17 October 2023

Keeping De Beauvoir Town green and pleasant

Looking after the trees, including replanting species important in an urban environment, is being undertaken across De Beauvoir Town by Benyon Estate staff and contractors working on their behalf.

In all, 36 specimen trees are managed across the Estate, which need regular maintenance checks and, on occasion, require thinning or even removal. But in virtually every case lost trees are replaced and, where appropriate, new trees are planted.

The work is part of the Benyon Estate’s commitment to caring for the natural environment in the area, providing habitats for wildlife, improving the gardens for tenants and visitors and enhancing the street scene more generally.

Duncan Urquhart, Benyon Estate Maintenance Manager, said: “We carry out a property and garden maintenance inspection every six months and a garden inspection is carried out monthly by Jeremy Bevan Gardens, on behalf of the Estate. 

“We inspect all the plants and on the rare occasion a tree is not healthy, we call in a firm called Custom Cutters, a North London firm of professional tree surgeons. They come to inspect the tree and they apply to Hackney Council for whatever permission is needed for the work required. Edward Benyon, our Estate Manager, has always stressed to me that the gardens are properly looked after. 

“The main thing is caring for the tree and the animal and insect life it supports and also maintaining health and safety, if trees are at risk of losing branches, for example.”

Duncan said new trees were regularly planted in the gardens of properties belonging to the Estate.  When a full refurbishment of a property is carried out, Steven Whitby, the Benyon Estate’s Building Surveyor, takes the opportunity to put in more plants and trees.

Among the tree species growing across De Beauvoir Town are sycamore, lime, ash, horse chestnut, acer and hazel.

Duncan added:

“One of the features of De Beauvoir is how green it is. We aim to maintain and enhance that quality as we care for the Estate.

Photos copyright © The Benyon Estate

In photos:  Duncan Urquhart, Benyon Estate Maintenance Manager, Custom Cutters, Jeremy Bevan Gardeners, De Beauvoir Block