National Beanpole Week

[Speranza]

I'm writing because I've got a garden that's great for wildlife in itself, but I'm also trying to support the environment and wildlife by choosing eco-friendly products for my garden.

I'm going along to National Beanpole Week's grand launch at a free Beanpole Festival at the Green Wood Centre charity near Ironbridge in Shropshire - Welcome to the Green Wood Centre on Saturday 19th April 2008 (starts at 11am), and am hoping to pick up a bunch of hazel beanpoles. Apparently garden clubs, charities, etc., are holding special beanpole events right across the country.

The whole point of National Beanpole Week is to encourage us to use more products made from British coppiced wood, supporting our coppiced woodlands. Unfortunately 90% of our coppiced woodland has been lost over the last 100 years because we've stopped using the wood they produce.

Coppiced woodlands are really important because they provide valuable habitats for primroses, endangered mammals like dormice, as well as birds such as nightingales and warblers. They also supply us with eco-friendly, sustainable timber, keep jobs in the countryside and support the rural economy.

I'd never even thought about buying anything other than bamboo beanpoles until I saw that Monty Don talking about how good coppiced wood products are for the garden.

It's as though we've been 'conditioned' to use only bamboo, yet hazel beanpoles made from coppiced wood are, apparently, better than bamboo because they actually provide the runner beans with better grip.

It's amazing how this kind of stuff hardly has a profile in the media. What do the rest of you think? Do any of you know if there are any websites out there with tips on other good eco-friendly products for the garden?

Cheerio,

Speranza

[richardkm]

When I saw this thread, I thought it was just up my street, but then I read it and realised that was not, after all, aimed at people like myself - I'm built like a bean pole!!!!!

[Jez]

Very informative. Thanks for sharing!

[Lucretian]

Really good stuff - amazing that we've lost 90% of British coppiced woodland in 100 years. Crikey. I'm glad Monty Don is supporting coppice wood products. Nice to see celebs like him helping to protect what we've got left! Sorry, don't know of any good website selling eco-gardening stuff - might be worth trying Garden Organic.