136 CROSS GREEN

CROSS GREEN

2002

SITE 136

This is the Village Green known as Cross Green and where the War Memorial is sited. It is due for a major reconstruction in March 2003. None of the trees are due for removal, although one had a narrow escape from the axe and would have gone if the Parish Council had had their way. It will be interesting to see how the trees look when in more open surroundings.

2003

The reconstruction of Cross Green took place and is now a shady place to sit in the centre of the village. Shrubs planted by Charnwood Borough Council.

The young Limes that were planted as an insurance against the death of the mature Limes have been dug up and replanted in the Donkey Field along with the roses (which were not worth the effort).

We will now give it a year or two to see how it matures.

2004

The works on Cross Green entered for a Charnwood Improvement Award so I decided that weeding was needed as the area has been neglected by the Parish Council. I was doing this when Anita from Anthony St. came up and said that she was longing to remove the large thistles so I invited her to join me. Together with her partner, Steve, we have formed ourselves in Team Cross Green and are getting ideas together for bulb planting in the autumn.

Daffodils, Tulips and Narcissi planted in November.

2005

The Green looks much improved with colour from the bulbs. It is a very dry area with the trees and very fine, dry soil mixed with builder's concrete.

750 crocus planted in November 2005.

Due to the death of a lot of the shrubs a plan was made by Ash Forrester of Brooklea Nursery for planting of plants tolerant of poor soil. These were planted up in the autumn.

2006

The plants have come through the winter very well and all look healthy in late winter. The crocuses add lots of colour so this must be repeated in the autumn.

This has been an extremely hot summer and the plants have really struggled, as have many plants in gardens, so we will need to see what they are like later in the year.

This really is a very difficult site as it is not possible to water, there is a large amount of concrete/paving and the trees not only take the rainwater but also cover up the understorey.

Date: 15^th July 2006

Observers: Marion Vincent

Location: Cross Green, Rothley Village Centre.

OS Ref: SK584127

Map Title: Site 136

Owners: Rothley Parish Council

I decided that it was time that I recorded the Lime trees before the Parish Council made a decision to cut them down. (It did try to remove one in 2003 because it 'made the site look uneven!)

It is in the Rothley Parish Council Minutes of the 20^th December 1901 that it was proposed to plant 3 Lime Trees on Cross Green. I recorded 5 Lime trees this morning varying in girth from 1.7m to 2.1m so not sure which ones were planted in 1902 and if the other two came later or earlier. There possibly were six trees looking at old pictures and you could make a guess which were the 1902 plantings.

The trees recorded today 554-558 are kept well trimmed for safety reasons as it is a public amenity area.

2007

This has been a very difficult year in the life of Cross Green and one that is hoped never repeated in any community.

The disappearance of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann from an apartment in Portugal brought the world's press to Rothley Green, as this is the village where they live.

The flowers and ribbons enveloped the whole area until August 1^st when they were cleared mainly due to the area being used for a service to celebrate 100 years of scouting. There is a burning candle in front of the memorial gates as a symbol of hope. (Oct 2007).

The grass has been degraded by the visitors who flocked here from far and wide and we were unable to do any work for about 4 months.

However, we are getting it back to a state of tidiness and on the 7^th October I replanted the two beds in front of the memorial gates with 160 red tulips. I hope they survive.

2008

I am pleased to say that the tulips did survive and when the TV cameras were back in May for the 1st anniversary of the above disappearance the tulips were in full flower.

The grass around the war memorial railings has not recovered and the weeds are prolific.

2009

The old tulips were removed and planted at the Rothley Cemetery in the beds by the chapel. More red tulips were planted and also pansies in the hope that it would keep feet off the beds. Just having bulbs makes the two beds look empty and they are abused by youths.

In November a car coming from Fowke Street landed fully into the bed on that corner demolishing the lovely Smoke bushes and taking out the 'Parking Restrictions sign'.

Rothley Parish Council were asked if a good sized Lime tree could be planted as the other Limes were in a poor state and this would be the start of new planting in readiness for the demise of others. This was agreed.

Just to continue the damage we are suffering another car ploughed into the bed by the pedestrian crossing on Boxing Day, tearing off tops of plants and completely demolishing a seat. What next?

2010

The seat was replaced in early February.

On February 17th a Lime Tree was planted in the bed mentioned above. I understand from Terry Sheppard that when the hole was being dug they hit sheets of slate which Terry thinks might have been part of the floor of the Courthouse that once stood on this site.

For future reference the shrubs planted throughout the site in 2005 were:
Bed 1 behind the bus shelter:

Berberis 'Park Jewel'
Lonicera pilata
Genista 'Hispanica'

Bed 2 north end of Cross Green with seat looking up the Mountsorrel lane:

Cotoneaster 'Julliette'
Vinca minor 'Marie'
Cotoneaster dammeri
Pachysandra terninalis 'Variegata'

Bed 3 adjacent to Corts Hardware:

Cotoneaster 'Julliette'
Euphobia robbiae
Lonicera pileata

All the shrubs were chosen for a site with shade, poor soil and lack of moisture.

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