The Parish Council takes great pride looking after the green spaces. The work includes the regular cutting of all greens and not letting them get too overgrown. Ditches are cleared on a regular basis at Spinfish, Brookside and Norton Green. Annual surveys are carried out looking at all trees on parish land. All work is done through projects and started with the increase of wild flowers and fruit orchard at Granny’s Meade. Planting also takes into account the encouragement of insect life.

Our last project was at Spinfish. Phase One was to clear the area on the left from Freshwater to Sheepwash. Lots of bulbs were planted with the help of scouts and cubs. Wild flower mats were also put down. Phase Two was clearing the opposite side of the stream. A bench and bridge were introduced and the benefit to the community is that they will be able to see the lovely countryside beyond.

These are our main spaces for the community to enjoy:

• School Green with its iconic horse chestnut trees and access into playing fields through the car park.
• Pound Green
• West Green at Middleton
• Black Hut Green where there are some nice trees and a peaceful place to sit.
• Spinfish is a popular place for people to walk through and there is always plenty of wildlife to be seen as you walk through to Middleton.

In 2015 the Parish Council took over responsibility for maintaining Stroud playing fields along with additional land at Moa Place, the green space on the front at Freshwater Bay and the land around Gate Lane toilets.

For a map showing land owned by Freshwater Parish Council please click here

At School Green, Brookside and Queens Road horse chestnuts were planted to celebrate George V coming to the throne in 1903.

There are also black walnuts in School Green and Queens Road, which have replaced the horse chestnuts that have been removed due to being old or dangerous.

Row of lime trees at the back of School Green and a wild plum and cherry can be found there. Several willow trees have been planted around the public toilets.

On the corner of Brookside Road and Queens Road a sweet chestnut was planted to replace another failing tree.

Memorial trees have been planted in Granny’s Meade, School Green and West Green at Middleton.

Granny’s Meade orchard was planted with the help of The Footprint Trust, Green Gym and Friends of Granny’s Meade who also planted a fruit hedge alongside the horse field.

Most of the elm trees on Parish land are in Brookside Road and Spin Fish. Again the elms have been dying because of Dutch Elm Disease and three were removed last year. Three disease resistant trees were planted in late 2015 and are doing well at Spin Fish.

Spin Fish has a large lime tree on the edge of Queen’s Road as well as willow trees. Further along there are elms, ash and sycamore. To replace the failing horse chestnut trees we are going to be planting beech trees. In the middle section there is an aspen grove, the only one in Freshwater. The interesting feature about them is that the flattened leaf stalks allow the leaf blades to flutter and rustle in the wind as Aspens are often heard before they are seen. In the autumn the leaves change to a lovely golden yellow and remind you of toffee wrappers.

The Parish Council were advised by our tree expert that the number of Aspens should be reduced for the benefit of the other trees and in Autumn 2015 some of the diseased ones were taken out.

Jubilee Field has some lovely trees that were planted by pupils from our local school and in 2015 we planted young oak and elms.