the foundation of the Hampstead Garden Suburb on 2 May 1907. Just over 110 years on, it was used again by Mr Freer and Mr Salinger to put the finishing touches to a scheme for Central Square which looks back to the original plans for the layout whilst making use of innovative planting to ensure a fresh new look.
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