Treebourne

11/09/2026

Carpet Gardens survey result – majority support new sustainable planting 🌻

A majority of respondents to the consultation on the future of the Carpet Gardens have backed the new sustainable planting style becoming a permanent feature on Eastbourne’s much-loved seafront. Of the 16,014 people who took part, 69.56% supported the sustainable approach, while 30.44% favoured a return to the traditional Victorian bedding plant design.

The survey, which closed at 5pm on Sunday 31 August, was carried out by an independent organisation; an appointment that followed consultation with community representatives.

Councillor Jim Murray, Cabinet Member for Carbon Neutral 2030 and Water Champion, said: “I want to thank every single person who took the time to share their views.

“The Carpet Gardens is an iconic seafront landmark, and this consultation reflects that. We will continue developing a display that is beautiful, resilient, and better for the environment. I’m excited to see how the gardens flourish next year and beyond.”

“This has been a positive and constructive conversation with our community. Whether people preferred the new planting or the traditional Victorian style, I’m grateful for everyone’s feedback in helping to shape the future of one of Eastbourne’s most loved spaces.”

The council will now move forward with the sustainable scheme, continuing to refine and enhance the planting.

Updates on the Carpet Gardens will be shared on the council website, social media channels and news media.

Visit the link in the comments to download the full consultation report 👇

10/09/2026

We invite you to Pashley School Tree Care
Saturday 26th September, 9am–12pm

Join us for a morning in the woods at Pashley School, looking after the young trees we planted here with students back in 2021.

Come and get stuck in with some practical tree care, clearing around the trees, tackling bindw**d and giving the woodland a bit more room to thrive. It’s a simple, satisfying and mindful way to spend a Saturday morning outdoors, and a great chance to meet other local people while doing something positive for nature.

Everyone is welcome, and you don’t need any experience. There’ll be jobs to suit different ages and abilities, so bring the family, come with a friend or just turn up on your own.

We’ll have tools you can borrow, though you’re welcome to bring a fork or hand trowel if you have one. Gloves, long sleeves and sturdy footwear are a good idea.

We’ll stop at around 10:30am for drinks and biscuits. Stay for the whole morning or just come along for as long as you can.

DIRECTIONS

Walk past the school gates at the end of Beechy Avenue and down the alleyway until you reach a fork. Take the left path and follow it uphill until you see a large wooden gate on your left. Enter through the gate and follow the woodland path around until you spot us.

LOCATION

Pashley School
Beechy Avenue
Eastbourne
BN20 8NX

Map:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1S2Q7rW-5kz4PhyBi71P2JFRwwRk2Ij4&ll=50.77703862612207%2C0.25043950000003257&z=18

04/09/2026

Motcombe Gardens Meadow Preparation
12th September, 10am-12pm

Come and join us for an extra morning of community action this month at Motcombe Gardens. We’ll be preparing the area near the Dovecote for a new wildflower meadow, creating a colourful space that will provide valuable food and habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.

We’ll be removing areas of grass and clearing sycamore saplings to get the ground ready for sowing.

Everyone is welcome, no experience needed. We’ll provide the tools and guidance.

Refreshments at 11am.

DIRECTIONS
Meet by the Dovecote in Motcombe Gardens. The Dovecote is the small historic flint building in the northern part of the park, close to Motcombe Lane.

LOCATION
Motcombe Gardens
Motcombe Lane
Eastbourne
BN21 1PU

21/08/2026

Come and join us for a morning of tree care and community action at Gildredge House School August 29th, 9-12

Earlier this year, we worked with students to plant around 200 metres of mixed native hedging, using trees grown in our community nurseries. Now we’re heading back to w**d around the young trees and add more mulch to help them get established.

Everyone is welcome, no experience needed. We’ll provide the tools and guidance.

Refreshments at 10.30am.

Full info: https://tinyurl.com/4zvksmd7

07/08/2026

Can you help our street trees? 🌳Our young street trees are struggling in this hot, dry weather, but you can help save them.

It’s simple: choose just one street tree near your home and give it at least one full watering can, 1–2 times a week during dry spells.

Here’s how:
👉 Pour half into the watering tube.
👉 Pour the other half slowly around the base of the trunk.
💧 You can save tap water by using collected rainwater, leftover drinking water, cooled bathwater, or water from a condenser tumble dryer. Avoid water containing bleach or strong cleaning products.

📍 Find one of the 1,000 street trees planted near you: streets.treebourne.org

One tree. One watering can. A small weekly action that makes a real difference for generations to come.

06/08/2026

23/07/2026

Join us this Saturday (25th July) 9am-12pm for a rewarding morning of community action at Macmillan Park as we help care for the young trees we planted nearly 4 years ago.

It's a great chance to get outdoors, meet friendly people, and make a real difference to one of Eastbourne's green spaces.

Drop in anytime between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm. At around 10:30 am we'll pause for cold drinks, biscuits, and a chat before getting back to the trees.

DIRECTIONS
The meeting point is through the right-hand park gate (the dog walking area is on the left). Walk towards the playground, where you will see the Treebourne flags.

The nearest bus stop is Cavendish School, served by the 1A bus. If you are arriving by car, please be mindful not to block residents' driveways.

LOCATION
Macmillan Park
10 MacMillan Drive
Eastbourne
BN21 1SX

Map:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1N9_bcIRaQcrXV1icvRNOCWQvlhnKYV8&ll=50.77864120689921%2C0.26009424887293076&z=19

20/07/2026

⚠️ Can you help our street trees?

Our young street trees are struggling in this hot, dry weather, but you can help save them.

It’s simple: Choose just one street tree near your home and water it 1–2 times a week during dry spells.

Here's how to do it:
👉 Pour half into the watering tube.
👉 Pour the other half slowly around the base of the trunk.

📍 Find one of the 1000 street trees we planted near you right now: streets.treebourne.org

One tree. One watering can. A small weekly action that makes a real difference for generations to come.

A street tree needs at least 20 litres of water a week during the growing season (March-October). It's best to do this in one go, with half the water down the black watering tube and the other half around the base of the trunk. Water first thing in the morning if you can as it provides the tree with...

03/07/2026

The future of Eastbourne's Carpet Gardens is hanging in the balance. The current planting scheme has created a colourful display that supports pollinators, thrives with less watering, and doesn't need replacing twice a year. Now a public vote will decide whether it stays or returns to a traditional bedding display.

Our own hands on experience planting and caring for thousands of trees and wildflowers across Eastbourne has shown us just how challenging hotter, drier conditions have become. After a succession of exceptionally dry springs, followed by England's hottest June on record, it's never been clearer that our town needs resilient planting that can thrive with less water.

The recent spell of intense heat has shown the value of the new planting scheme. Designed to thrive in hotter, drier conditions, they have come through it looking better than ever. By combining colourful, drought tolerant plants with a rich source of nectar, they create a beautiful, ever-changing display for residents while providing a vital lifeline for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Next time you walk past, take a moment to look closely. You'll see them already buzzing with life. Compare them to any nearby display of traditional bedding plants and decide for yourself which is better suited to Eastbourne's future.

Please take a minute to vote today. Every single vote really does count.

Vote now:
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/t/carpetgardenssurvey

26/06/2026

A major benefit of the sustainable style of planting is how much better the plants cope in increasingly hot weather - which has been lucky this week! There's still time to take the independent survey to share your views on the traditional and sustainable styles of planting - follow the link in the comments! 🌺🌻🌼🌷🪷💮🌸