A new look for Berestede Road Open Space
- joannaedmunds
- Dec 13, 2025
- 2 min read
Berestede Road Open Space after the overgrown cypress trees have been felled
Many of you will have seen (or heard) the overgrown Cypress trees being felled and removed from Berestede Road Open Space last week. Whilst the timing was a surprise, SPRA and a number of residents have been lobbying the council for some years to improve Berestede Road Open Space and to upgrade the visual and noise screening of the A4.
The Cypress trees were an ‘invasive species’, many of which were not in good health and had outgrown their original purpose of hiding the road. Instead, they had grown so tall they blocked the light and prevented rain getting to the ground, yet only the trunks masked the traffic.
The plan is to create a more effective barrier by planting a native Yew hedge interspersed amongst the tree stumps which will be allowed to decay whilst storing carbon on site.
Planting of the hedge is scheduled for Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th December along with a wide range of native shrubs, plants and some bulbs which we hope will thrive with much more light and moisture. More bulbs are planned for next year.
For the Gardeners amongst us here is the plant list we agreed with the council
1 X 10 L Sambucus nigra ‘Aurea’
3 X 10 L Callicarpa bodinieri
15 X 2 L Campanula trachelium
60 X ½ L Galium odoratum
6 X 10 L Viburnum opulus
3 X 10 L Viburnum farreri
1 X 10 L Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’
3 X 5 L Daphne laureola subsp. laureola
10 X 5 L Cytisus scoparius
30 X 3 L Ruscus aculeatus
20 X 2 L Helleborus foetidus
200 X Leucojum aestivum
4 X 5 L Hebe salacifolia
45 X 30 L Taxus baccata or 30 X 1-1.5 metre rootballed
Key to the success of the plan will be ensuring the yew hedge gets enough water to thrive in its first couple of years. We will be working with the council and Berestede Road residents on the best way to achieve this. Please email us at support@spraweb.net if you have suggestions.
Overall, the space should feel much more open and attractive once the hedge and plants bed in. We hope you enjoy watching the planting develop and the area coming back to life.
