In 2025 NESST began work on an innovative sand meadow at the junction of Abbeydale Road and Avenue Road. It took the place of a temporary parklet created by a local community group, Abbeydale Road Trees (now defunct). NESST worked with Sheffield City Council to develop a more permanent parklet and decided that the creation of a sand meadow, contained within a stone planter would maximise nectar and biodiversity. Close to a bus stop, the design includes a seating area on the stone wall.
Sand-based meadows are purposely nutrient poor, which promotes a fantastic floriferous wildflower display each Spring and Summer, which is nectar rich for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
This exciting form of meadow creation has been promoted by The Eden Project, and demonstrated most successfully in Calderstones Nature Reserve in Liverpool.
As far as we know this is the first sand meadow in Sheffield and as such, something of an experiment. The meadow will also include some pollinator friendly perennials and spring bulbs to give year round interest. Our aim is to use this as a demonstration project in Sheffield, which can be used as inspiration for other similar projects, both locally and in wider Sheffield.
The sand meadow has not been cheap to create, mainly due to the need to build a wall to contain the sand, but this will ensure it lasts for many years. Thanks to our generous members and supporters our crowdfunder continues to raise the funds needed. If you would like to support this project donate through our Localgiving page here.
Thanks go to: residents for their support, and local traders such as the Greek Village Restaurant; Abbeydale Road Trees for £1000; Sharrow Vale Community Association for £250 and to Sheffield1000 for donating £1,000.
