Photo: Peacock butterfly on Blackthorn, close to Holly Lodge by Nigel Jackman
Diary Dates
- 14 & 26 April walks in Isabella Plantation
- 06 Apr Walk – meet at Sheen Gate Car Park.
- 13 Apr FRP AGM (at King’s School, TW10 6ES).
- 18 Apr 2020 Calendar photos – closing date for entries.
- 17-28 Apr Pottery Exhibition
- 11 May Richmond May Fair – Volunteers needed
- 11 May Talk & walk – Richmond Park Flora
Please note the item in the Park Diary below of a provisional date of 29 April for the planned 2 week closure of Kingston Gate while contractors for Kingston Council work on the roads outside it. The pedestrian gate is unaffected, and the date is subject to change.
The March bulletin contained an update of our campaign against new flight paths over the Park. Since then we have had coverage on ITV London news, including an interview with our Chairman Ron Crompton (the piece also covered the start of the court case against the 3rdrunway by five local councils and the Mayor, which gave us higher prominence but shorter air time!) and a front page in the Richmond and Twickenham Times on 8 March, which you can see here. Our thanks to all those (360 in total) who copied us on their emails to Heathrow. We continue to research the impact of the new flight paths on the park and will be meeting Heathrow in May.
18 April is the last date to send in your photos for the Friends 2020 Richmond Park Calendar. Please see http://bit.ly/calendar2020
We look forward to seeing your amazing images – a maximum number of 8 photos from each photographer, but not more than 4 from any one season: winter, spring, summer, autumn. The 2019 calendar was a sell-out and raised a record amount for projects in the Park. We are very grateful to all who donate their photos.
A group of the Volunteer Community Rangers made their first appearance in Richmond and Bushy Parks last week-end on familiarisation training. They will appear again for the start of the trial proper over the Easter bank holiday week-end. They are readily identifiable in their orange shirts, fleeces and jackets. Please give them a wave or wish them good luck. We are very grateful to them for giving up their time to help the two Parks.
London is seeing a growing population of peregrine falcons as they nest on a variety of tall buildings. The roof of Kingston College is one such place. The college has installed three cameras to monitor them and gives regular updates on their progress (the pair laid their first egg of the year last Wednesday). See the live camera links here.Not to be outdone Richmond now has a pair nesting on the roof of St Matthias Church on Richmond Hill close to the Park. Alerted by members of the Park’s Bird Group, a Royal Parks staff member who is part of the London Peregrine Partnership has installed a nesting tray to help their safe breeding. Peregrines are seen occasionally in the Park and are known to predate parakeets so we have great expectations of the Richmond pair!
Other stretches of the Brook in Barnes and Wimbledon are being monitored by similar groups. Further details at https://southeastrivers.
Fallen trees.
The recent high winds of Storm Gareth brought down fifteen or so trees in the Park, including an old oak near White Lodge and a willow on Beverley Brook near Roehampton Gate, which overhung the brook and clearly had weak roots. Our Facebook page has before and after photos, taken by Amanda Boardman, of the willow and a sad sight they make. See here .
Park pottery.
From 17-28 April, the gallery One Paved Court, off Richmond Green, are hosting a three person ceramics exhibition which includes work by Bridget Macklin who has incorporated clay from Beverley Brook and images from Richmond Park into her pieces. She has generously contributed some of the proceeds of her work to the Friends in the past and was also involved in funding the wonderful bench at Poet’s Corner. See more about her and the exhibition.
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Events Calendar
Next 3 months
All are welcome to join our walks. Start at 10.00am from the designated car park unless stated otherwise.
- 06 Apr Sheen Gate Car Park (+ Walk the Wall)
- 04 May Broomfield Hill Car Park
- 01 Jun Pen Ponds Car Park
Meet at Pen Ponds car park coffee kiosk at 9.30am.
TALKS & WALKS – Friends’ members only. (New members – join here)
Start at Pembroke Lodge at 10.15am, unless otherwise stated. No need to book – just turn up. Coffee/tea provided.
Usually 45-60 minutes, followed by an optional 90 minute walk, unless otherwise indicated.
- Apr NO TALK
- 11 May Richmond Park Flora (Mary Clare Sheanan). Talk & Walk.
- 15 Jun Pembroke Gardens (Jo Scrivener). Talk & Walk.
Richmond Park Diary April 2019 (from The Royal Parks)
The vehicle gate will close provisionally from 29th April for 2 weeks, Royal Borough of Kingston contractors will be working just outside Kingston Gate. This will entail closing the gate, road and diverting traffic. Motorists travelling from the south will be diverted in advance of reaching the park but motorists traveling from the north may want to seek alternative routes to avoid driving all the way through the park before driving all the way back again. Please note the date is subject to change.
All other park gate gates and car parks will remain open as usual but do expect increased congestion in places.
These ‘intriguing’ little insects are found in the park in early spring. They can be seen as adults on warm sunny days, looking superficially look a large bees / mosquito cross flying close to the ground. Unlike bees (that have 2 pairs of wings) they have a single pair of wings that are held outstretched when at rest. They have a long proboscis, used for feeding on nectar and they are often noticed first by sound as they make a high-pitched hum – flying from flower to flower.Superficially they look as though they could inflict a serious bite or sting but are in fact harmless to humans. They are parasitic, laying eggs in the soil by solitary bee nests so their larvae can feed on the larvae of their hosts when they emerge. They are spotted regularly by people and are one of the most common species the Natural History Museum receive calls about more than almost any other animal. – Such is their intrigue!
Ticks are small, spider like insects that attach themselves to humans, dogs and other animals to feed on blood. Whilst the risk is very low, they can transmit diseases including Lyme disease. Ticks cannot fly or jump but instead they cling onto tall vegetation and wait for their host to brush past. During spring, summer and autumn ticks are more numerous, more active and the park vegetation such as bracken is in ‘full frond’.Park visitors are advised to guard against tick bites by avoiding tall vegetation (especially if wearing shorts) and stay on well-worn paths. Insect repellent can also be used. Check yourself after walking in the parks and remove ticks immediately. If concerned, you feel unwell, or a rash appears – consult your GP immediately. Please visit the Information Centre for an information leaflet or via the Royal Parks website
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Isabella Plantation in April
The Streams
The streams are bright with Marsh Marigolds, (Caltha palustris). The yellow hooded spathes of the American Skunk Cabbage, (Lysichiton americanus), which precede large rank leathery leaves, are conspicuous along the stream from the Still Pond.
Camelias are still flowering throughout the Garden. They are mainly older Camellia japonica cultivars and a number of Williamsii hybrids.
Rhododendrons
Along the Bluebell Walk, opposite the Acer Glade, look out for the bright purple flowers of the deciduous R. reticulatum. This month the Japanese azaleas start into flower. They are usually at their best during the last week of April and the first week of May. R.racemosum grows down the path from the Still Pond, it is a medium sized shrub that bears pale to bright pink flowers. Rhododendron ‘Quaker Girl’ grows in the glade set back from the path at the top of Thomson’s Stream and bears trusses of stunning white flowers with a deep crimson throat. Look out for Rhododendron ‘Bibiani’ growing in a number of areas in the garden, this shrub produces compact trusses of rich crimson funnel shaped flowers with maroon spots.
Early evergreen azaleas are beginning to flower throughout the garden look out for ‘Kirin’ a pale pink “hose in hose” (flower within an flower) and ‘Sylvester’ which has small deep pink flowers. In a glade set back from the Main Stream and other locations around the Garden are the blue flowering Rhododendrons from the Triflorum series these are Rhododendron augustinii and the R,chasmanthum hybrid Rhododendron ‘Electra’.
Magnolias
Throughout the gardens pink and white forms of Magnolia soulangiana come into flower. Along the Bluebell Walk are two small pink hybrids of M. stellata, called M. X loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’. A larger one is set back by the Scots Pine to the far side of the Acer Glade. Magnolia ‘Heaven Scent’ one of the Gresham Hybrids grows in a ride off the Main Stream and has goblet shaped flowers, pink on the outside and white inside. Its flowers have a strong lavender scent.
Daffodils
In the Wet Lawn area near the top gate, the golden yellow flowers of Narcissus bulbocodium subsp. bulbocodium with conical cups and pointed petals have now appeared and succeed the delicate flowers of Narcissus cyclamineus, which are also naturalised in this area.
The Bog Garden
Look out for the clusters of white or pale pink flowers borne on white–haired stems which are those of the “Umbrella Plant”, Darmera peltata which flowers before it produces foliage.
Wheelchair available
A motorised wheelchair, which makes the job of pushing considerably easier, may be loaned for use within the Garden on weekdays between 9.00 and 15.00. Please ring 0300 061 2200 to book the chair by noon on the day before it is required.
Isabella Plantation Garden Walks
You are invited to join the gardeners for guided walks
throughout the year.
Walks will take place on:
April
Friday 26th
Sunday 14th
May
Friday 31st
Sunday 12th
Walks last about 1.5 hours and are free of charge.
Meet inside the Garden by the gate from Broomfield Hill car
park at 11.00a.m.