Quadron has been responsible for maintaining Dulwich Park on
behalf of the London Borough of Southwark since 2004. The park covers 29
hectares and was created in 1890 from a group of five meadows with some
ancient boundary oaks that still stand today including a famous
strikingly shaped Turkey Oak. The park has retained its distinctive
character and is Grade II listed in the English Heritage Register of
Parks and Gardens. It underwent substantial restoration back to its
original Victorian layout in 2004-6 following a grant from the Heritage
Lottery Fund. Following this it was awarded Green Flag status, which has
been retained ever since.
Quadron's
scope of works includes the maintenance of grass; rose, shrub, rockery
and herbaceous beds; hedges and trees; the supply, planting and
maintenance of seasonal bedding and flower containers; litter
management, sweeping, cleaning and leaf clearance. Facilities include a
bowling green, football pitches, tennis courts and large boating lake.
There is a wide range of horticultural interest including an American
Garden and a dry garden, which exhibits a wide range of plants that can
be grown with little water.
Quadron deploys a team of four
permanent static gardeners in the park as well as a head gardener and
apprentice. In addition there is a litter picker, green keeper, tractor
driver and weekend warrior team. The static teams are supported by four
mobile staff and seasonal litter picker, all under the supervision of
the Dulwich area Supervisor. Two electric utility vehicles, JD E-gators,
are used in the park, chosen for their emission-free and quiet
operation and ability to move around without damaging grass areas or
edges. Mobile teams use VW Crafters with Blue TDI engines, which have
gained EEV (enhanced environmentally friendly vehicle) status due to
their low emissions of particulates, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide. An
Applied 636 Green Machine is used for path sweeping and litter
clearance and a FIDO machine for collecting dog faeces.
Quadrons
head gardener, Ric Glenn, works closely with Southwarks Park Manager,
Paul Highman, and the Dulwich Park Friends group to continually adapt
the service provided by Quadron to suit the needs of its users and to
work with the local community to achieve its aspirations. Quadron
assists with the Friends Dig the Park initiatives which utilise
volunteers to make tangible differences, for example heritage bulb
planting, or the removal of thistles (as chemical controls are not
permitted). One recent example of a joint scheme is the Dulwich
Vegetable Garden where Quadrons gardeners assist local volunteers to
grow their own vegetables. Quadron also helps with the planning and
organisation of the annual Dulwich Park Fair, which this year
commemorates the 120th anniversary of the park; up to 15000 people are
expected to attend this. The park also hosts many other events such as
an open air cinema throughout the summer and has a very well used
outdoor gym.