Illustration by John Sadler www.johnsadlerillustration.com 

• ISLINGTON may have the least green space of any borough in London, but every year tree pits (those little patches of earth around the base of street trees) burst into flower with poppies, hollyhocks and hardy geraniums, providing nectar for pollinators and uplifting pockets of beauty for passers-by.

If you would like to adopt a tree pit, Islington Trees advise that you tie a red ribbon around the trunk and email mytreepit@islington.gov.uk with the nearest house number.

For the volunteers who plant them, tree pits really are a triumph of hope over experience as they are vulnerable to irresponsible dog-owners, plant thieves, litter louts, and routine maintenance.

Of course, council workers have to keep our pavements safe from obstructions but often their spraying and strimming damages wildflowers and planting in tree pits too.

There are regular calls for the council to stop spraying harmful glyphosate weedkiller but there is little or no publicity for the fact that residents can help by agreeing to take responsibility for hand-weeding their street themselves.

This is already happening in streets in Archway, Canonbury and Tufnell Park. If your street would like to do this just email mytreepit@islington.gov.uk

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