Spring is here in Lyme Regis, and you will see signs of life springing into the season, across the gardens, and beyond.
Our external works team have been busy preparing the gardens, seafront and public spaces ready for the busy season ahead.
Across the town’s green spaces, ornamental grasses are being cut back to allow fresh growth to emerge, while lawns are being seeded in areas where winter weather has left bare patches.
The team is continuing with the annual grass cutting and strimming programme of works, alongside mulching around recently weeded beds and pruned shrubs to help retain moisture and improve soil health.
Hedge cutting in public areas has now ceased for the season to protect the nesting birds, in line with wildlife guidance, and the benches in the gardens are the perfect spot to sit and bird watch.
The team will also be undertaking tree surveys across the town. With just under 500 trees in public areas, this work helps establish the condition of each tree from ground to canopy.
Any necessary remedial work will be carried out to ensure the long-term health of the trees and reduce potential hazards, including the removal of any dead or dangerous branches.
Along the seafront, the maintenance team has been busy pressure washing steps, shelters and the accessible ramp areas, while railings, shelter bays and other public structures are being repainted as part of the ongoing upkeep.
Work will also be taking place at our mini-golf course, where the greens will be re-sanded ready for the busy season ahead.
A few things to note
The beach showers have been switched back on, while the accessible beach matting will be re-laid to improve access for residents and visitors.
Dorset Council has replenished the beach after much of the sand was washed away in the winter storms, which means our team will now continue with regular beach cleaning operations.
Residents and visitors may not be aware of the work that goes into maintaining the sandy beach in Lyme Regis.
Our team are up and out before dawn on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to rake the beach with the tractor, increasing to seven days a week during the school holidays.
Things to see
Across several areas of the town, residents will soon begin to see wildflowers emerging as spring takes hold, bringing a little splash of colour back to the landscape after the winter months.
These areas have been carefully managed to encourage and support local wildlife, particularly bees, butterflies and other important pollinators.
Allowing wildflowers to establish helps improve biodiversity and creates pockets of nature throughout Lyme’s gardens and other green spaces, notably on the grass banks by the football club and behind the Marine Theatre.
By managing these areas sensitively and reducing mowing in selected locations, the council aims to create habitats that benefit both wildlife and the wider environment, while adding to the town’s natural beauty.
Improvements to the gardens paths
Residents and visitors can now enjoy an additional path in the Woodland Walk area, as the temporary path created during the works will be retained to enhance the nature trail.
Lighting up Lyme Regis
With several notable events happening throughout this year, residents and visitors can look forward to the trees in Langmoor Gardens lighting up to mark special occasions and awareness events, including RNLI 200. The trees were lit up in blue to mark Parkinsons' Awareness Day earlier this month.
*Photograph by AJ Hutchings