Forum Topic

Putney High Street Planters

Wonderful addition - more benches needed too.

Clifford Cowell ● 1407d81 Comments

Jane, I do not know why you are so bothered, it's been like it for a couple of weeks, I've had it jet washed once, Michael took photo's of them doing it. It's a Bank Holiday, if they do nothing next week I will contact them again. The widened pavements do cause more traffic in the High street. Which causes more hassle when the buses are even trying to get out of the Bus garage road, then you get traffic trying to get into the High Street. The new pavements get extra dirty when wet. The pavements do cause more traffic in High Street, I see it everyday. Even an elderly man decided to go the wrong way in Chelverton Rd, at about 60 mph on an electric scooter it looked like he had fitted a seat to had to be seen to be believed .

Barbara Stevens ● 1385d

The flow of buses has nothing to do with the leakage from the planters. As Michael has explained, we are where we are so the issue is what the council should do about the leaking planters.

Jane Carter ● 1385d

Ed, one of the problems is that the bus companies are using this stop as a change-over point for drivers and a) The incoming driver is often lateb) Even when on time they spend a lot of time logging in, adjusting the seats, mirrors, bantering in a loud hail- fellow- well- met mode as if they were meeting after a trek across the Antarctic, checking their lipstick/eye-shadow/shades etc while the passengers are left to simmer on the bus or at the stop.

Timothy Horgan ● 1385d

"'What is your  account of being stuck behind buses to do with the leakage from the planters?"Jane the widen pavement is being used for these planters.This has resulted in the road has being narrowed without thought it seems to the flow of buses!

Ed Robinson ● 1386d

What is your  account of being stuck behind buses to do with the leakage from the planters?

Jane Carter ● 1386d

Very nice sunflowers Michael.I think narrowing the road to accommodate these planters may have cased a issue on the other side.I got stuck behind a bus jam the other day heading north on the high street. Buses can't block the Exchange yellow box, but also appear not to have room to overtake and pull in front of a bus that is already stopped outside Lidl when traffic is flowing south.At first I thought it was roadworks again but the road and bridge were completely empty in front of the buses.There were at least 4 buses in a row - all with a couple of people on them and all taking ages to stop! Traffic was backed up all the way up the hill.

Ed Robinson ● 1386d

Ed. I'd agree that if we were setting out from the start something like this bed at the junction of Montserrat and Oxford Roads with bee friendly sunflowers would be better: https://flic.kr/p/2miguQuBut as Jane says, given where we are replacing oblong bases with oval ones might be an easier, more pragmatic solution. (Unless they have to dig up the pavement to get rid of the stained bits in which case a proper flower bed might be better and cheaper than replacing the paving stones.)Must have spent too much of my time in IT doing quick fixes and work-a-rounds to make other people's systems work :-)

Michael Ixer ● 1386d

The Council are meant to be dealing with it.

Barbara Stevens ● 1386d

Seeing that the planters are there, I think Michael’s suggestion to put oval bases under the oval planters is rather more practical advice.

Jane Carter ● 1386d

Remember the old days when plants were in the ground?Perhaps even a raised bed may be an idea when the hight Street was being redesigned.These planters look like an after thought and must be costing the earth!

Ed Robinson ● 1386d

Jane. Just had a look at planters again. Yes, it's the oval ones that have a problem with leaking grunge. A cursory inspection seems to show they're on oblong bases and the brown substance comes out where the oval side protrudes past the side of the base? (The oblong planters seem to fit neatly into their bases all the way round so don't leak.)Perhaps some oval bases are needed?The planter contents look fine, I think they're meant to be bee friendly which is good.

Michael Ixer ● 1386d

Well I've just been trying to find out a solution for mine to stop the brown rivers down the side of the front steps and still give the plants enough drainage.  I will be interested to hear of any solutions other than sealing the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.

Philippa Bond ● 1388d

I spoke to a lady at the Council this morning, she said they need to investigate what has been used in the planters and what is leaking out. A lot might have dried as we haven't had rain for a few days. But the shops had been told the pavement was going to be washed regularly.

Barbara Stevens ● 1388d

It seems that the brown liquid is leaking from the oval planters. The rectangular ones are ok. This suggests perhaps that the problem lies with the structure of the oval  planters rather than the soli - nails, rust?

Jane Carter ● 1388d

Ed is it still coming from the planters, as they told one of the shops they are going to come once a week to jet wash pavement. Perhaps they need reminding.

Barbara Stevens ● 1389d

Philippa, I was a bit sceptical about the description - but I can confirm it is as Barbara describes.It is not a pretty look.

Ed Robinson ● 1389d

I have a large pot which was filled with potting compost and plants last year and the water which drains from it is a brown colour.

Philippa Bond ● 1389d

Penelope, yes I saw the mess today.

Barbara Stevens ● 1393d

Some are leaking brown shite again!

Penelope Becker ● 1393d

Bit more worried what comes out of them late at night. Looked yellow and slimy.

Barbara Stevens ● 1396d

Perhaps they are not planters at all and are really some sort of new eco toilets!

Ed Robinson ● 1396d

"god knows what they put in the planters" Sounds like manure to me.

Alexander MacLeod ● 1396d

Just walked past today, still muck coming onto the pavement. A young man in the Gadget shop, said he was told they are coming once a week to hose it down. God knows what they put in the bottom of the planters.

Barbara Stevens ● 1396d

That's OK Caroline, but Friday when I walked past was disgusting.

Barbara Stevens ● 1399d

Yes, they had a jet and a big brush. Yes, thanks for spuring WBC into action, Barbara; quite an achievement being able to contact them according to one of our neighbours! I hope the planters are going to be bee friendly like the troughs at Putney Station :-)https://flic.kr/p/2mhktax

Michael Ixer ● 1399d

Well at least he brought his brush! Thank you for alerting the Council Barbara.

Caroline Whitehead ● 1399d

Michael, just saw your photo's, so they did jet wash, he didn't come with his bucket and brush.

Barbara Stevens ● 1399d

I did get to the right Dept, on Friday. He said his colleague was back Monday.

Barbara Stevens ● 1399d

I see there's a clean up operation in progress:https://www.flickr.com/gp/m-j-i/85M9o6I stick by what I said earlier: great idea (like the sunflowers) but not well executed. 

Michael Ixer ● 1399d

Rather than infighting, let's put pressure on Thamesfield counsellors to sort  this mess out, they are Counsellor John Locker, Counsellor Torrington, and Counsellor Mike Ryder, please email them, also Ethan Brooks Ward Chairman of Conservatives,it really is a very unpleasant eyesore,  adding to all the other PHS deteriorating factors, filthy stained pavements, empty sites, alcoholics pissing in the Montserrat parklet.. Drug dealing and anti social behaviour  at said parklet at night.. Escooters and bikes on overwidened pavements, Putney High Street has a Wild West feel at certain times, and putting residents off the 'shop local' mantra shoved down our throats!

Penelope Becker ● 1399d

You did tell me to shut up. Is your memory failing you? As to nothing better to do? You seem to be the most prolific poster these days. It appears you migh be the pot calling the kettle black.

Freddie Francis ● 1400d

Freddie, I didn't tell you to shut your trap. You can't spell. But have you looked at the pots or even been to the High street. You just want an argument because you have nothing better to do.

Barbara Stevens ● 1400d

You can’t handle other peoples opinions can you Babs? You seem to  take it oersonally then resort to insults. Repeatedly. Feel free to tell me to shut my trap again if it makes you feel better. Won’t make be act upon it if course.

Freddie Francis ● 1400d

What are you on about Carol? is there apostrophy coming out of the pots, I don't think so. Carol never see you contributing on here, so what has it got to do with you. Freddie stop putting people down, because you've drinking early hours of the morning.

Barbara Stevens ● 1400d

Oh, Barbara -please learn some manners, and also, spelling and indeed where to put an apostrophy!Please stick to the posts and not run off in another direction!!

Carole Tanner ● 1400d

Would you care to refrain from telling me to ‘shut up’? Or perhaps you’d like me to just reply like that to all your posts?

Freddie Francis ● 1400d

Freddie, it's not just her shop, it's about 6 shops. I just goggled the Subway phone number and rang and asked her. You can't brush it or wash it, it's like a yellow brown slime coming from about 6 pots that are outside each shop you would need a jet wash. It isn't earth that's coming out or dust. It was disgusting on Friday.  Go and have a look or shut up.

Barbara Stevens ● 1400d

So she didn’t have a brush to save her business looking awful? Could see the problem but wasn’t prepared to use initiative? A bit jobsworth perhaps.

Freddie Francis ● 1401d

That's good Penelope, the young lady in subway thought it looked awful. We drove past today as well and it still looked bad, might have dried out a bit from yesterday.

Barbara Stevens ● 1401d

I looked again very early this morning and again a few hours later. I think the drained water from the planters is seeping on to metal bolts in the paving stones below over a period of time, causing them to rust and seep rusty water into the paving stones , and run off down the gully in the middle  of the pavement, and opposite subway and adjacent shops, causing an eyesore. I asked Ethan Brooks, the Conservative ward chairman, to take a look today.

Penelope Becker ● 1401d

Michael, it's nothing to do now with whats in the pots, it's whats coming out all over the pavement. I rang subway half an hour ago to see if the mess was still there the young lady was upset that it looked disgusting outside their shop.The Council obviously didn't come and do anything yesterday. So you have all day to go and look. It's not very nice and also dangerous if somebody slips, have no idea what is seeping out the bottom of the pots. Lets hope something is done on Monday.

Barbara Stevens ● 1401d

I'll reserve judgement on the PHS planters - possibly something that was a great idea but could have been better implemented? However I do like these "green friendly" installation ideas in Exhibition Road, South Kensington; although I guess they have more room to experiment in, particularly now it's more pedestrian friendly ...https://www.flickr.com/gp/m-j-i/3UM767

Michael Ixer ● 1401d

He said at the Council his college would be back Monday who deals with it. He new how many planters had been put there, he said he was going to have a look. I did get the right Dept. So if anybody on here goes past perhaps they could let us know if it has been cleaned.

Barbara Stevens ● 1401d

Unfortunately nothing will be done,she doesn't maintain the parklet at the end of Montserrat or Felsham Road, leaves her messes for public or police, don't think Meristem will be cleaning the rust stained pavements either, look at the state of the new paving, being left to deteriorate, very depressing

Penelope Becker ● 1401d

Just have to wait to see what will be done.

Barbara Stevens ● 1402d

I think Nicola Grant of Putney Bid responsible, but she doesn't live in LBW

Penelope Becker ● 1402d

Penelope, I did ring the Council and got the right Dept. They said they were going to have a look.

Barbara Stevens ● 1402d

Have been reporting the problem, but it seems some in denial..  have emailed  John Locker too, who was raving about them in the Putney magazine, it's rust stains on paving stones, no way it will come off methinks, but bleach might  fade, power washer unlikely to work, just my view!

Penelope Becker ● 1402d

Penelope, glad you saw the mess it was disgusting.

Barbara Stevens ● 1402d

Have been sending you pictures of the brown stains oozing from watered planters on to new paving, it is rust from embedded screws below, there is no way the stains can be removed with any solvent in my view, such a shame but the planters aren't water tight.

Penelope Becker ● 1402d

Just to save Caroline or Victoria the trouble I've just got somebody from the Council to send somebody to have a look, He said he'd get a bucket and brush, I said he'd need a lot more than that.

Barbara Stevens ● 1402d

Victoria, if this is to do with Putney Soc. I suggest somebody gets down there urgently with a jet wash.  Otherwise somebody will ring Health and Safety.

Barbara Stevens ● 1402d

Marc, I agree I have just gone past on my way to the large Boots. Caroline and Victoria, I really think you need to go have a look it's all running into the middle of the pavement like running thick poo. It is disgusting, if you can't get down there ring Sub Way cafe, because it is so bad it's enough to put customers off getting food. Apart from a Health hazard. I'm not making a big thing of this, it is a big thing. Enough to make you feel sick.

Barbara Stevens ● 1402d

Goodness me, what a lot of moaning! It's great we've got some planters, and they'll hopefully look wonderful once they've had a chance to settle down. I'm sure they'll be well tended. Just wish we had space at the top end of the High St for some greenery!

Victoria Diamond ● 1402d

I can't always open those pictures of yours Michael.That planter looks fine. I'm not sure what all the flowers are - echinacea? sunflowers and maybe a zinnia?  And scabious.  All plants I reckon you can buy from Suttons or Thompson & Morgan.  Cultivated plants will presumably have started off wild before any breeding or cross breeding anyway.

Philippa Bond ● 1403d

I'm afraid all pubs are the same to me as I don't go to them for the beer but to meet up with friends!My brother was telling me how oe of the locals where he lived said that when the Americans were over during the war they had problems as they managed to get themselves covered in stings (from nettles) and had to be introduced to dock leaves.  There is an old Devon rhyme about them.

Philippa Bond ● 1403d

The definition of a forum is a place for discussion and an exchange of views.  However, there are some people who seem to want to have their opinions (often extreme and/or narrow, religious, political or racial) just agreed with when there is more to see and understand.  Why would anybody want to agree with them?  It's not Facebook with its unthinking liking system.

Philippa Bond ● 1403d

Caroline, while you like having a go at me, try looking at the Acton site, it appears there members say the same about threads being twisted by a certain person. I don't know how they know what they are talking about no wonder everything is about somewhere else.

Barbara Stevens ● 1403d

They looked ok to me when I walked past yesterday:https://flic.kr/p/2mgN2EHThe Spotted Horse baskets are different, I guess the prices Young & Co charge for their wine they perhaps have a bigger budget; perhaps the PHS ones are the Wetherspoon's variety? :-) Perhaps the PHS ones are intended to be insect rather than boozer friendly? Nettles are definitely insect friendly we (deliberately) have a few in our garden; interestingly when I brushed against them the other day they didn't really sting, just a slight irritation. Perhaps just a reminder they were there because they only want to sting their enemies? :-)

Michael Ixer ● 1403d

Perhaps Philippa could do the same Caroline, as I was not the only one going on about  Philippa and her Shakespeare being dead 500yrs. It started with plants in the High Street which Philippa twists.

Barbara Stevens ● 1403d

Barbara: Your jibes against Phillipa are getting very tedious now. Could you not stick to the subject of the thread?

Caroline Whitehead ● 1403d

Philippa, are you sure you haven't been reincarnated as you seem to live in the past. This is the year 2021, most people can afford to buy flowers and they also sell them in little packets, or garden centres. Yes and it's possible having to listen to non stop dribble also has an effect on our brains. Nettles can sting, that's why we use a Doc leaf. Nothing more annoying than being stung.  I'm sure Shakespeare felt the same.

Barbara Stevens ● 1403d

Not sure they have thought it through... the excess water comes out the bottom with lots of dirt and makes the new pavement look terrible.

Marc Blanchard ● 1403d

Barbara  You seem to be including wild flowers and just things you don't like in your 'weeds' classification but that is not the dictionary definition.  No doubt you'd also include nettles but I'm pleased to see that nettles have been allowed to grow in a lot of public places.  They make a good tea and soup but even more important is that at least five different butterflies lay their eggs on them - peacock, red admiral, tortoiseshell, comma and painted lady. The Romans used to make cloth and twine out of them - and they were pre-Shakespeare. If we decide to discriminate and annihilate things that sometimes causes us a little discomfort then we cause damage to the rest of our world.

Philippa Bond ● 1403d

I think you will find Shakespeare like, Roses and Lilies, doesn't say weeds as each colour had it's own significance.

Barbara Stevens ● 1403d

Any thoughts about the colour of the planters - blue? Would have thought maybe dark green would have been more in keeping with the intention.

Alexander MacLeod ● 1403d

I don't quite see the relevance: Pythagoras, Newton and Einstein, to name a few, have been dead for a while but their work still rules, ok! :-) Does being dead for for 405 years invalidate Shakespeare's writings?

Michael Ixer ● 1403d

The wild flowers in the planters are now establishing themselves well and beginning to look quite colourful. The Spotted Horse flowers look good too - there is room on the High Street for us to appreciate both.

Caroline Whitehead ● 1403d

Ha, Ha, you hit the nail on the head.

Barbara Stevens ● 1403d

Shakespeare does not write any more, he has been dead for 500 years.

Fross Walters ● 1403d

Are you objecting to the illegal ones?  Or wild flowers like all the ones Shakespeare writes about?

Philippa Bond ● 1404d

Fross, I agree the lovely flowers outside the Spotted Horse really brighten up the High Street. Weeds kill off other plants, they could have at least planted some pansy or other plant that come up every year.

Barbara Stevens ● 1404d

One person's trash is another one's treasure.They look very restrained and not like an advertisement for Fullers.  Is that a problem?  There are many different sorts of gardens.  With the current climate emergency there has been quite a rethink going on about biodiversity and how we can improve things for ourselves.

Philippa Bond ● 1404d

Lets be honest they are rubbish, the council will not maintain them, in a few weeks time they will become an eyesore.

Fross Walters ● 1405d

Give the planters time to get established - they seem to contain a selection of semi-wildflowers. Rather nicer than the usual Pub-type geraniums etc.

Caroline Whitehead ● 1406d

Well after the floods we are apparently to get a heatwave which may mean a drought so somebody will have to be responsible for keeping up the watering.  Maybe they are very tolerant plants and just need to become established?

Philippa Bond ● 1406d

They have a habit of finding their way back - but maybe the thrushes and blackbirds will catch them en route!

Philippa Bond ● 1406d

Well Philippa, this is not an interesting garden, it is a few not very professional weeds in a pot. Also because it doesn't look nice, all you will get is cig butts in them or discarded cans. We are not Tatton Park Flower Show , this is Putney. It's also not Amsterdam, perhaps they could have asked the young ladies who run the Putney Exchange Flower Shop to have made a better effect.

Barbara Stevens ● 1406d

with a little luck the plague of slugs & snails in my garden will head for the planters :)

Adam Tripp ● 1406d

The definition of a weed is a plant that is growing where it is not intended to be.  So I think that is unlikely!In fact there was a gold medal at the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show recently to an interesting garden:https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jul/26/biodiversity-bonanza-why-it-is-time-to-let-weeds-go-wild-in-our-gardens?

Philippa Bond ● 1406d

We drove past the planters this afternoon, was rather surprised to also see tree's had been planted in some, not much room for roots for the trees. I would have thought also a few decent plants like you get outside pubs, because the plants looked like weeds.

Barbara Stevens ● 1407d