Generated by All in One SEO v5.0.0.1, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Perivale Park London Red Green Group/Friends of Perivale Park. Green Flag award 2022-2025. ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://www.perivalepark.london/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [The orchard meadows in June - Achillia and Viper's bugloss.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23410) - When the orchard garden project was being planned five years ago, four meadows were created with nutrient-poor soil to encourage a different diversity of flowers to adopt the area. The nutrient-free aspect was achieved by putting down a thick bed of sand into each of the meadows. These were then sown with a perennial seed-mix - [General nature walk, July 8th, 2023 at 10.00 led by Neil Anderson.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23435) - Each year, we normally have a nature walk close to or in the park. Recently these have been organised by the the Ealing Wildlife Group and this year, there will be walk on Saturday July 8th. The meeting place will be on the bridge over the Brent, just past Coston's nature reserve at 10.00, led - [News on meadow sowings - 2023.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23424) - Ealing parks will be putting down this year's bird seed and wild flower mixes in the big meadow in the park, shown below. The area is currently being prepared. Since last year when it was last done, an abundance of docks, grasses and cornflowers have taken over, and these were mowed yesterday. Today the mowings - [The Litten Nature Reserve](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23390) - Nestling amongst the back gardens of Greenford centre and not far from Perivale Park is this wonderful little nature reserve. The entrance is along Oldfield Lane South, but you could be forgiven for not noticing it, and since it is only open on select days, you have to plan your visit in advance. The next - [Revolting pollution in Costons Brook](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24950) - Ben of CURB has sent me these photos of the state of Costons Brook in the park. This is caused by "misconnections" of raw sewage to the rainwater sewer up stream from the Brook. Costons Brook has several sources, one being the Beaver pond in Paradise fields and another coming from Northolt village. The pollution - [Glade Lane Canal Side park - the mounds are ready to climb!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24910) - Rather more than a year ago, I described progress on this canal side park and its newly built mounds. You can now go to the top, and the view is pretty good when you get there. But the wild flowers around the new ponds are stunning. The sort of place you simply have to go - [Diversity in the Park orchard: A 2026 update.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24904) - This is another in our occasional series by our good friend Neil Anderson, on the state of plant and animal diversity in Perivale Park. As usual, it takes the form of general comments about various areas of the park, and then a list of the plant species observed in the orchard area. Spent some time - [Bedstraw Season.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24870) - I have never before seen such a display of bedstraws around the park, and in the orchard meadows. I am not sure if they are all likely to be scented, so it is worth popping out to the park at dusk and seeing if you can detect the unmistakable honey-like scents. Many of the footpath walks - [The ox-eye daisies are back.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24856) - Ox-eye daisies tend to show only periodically - every two to three years they put on a splendid display. So this is their year. Along with the corn flowers. Meanwhile, some news to report on mauve, coming soon! - [Late spring bulbs in the raised beds.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24841) - Spring is soon over and summer will start. The raised beds are now showing their final spring selection. Meanwhile, the roses have been mulched, but there are still more to do! And next its the turn of the four small meadows in the orchard area. The oriental poppies are looking to put a good show - [A good year for tulips (at RHS Wisley)](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24822) - We occasionally go see how other parks and gardens are doing. We were aware that RHS Wisley had a tulip planting this year, and having seen the decent display that our own Perivale Park tulips put on this year, we popped off to Wisley. The display is stunning - there is still time to go - [Spring colour - 2026 style.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24802) - As always, each year favours particular plants and flowers. I am tempted to say that its the turn of the daffodils now. The glade where bulbs were planted 7 years ago gradually faded over six years, but now the daffodils have recovered and they put on a really good show for us. Also include is - [Citizen Science Dashboard, from Thames21](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24794) - Perivale + Pear Tree parks are part of the river Brent catchment, and so I thought it would be interesting to show this Citizen Science project from Thames21 measuring water quality along various catchments in London. One of the contributors to this data set is the Brent-Imperial run-off project, which has as its particular focus - [The Pear Tree orchard - Varieties.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24746) - The planting of the Pear Tree orchard took place on 18th January, 2026 by an army of volunteers. Each has a photo of the variety at the base (although I am not sure how waterproof the prints will be!). And some fascinating varieties there are! Apparently there are still six more mature trees to come. - [Planting Pear Trees in the Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24743) - 🌳 Pear Tree in the Park — Community Volunteer Day 🍐 We’re planting new pear trees in the park — and everyone is welcome to come help and make a difference! 📍 Location: Pear Tree Park, Stockdove Way, Perivale UB6 8TJ (Meeting near Pear Tree Park Bistro) 📅 Date: 18 January 🕑 Time: 2:00 PM - [Welcome to 2026 - and a most unusual sight in Greenford.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24736) - I thought I would start the new year by showing something rarely seen in the British countryside in recent times. OK, this photo was not taken in Perivale park, but at the nearby Paradise fields. But who knows, the park itself might have beavers in the future? And for those of you in the UK, - [Winter Bird Box Installation](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24732) - [Pear Tree Park Bistro: the grand opening.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24702) - It was cold and windy morning, with snow having just fallen. Despite this, a lively crowd turned up to open the Bistro. The venue has a bar, a stage for live music, hot cooked food with an Italian theme, draught and bottle beers, a good selection of wines and ... prosecco! The full menu will - [Pear Tree Park Bistro - grand opening 19th November, 2025 at 11.00.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24696) - The new Bistro in the park has announced that it will be opening on Wednesday 19th November, 2025 at 11.00. As the poster announces, there will be hot food, a bar and even live music. The new venue comes a little less than a year after the old cafe closed its doors. Find it using - [Primrose - World's Most Scented Mix!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24686) - Just added to the raised beds in the orchard are 15 plugs of "Primrose - World's Most Scented Mix". So next year, keep your nostrils open for any new scent there! We are gradually adding new scents to the garden - sadly the roses there have only a slight fragrance. Any suggestions for plants with - [Bulbing and Strulching the raised beds!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24665) - This year, with the help of five volunteers, the raised beds in the orchard have had a good maintenance. Weeding first, then bulb planting and finally strulching, a superior form of mulching! Its an early plant this year, so we should get an early flowering next spring. Remember to visit! - [Autumn harvests - potatoes and dandelions!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24654) - Perivale park provided supper yesterday. Potatoes planted in the raised beds were ready for harvesting.† They were delicious! Moving on, we found a lady harvesting dandelion roots and leaves for making a dandelion tea. I wonder what else can be harvested from the park at this time of year? † - [Perivale and Pear Tree Parks Bistro - an update](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24650) - Good news to report. The refurbishment of the old cafe has started and will take about a month. Apart from the restaurant, kitchen and toilets, a new community room for perhaps 20 people will be opened. Although no opening date is yet available, there is optimism that it will happen this year, a year or - [Autumn oranges. Acorns and Crab apples](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24628) - If you get up close, this year Crab Apples (Variety Red sentinel) and the acorns are revealing splendid, almost translucent autumn colours. The acorns in particular are very abundant and the squirrels must be very overworked! Now to find some more autumn colour in the park. - [Hops Hops everywhere!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24616) - About five or so years back, we noticed a hop plant with its roots on the banks of Coston's brook and climbing up to the footbridge across the brook in the park. Boy has it spread! Downstream from the bridge, the banks of the brook are lined with nothing but hop plants. I gather that the - [Friends of Perivale Park: Annual General Meeting 2025. Tuesday 23 September, 2025, 19.30.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24604) - This will be the fifh AGM we have held since our formation in 2020. If you want the back story to some of the events happening in the park and surrounding areas, why not join us by Zoom. If you send an email to friends@perivalepark.london, you will get the joining link and a copy of - [Observations in the park - by someone with an acute eye for nature.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24596) - Neil is a frequent visitor to Perivale Park, and he sees plants (and invertebrates) that most of us do not. When I met him the other day, I asked if he had observed anything more unusual. This is his emailed reply: Later that day (after he and I met) I remembered I had also encountered the plant on - [The raised beds in the orchard: community gardeners](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24583) - There are four raised beds in the orchard area - and we have increasingly noticed community gardeners doing good deeds in them. So thanks for the recent weeding, and the sowing of as yet unidentified seedlings! If you know who it was, ask them what they are! Meanwhile, the Agapanthus, planted last year is now looking nice and - [Brent River Park 50th Anniversary Celebration: Morris dancing, English bluebells and lots more.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24540) - Perivale park is part of the greater Brent River park, a concept that was created 50 years ago by Luke FitzHerbert. Here are some photos of the celebration, which happened on Sunday 29th June. Apologies if some of the photos are of the set-up stage, but I had to rush off elsewhere before the crowds truly came! - [A riot of colour in June.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24503) - June is of course for roses, and they are looking absolutely splendid in the orchard garden at the moment. I even got a comment about them being better than the ones in the Queen Mary garden, Regent's park! But if you carefully go up close in the four meadows next to the raised beds, you - [The raised beds in the orchard garden- Iris and allium.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24479) - The most regular plantings of flowers in the park are in the four raised beds in the orchard garden (not withstanding the adjacent meadow which has just been planted with a mix which includes poppies and cornflowers for later in the year). Here are a few delights for May. By the way, the raised beds - [Update on the Imperial-CURB Run-off project](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24475) - This is a one year project to measure water run-off along the entire river Brent corridor. There are four sampling points in Perivale park itself and a total of 99 samples along the entire length have been collected so far and sent to Imperial College for analysis. We expect preliminary analytical results to emerge in about - [The Perivale Park meadow 2025 - a blue theme!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24463) - The meadow has been rotavated and is currently as I write this being seeded with the following mix: Papaver rhoeas Anthemis arvensis Agrostemma githago Centaurea cyanus This is a very different mix from those past, and very exciting it is too. A number of areas in Ealing have also been seeded, but I do not - [Isabella Plantation- Richmond park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24458) - Following on from one of the spring highlights of west London, here is another. The Azalea and Rhododendron glade in Richmond park, known as the Isabella plantation. This is a movie of the famous still pond in the centre of the plantation.  Next, Roses in the Queen Mary garden in Regents park! - [News on Park food - Pear Tree Park Bistro.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24431) - Following the closure of the old golf club cafe last December, news now comes that a new food outlet is planning to open this summer in the same premises - the Pear Tree Park Bistro offering modern European cuisine. It is hoped it will have longer opening hours than the original cafe (which closed by - [Perivale wood 2025: bluebells, celandine, stitchwort and cuckoo flowers.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24434) - This year there is no public open day viewing of the bluebells in Perivale Wood, so I thought I would show some of the highlights here instead. The bluebell flowering coincides with the stitchwort and celandine and you can see all three in some locations. We also saw a magnificent display of the cuckoo flower - [Brent-Imperial Run-off Project.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24424) - A major one-year scientific project is starting which will involve sampling the waters of the river Brent and some of its tributaries. This is a collaboration between the Environmental Research group at Imperial College, CURB (Clean Up River Brent) and around 30 teams of volunteers. The project aims to analyse rain-water run-off immediately before and - [Brent Riverside track.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24412) - Thanks to a lot of clearing out of previously inaccessible undergrowth, a delightful new footpath has been created on the north bank of the River Brent as it flows through what is now Pear Tree park. This complements the existing footpath on the south bank, although the new one only runs along part of the - [Tree planting in Pear Tree Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24408) - Please note that the Cafe referred to for the location is currently closed as a cafe (although it might be opened on the day for toilets)? - [Wild vegetables!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24395) - We have recently returned from Rhodes, where we discovered that many restaurants have something called "Wild Greens" on their menus. Asking the waiter about these wild greens, they responded that most restaurants source them from the local meadows close to the restaurant, and that there are many varieties one can find. This reminded me that - [A good year for - Cob nuts?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24385) - Every year, starting around now, one can watch out to see if any particular species seems like its going to have a good year. So the first of these I have spotted are the cob nuts in the orchard garden These were planted about six years ago, but have never produced such a display of catkins - [Requited love - a romantic story of the night.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24382) - It started about 2-3 weeks ago when throughout the night I heard the call of a bird, just outside the bedroom window so it seemed, or at very least in our garden. To confirm my supposition, I whipped out my bird identification app (Merlin) and identified it as a Little owl. As the nights went by, the owl continued - [Bright sun and frost on Horsenden Hill.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24371) - The first proper freeze of the year is always worth a photo or two. In this instance, not of Perivale Park itself but of the nearby Horsenden hill. Meanwhile, in the park itself, the ponds are starting to freeze nicely. Since a couple more days of sub-zero temperatures are forecast, I will wait until the - [Tree Watering Champions.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24362) - Signs of a new project for Perivale park (or more accurately the surrounding streets) have appeared. Called "Trees for Streets", it encourages local residents to go out and water trees planted in Ealing streets (there is one for parks as well). Over the years we have observed many trees planted in the Perivale park area - [The Glade Lane Canalside Park Ponds.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24345) - A little over a year ago, I reported that the Glade Lane canalside park had acquired its new and impressive mounds. A year later, there is a further addition - a set of nice interlinked ponds, which when settled in and matured in a few years time promises to look very attractive. The mounds - [The 2024 edition of the morning sky over Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24322) - At a time of year when most of the colour has gone from the park, one has to look to the sky. Here is how it appeared this morning at around 07.30. Because we are close to Heathrow airport, a bonus was the aircraft trails, which absorb the morning pink textures. - [The last of the autumn colour: Cosmos](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24309) - The meadow "frame" planted earlier this year has finally brought the Cosmos to the fore. They have been going for a little while now, and will indeed last a little longer! The spring bulbs are now being planted, ready for a whole new year! Meanwhile, does the park have any more surprises for us? - [More seasonal activity!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24293) - The entire year has been wet! And so to the 2024 vintage fungii - which are now emerging in force. These look pretty fresh, and were found just outside the park in 60 Trees lane, often nestling in the decaying trunks of some of the erstwhile 60 trees. I am sure there are many more - [Autumn colour in the park: Spindle.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24282) - Walking along the Capital ring path in the path, one comes across a collection of flowering bushes with spectacular pink and orange fruits and red leaves. My iNaturalist phone app identifies these as Spindle, or Euonymus europaeus. To quote Gardeners World, it is a native shrub or small tree that goes largely unnoticed for most - [Fast-charge battery trains next to Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24264) - Following on from the previous post of interesting things happening in the proximity of Perivale Park, here is another. The small branch line connecting Greenford to West Ealing station and thence the Elizabeth line, runs alongside Perivale park on a railway embankment. Just round the corner, the park has its very own stop - South Greenford. - [Guerrilla gardens close to Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24260) - Along Hicks Avenue, the houses of which back up to the park, we spotted this wonderfully cheerful little Guerrilla Garden. Its been there for a while, but is looking particularly cheerful at the moment when Perivale Park itself is starting to wind down for autumn. It is wonderfully well tended, and whoever looks after it, - [All about Bees!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24255) - This blog features bees quite a lot. Way back in 2019 we had highlighted the Ealing Beekeepers just down the road from the park. Just recently I was contacted by Christy from savingourbees.org offering some nice advice on how to do the very best for our bees and it is reproduced here as a guest post.‡ - [New sandpits and benches.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24241) - In these posts in the past I have often referred to the two general areas of the Perivale park sports fields and the Longfield meadows and ponds on the other side of the railway embankment as the "Greater Perivale park". Now sandwiched nicely between these two is Pear Tree park, which along its northern and western edge - [Pear Tree Park - the opening.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24183) - Today, the new park created from the golf course adjacent to Perivale Park, was inaugurated as Pear Tree park at around 11.00 this morning. It was certainly an event for the youngsters, who turned up in numbers and participated in some very strange looking sports and there were lots of exciting and exotic stalls and performers! The - ["Framed meadows"](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24212) - Ealing this year has adopted a policy of "framing meadows" with colourful strips of flowers, whilst retaining more "bird friendly" sowings in their centres. At least for the central meadow in Perivale Park. The seed mix appears to have been designed to evolve in colour over the summer, so expect more snapshots during August and - [A summer's day (spiral) walk around Northala Fields](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24141) - Just to the west of Perivale Park are the Northala fields, a prominent feature of which are the four large mounds. The largest and tallest of these has a spiral (right handed!) path to the top, which we walked today. The flowers on either side of the path were stunning - as was the scent from the thistles, - [July 7th: A 'power hour' of litter picking in your local green space.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24127) - The Conservation Volunteers have recently suggested that a "power hour" Sunday 7th July be spent litter picking. So two of the Friends of Perivale Park got out their "power picker", and visited the site where TCV recently spent about two hours replanting the edge of Coston's brook. As it happens, not too much litter there! - [Perivale Park Academy.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24122) - These notices have appeared around the park recently! Notice the age group, 2-7. So if you have children/grandchildren that age, consider enrolling them! More details will no doubt follow. - [The orchard meadows in June!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24110) - The orchard meadows were sown in 2019, five years ago. Watching them each year, I am struck by how very different each year has been. This year is no exception. The photos below do not do the meadows justice - go see them for yourself! No doubt July-August will be different again, so keep an - [Volunteers improving the ponds! Purple Loosestrife.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24090) - Lythrum salicaria or purple loosestrife is native to the UK (but considered eg a pest in areas like north America) and likes wet environments such as pond edges. Here are three volunteers planting 80 plugs into the edge of the ponds near the kids playground in the park. You might imagine the muddy edge of a pond to - [An Ealing Greenspace at the start of its new life as a Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24072) - Last Friday was the last day of the Perivale Park golf course being open - and now it awaits its new life as an Ealing park. We strolled around the park and here are a few photos to give a flavour of what it looks like now. The next thing to happen will be the - [Magnificent Roses in the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24057) - June heralds the start of the rose season. The main area where they are found is in the orchard garden, although they can also be found elsewhere. The light pink ones are not scented, and the darker ones are. Can you find them? The beds will need mulching again at the end of the season, - [Perivale Park Golf club Cafe - use it or loose it!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24045) - >The Ealing Parks Foundation had its second meeting this year this last Thursday, with twelve people present. Here I list some bullet points emerging from the discussions, mostly relating to Perivale Park. They are from my own notes, and are not formal minutes! The Golf course adjacent to the park will be closed from the - [The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) in Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24028) - The TCV group organises events around the country and today they came to Perivale Park on a corporate volunteering day with a group of about twenty very enthusiastic people from PwC - and one volunteer dog accompanying Ben!. An area of ground‡ on the banks of Costons Brook near to its exit from the culvert - [Animal proof litter bins anyone?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24015) - Around 9 old litter bins in the park, often raided by animals in the past if they could smell food inside them, have been replaced by ones with animal-proof flaps! The new ones are slightly larger (taller?). But will they cope with the detritus of a cricket match, as you can see in two photos just - [A strip of summer annual and perennial flowers is coming!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/24003) - Last week, a 3m wide strip of the flower meadow in the park was seen being prepared. It runs alongside the meadow seeded with bird mix last year. The new seeding (thanks Brad!) will be Hurrells HC12 Wildflower Seed Mix, being a mix of annual and perennial flowers with the aim of attracting Bees and Butterflys. - [Late spring colour along the River Brent](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23993) - The walk along the river Brent from Longfield meadows/Gurnell centre to Greenford is delightful at this time of year. The area will continue to change as summer comes. I might add that some of the plants have a slight fragrance, but we will have to wait for the Linden trees in the summer for the - [Listening to birds.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23984) - I am certainly no expert on birdsong, and so have come to rely on technology (and any accompanying expert) to identify birds. Occasionally I will "listen" using the wonderful Merlin Bird ID app. Switched on today sitting on a bench near the largest lake in the Longfield meadows, eight different birds were identified after listening - [Perivale Park: One of London's best outdoor spaces!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23975) - Back in 2018, we noted here the impending formation of a new National park based in London! This was the brainchild of Dan Raven-Ellison and now six years later, he has produced a guide to London's best outdoor spaces where seven picks are listed. Amongst these is the "Best hidden gem: Section 8 of the - [Diversity in the Park orchard: A 2024 update.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23970) - Back in June 2021, a biodiversity survey of the park orchard meadows was carried out for us by Neil Anderson. Since then the meadows have largely been left alone, with no added nutrients and only a minimum of "weeding". Time I thought to see what changes of three years of being left mostly to their - [Litter picking with a Difference: CURB and Coston's Brook](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23953) - Coston's brook is a tributary of the river Brent, emerging above ground in Perivale Park from a twin-tunnel culvert. The culvert is protected by a metal grill, and over time rubbish in the brook gets trapped on the grill. Yesterday, there was probably ~5 years worth of the stuff, impeding the flow of the brook. - [Now it's the turn of the tulips - 2024.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23939) - Again in the orchard area in the raised beds. There are a few more suprises to come during the summer and autumn. Look out for them! - [Quince blossom in the orchard](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23931) - In 2019, a fruit orchard was planted in the park. Of all the 24 trees there, one has really taken off - starting last year and literally blossoming abundantly this year - and that is the quince. There is only one such plant, so I am not certain if the flowers will be pollinated in order - [Updates - the park Fritillaries and the Colne Valley Viaduct.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23894) - Firstly the fritillaries, which are now looking splendid. Again, I think the bountiful rain this spring has helped! The Colne Valley viaduct is making rapid progress and the segments crossing Savay and Harefield lakes will be added by the big red contraption (the "launching girder") in the next month or two. Those unfamiliar with this blog - [Friends of Perivale Park: Annual report 2023-2024.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23889) - Each year, the Friends group holds an annual general meeting (AGM), at which the Chair presents a report of the year's activities. This years was held yesterday. Click on the image above if you want to download and read the whole report. If you have any comments or interesting information about the park, do please - [2024 - A good year for Daffodils.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23878) - Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that each new season seems to especially favour some species of flower? This year, it seems to be magnolias, cherries and daffodils that are particularly splendid. Perivale park does not have any magnolias or cherries, but it certainly has a nice display of daffodils in the - [A different view of the Park Pear Trees](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23870) - Last autumn, the avenue of pear trees produced a wonderful orange-hued vista. Now a few months later, it is the turn of the blossom. We also always keep an eye our for our Snake's head fritillary, which was planted around five years ago and has continued to emerge every spring. I think the record count of - [Friends of Perivale Park: Annual General Meeting, Monday 18th March, 2024 at 19.30.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23830) - Please Note. Due to a clash with an Ealing Council meeting on 5th March, the AGM has been rescheduled for Monday 19th March. Our fourth AGM will take place on Monday 19th March, using a virtual call. If you want a copy of the Chair's report to peruse and a link to join our meeting, - [Wood sculptures found in a nearby nature reserve.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23854) - Whilst out exploring a nearby nature reserve, we came across these wonderful sculptures. Are they the work of a team of sculptors, or just one master sculptor? The nature reserve has recently had a lot of improvements, including tree maintenance and it is tempting to conclude that some of the felled trees were converted into - [The Ealing Beaver sanctuary revisited.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23837) - Time we thought to revisit the Beaver sanctuary, in Paradise fields. It has been raining a lot and so Coston's Brook, which feeds the pond where the beavers are established should be and indeed was flowing well. The beavers themselves, which are largely nocturnal, are not expected to be out and about. So that they - [Perivale Park Kestrel](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23833) - You can often spot kestrels in the park, but less often taking a rest in a tree. Oh, for a Kingfisher in a similar pose! - [Fruit trees in West London - Lady Gilbert's orchard.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23815) - Since 2019, Perivale park has had its own orchard, now with 35 fruit trees. I thought I might show some photos here of another, much older (1890) orchard which is about 13 km to the north of the park and is known as Gilbert's orchard, after the wife of W. S. Gilbert of opera fame. - [News for February, 2024 - every little helps!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23799) - A stroll around the park has revealed interesting new features for this year. A new rubbish bin in the Longfield meadows, next to the bench where you can admire the lakes. Every little helps - but hey Ealing parks, don't stop there. Put a few more in! Two large swathes in the north Londfield meadow appear to have been - [Costons Brook - as you may never have seen it before.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23774) - The water course that flows through the park, Costons Brook, is a tributary of the river Brent. Its source is difficult to identify since the development of Greenford these last 100 years or so have resulted in most of it running in underground culverts. The map I talked about here can help identify its original - [Perivale Park Green flag: 2023-2024.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23785) - In 2022 the park got its first Green Flag award. We are proud that this award has been renewed for 2023 - 2024!  Here is the new flag, flapping before storm Isha hits us! - [Places of interest in Google Maps for the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23766) - Google maps depends on crowd sourcing for items of interest on its maps (as indeed does the other map I often use, openstreetmap.org). I have been updating the entries for Perivale Park, the results of which you can see below. All you need is to have a Google account to do so, and although the - [The River Brent and (some of) its tributaries.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23737) - The river Brent flows along the southern edge of Perivale Park, on its way to joining the river Thames at Brentford. I thought here I would trace its route from (some) of its sources. The main route of the river starts in the London Borough of Barnet at Moat Mount, where it is called Dollis - [A corner of the park is now restored!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23727) - Over the last few years, one corner of the main playing field area of the park had become something of a storage depot. Much of the accumulation was because of the loss of other storage spaces in the borough, and also whilst awaiting for completion of the new park at Glade lane. Gradually since June - [Unveiled: the new plans for Gurnell Leisure centre](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23715) - Leisure centers apparently have life expectancies of ~40 years and the one named Gurnell, located in what we like to call the greater Perivale park in the late 1970s, had reached the end of its life. The original redevelopment plans, the "Gurnell redevelopment", were rejected a year or so ago by the council planning committee - [Late autumn colour in 2023 - the avenue of Pear trees.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23705) - The relatively wet and warm autumn here has delayed the onset of full tree colour. One of the best displays in the park comes from the row of trees planted along the path parallel to the athletics track. The colour lasts a long time before the leaves drop. The strong morning sun gives the avenue - [Autumn 2023 fungi, splashes of colour and gardening chores](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23692) - Hunting for fungi is always great fun in the park - not for eating of course. Here are just a few we found over the last few days. I could not resist two splashes of colour, strictly not in the park itself and I end with gardening chores - in the raised beds in the - [Glade Lane canalside park - monumental mounds!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23668) - To the west of Perivale park are to be found Northala Fields, the prominent features of which are the four tall mounds with two outstanding viewpoints at their tops. Now to the south west of Perivale an even larger feature is taking shape- Glade lane canalside park. The canal is the grand union to the - [Overgrown path now clear - thanks to local volunteers.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23662) - A well-used path connecting the bridge across Coston's brook and the Betham road entrance across the meadow there used to be a main access point to the "tadpole" pond in the park. Thanks Ros for photo! Over the last year, the brambles have roamed across the path, making it impassible for both people and dogs! Thanks - [The meadow in autumn 2023.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23648) - Thanks to the relatively late seeding, the larger flower meadow in the park (in between the orchard area and the MUGA court) has some late autumn colour. Thanks to Michael for some photos. The dwarf sunflowers and the flax were part of the seed mix, but the cornflowers and cosmos appear to have arrived by - [The beavers are coming - real soon now!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23626) - Perivale park is blessed with having lots of green interesting areas surrounding it and one of them is Paradise Fields, just up to the road so to speak. There a project to introduce beavers is taking place (around five), following the earlier such project at Enfield and the birth of the first baby beavers in London - [The Colne Valley Viaduct taking shape](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23612) - What, you might ask is the connection between Perivale Park and the Colne Valley viaduct?The viaduct is part of the HS2 rail link from London to Birmingham - and possibly beyond - and will be 3.4 km long, the longest railway viaduct in the UK. East of the viaduct a tunnel is being bored by TBMs - [Vandalism - pure and simple - but not as we know it.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23604) - The MUGA (multi-use-games-area) is a games area - where people might run (or at least trot). When playing games (or even trotting), you need a level surface where you are not likely to slip. So the photos below show the park MUGA as I found it today. Gravel has been scattered widely, the chunks are - [Creation of a regional park - Some detail. And reference to a lido proposal?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23599) - This proposal certainly has caused much discussion and excitement. I managed to find some more detail, whilst we wait for more of the facts surrounding this proposal to emerge. This is the link and I only pull out a few snippets from that. Perhaps someone well versed in this sort of speak can identify other - [Council Proposing to Close Perivale Park Golf Course - and create a new regional park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23590) - As you can see from the map below, Perivale park abuts a golf course. Ealing council are proposing that this course be converted into a new regional park. Quoting Peter Mason, leading of the council "the Elizabeth II Park has transformed the east of London and this new regional park has the potential to have similar positive - [Treading the grapes in Greenford.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23560) - Horsenden Grape and Honey farm first planted their vines on a south facing sunny slope in Greenford about six years ago. This year the harvest of Solaris grapes was expected to be large enough to hold their first ever grape treading ceremony. As a "townie", it's not the sort of thing I would have done in my - [A wonderful blush of blue in the park - and its only going to get better.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23543) - As I noted before on July 9th, a seed mix containing Flax was planted in the meadow along the Capital ring path. Now, a mere two months later, its produced a fantastic display - and I think the best is yet to come. Do go visit this part of the park and have a look - [A new (industrial-sized) find in the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23530) - A few years ago, a walk in the park would often reveal small discarded nitrous oxide gas canisters; my record find was 52 of them. Then their incidence started to decrease and they became a less common sight. Today however whilst on my early morning litter round, I came across 19 much larger canisters - each weighing 1.1 - [Repairs/by-passes to the Gurnell to Greenford path.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23522) - As you can see from the map below, a footpath known as the Gurnell to Greenford greenway runs parallel to Ruislip Road, and adjacent to the river Brent. At the spot marked with a red arrow, the footpath is very close to the near-vertical bank of the river, which flows perhaps 3-5m below the level - [Stipa Gigantea](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23514) - I mentioned in the last post the giant grasses in the orchard area. Here are some photos, that do not entirely show how very tall they are! - [Yellow slime mold.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23507) - Occasionally, I spot something in the park that I have never seen below. The photos below were snapped in the orchard area, next to the wood chipping mulch pile. iNaturalist tells me it is from the Genus Fuligo, and is probably the delightfully named "Dog Vomit Slime Mold". With the frequent recent showers, I expect - [Park nature walk - observations](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23487) - On July 8th, led by Neil Anderson, we set out on a nature walk, taking in a large part of Perivale Park. Notes of what we saw, kindly provided by Neil, are shown below, along with some photos taken by myself. The highlight, as you can see below is the sighting of four different raptors, - [The 2023 meadow seed mix goes in - Sunflowers and Flax!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23468) - A dazzling variety of high-tech machines were used to prepare this year's large park meadow for seeding. July is an unusual time to put seeds in, so quite what will happen over the next few months will be interesting to discover. The mix is for birds, and not neccessarily ornamental for humans to enjoy. But - [The scent of July - the Linden tree.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23456) - After the exquisite scent of lady's bedstraw comes the very different but equally wonderful smell of the Linden tree (Tilia or Lime tree). The park has many of these, and they are at their flowering peak right now. Walk along the various paths in the park and you will likely experience the scent. Indeed, you - [Lady's Bedstraw.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23448) - With all the talk of technologists and virtual and augmented reality, one sense is overlooked - that of smell. And there is no more stunning scent than that of Lady's bedstraw (Galium Verum) drifting in a peaceful meadow at dusk. So I defy the proponents of all those electronic realities to replicate the experience of - [Is the park playground embarrassed?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23442) - When you take family to a park playground, you hope the kids will be safe and can run around happily without concern. We in fact visited Perivale park playground yesterday (Friday) at around 14.00 with an infant grand-daughter. We did (sadly) have to check for broken glass and syringes (both of which have been seen - [Cornflower meadow.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23379) - Yet another meadow to report on - full of cornflowers. Again, having been missing for a year or two, they have made a great comeback this year. Each flower seems to be mostly occupying its own little meadow this year! What next I wonder? - [Meadows of poppies and buttercups.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23368) - The year 2023 is turning out to be a good one for both buttercups and poppies. Here are some photos of our poppy meadow, part of the orchard garden, and our buttercup meadow, next to the tennis courts. The poppies still have many unopened buds. One question is where did they come from? Were they - [Heron and Friends.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23358) - Herons are daily visitors to the park. One person has even suggested you can set your clock by one heron, who always visits Coston's brook around 09.15 each day. This is a snap of possibly that heron, or another, with two friends, sent in by Ros. Thanks Ros! If you happen to take an interesting - [A new river bridge in the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23345) - Depending on how you define the park boundaries, we have four bridges - two crossing the Brent and two crossing Coston's brook. A fifth is now taking shape, crossing what might be called Perivale Brook. This latter feeds the ponds in the area next to the children's playground and previously crossed the path there in a pipe. A pipe that - [May along the river Brent - and our new stream is now a river!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23330) - I noted on March 16 an unintended river appearing in the park. Clearly a burst water main, the leak has expanded and now the footpath to Greenford is a proper river. This has been reported to Thames Water, so we might expect it to be fixed soon, if only to save on our precious water. - [Dandelions - a stunning spring flower!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23317) - Every year, it seems one flower or plant in particular is favoured by the conditions. Dare I say it, this year it is Tulips and - yes Dandelions. Note also one mystery resolved. A few months back a seemingly ancient concrete bench appeared next to our ponds. A small label at the base suggests it - [More splashes of seasonal colour.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23300) - The raised beds in the park orchard area are again devoted to spring bulbs at this time of year. Following the annual top-up last November, they are now in full flower - rather later it has to be said than most daffodils! We are now planning the next plant to put in - how about - [Seating galore from which to view the wildlife in the ponds.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23282) - Are you one of those walkers who likes to see a bench to sit on when you visit a park? Fear not. The meadows to the east of the railway viaduct have lots of seating, in the form of nicely shaped rocks arrayed along the banks of the small stream that flows through the meadow - [Heron vs Frog: nature in action](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23259) - We caught a young heron in the process of swallowing a frog it had just caught. We often see herons in this location, the ponds near to the bridge across Coston's Brook. This one was very fastidious, dipping the frog in the waters several times before swallowing it. The pink flower by the way is - [Friends activities during February 2022-February 2023.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23253) - I attach here the report of park activities and projects presented at the Friends AGM yesterday. Click on the image to get the full report. If you have any comments on any of the items, photos of the park or indeed are a long time resident with memories of the park years ago, do please - [A new (old) park bench - where did it come from?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23246) - A park bench has mysteriously appeared near the "four ponds" area of the park, near the Cowgate road entrance. Its obviously old, and clearly has come from another home. But sitting on it, one has a lovely view of the ponds, which in retrospect clearly needed a bench from which to view them. And on a summer - [The frozen ponds of perivale park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23235) - From Chobham common back to Perivale park. Yesterday the temperature was -6C and the large ponds east of the railway viaduct were artistically frozen. Here are a few snaps, very different from the Chobham ponds. The spring bulbs are not far behind so the next show from the park is not long to wait for. - [Ice art: the frozen ponds of Chobham Common.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23209) - Occasionally other green spaces in London make a guest appearance here, and this one is from Chobham Common, in the south west just beyond the M25 ring. The last two nights have seen an abrupt drop in temperatures, down to about -4C, and this rapid freeze and perhaps wind have created some wonderful patterns in - [Friends of Perivale Park. Third annual General meeting, Tuesday February 7th, 2023, 19.30.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23200) - [Final winter colour for 2022 - and some rose mulching](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23185) - As the year comes to an end, it is still a very unusual one. Roses in early December in such abundance? And they have been given a nice winter blanket of mulch which should set them up for next year. Next thing to look forward to? A nice covering of snow and frozen ponds please! - [Raising the Green Flag in Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23142) - We had a wonderful turnout for the Green Flag ceremony on Saturday 26th November, and the weather did its bit as well.    A local neighbour (thanks Pierre!) brought an enormous platter of Lebanese Baklava and we had a good selection of sweet treats from the local Horsenden Loaf artisan bakery, Christmas biscuits and - [New Fingerposts and sign in the Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23126) - Ealing parks have just installed three new Fingerpost signs in the park and an information sign for Longfield meadows. Game: From the locations, can you work out where the posts are located? Or: walk around the park until you have found all four signs/fingerposts as a treasure hunt! Information posters have also been placed in - [Raising the (Green) Flag: Saturday 26th November 2022, 10.00 - 10.30 am in the orchard](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23120) - The park now has its own flagpole, with a green flag ready to be flown from it. This will first be raised on Saturday 26th November 2022, 10.00 - 10.30 am in the orchard and James Murray, our local MP has very kindly agreed to perform the ceremony. If you want to come along to - [The periodic lake festival in the Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23102) - A few times a year, especially at this time, the golf course adjacent to the park transforms into a lake. This area is a flood plane, and when the Welsh Harp reservoir gets too full, its sluice gates are opened and the excess water flows down the river Brent until it reaches the park golf course. - [Free five-a-side football training for 8-10 year olds on 26th October – the event!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23084) - As part of the MUGA (Multi-use-games-area) restoration project, we organised a day of football training for 8-10 year olds from local schools, run by the Brentford FC community sports trust. After an hour or so, everyone moved to the adjacent grass sports field for a difference experience! And then the rain came as a very heavy shower, - [Autumn color in the park - and herons galore.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23053) - Two hours ago, heavy rain fell in the neighborhood and we decided to find out what had happened. We quickly came across not one, but two herons eyeing each other up. One occupied the new stepping stones across the pond and the other appeared to fancy the position as well. The ponds themselves are filling - [Costons Brook improvements - reed and iris plantings.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23046) - Today a section of the bed of Costons brook (near the bridge in Perivale Park) was planted by five volunteers with Flag Iris, which should flower yellow in the spring. Earlier this month, the Greenwayers had removed vast amounts of Himalayan Balsam from the banks and overhanging branches have been trimmed to improve the light reaching the - [An exciting new feature for kids in the park (tested by an old kid!)](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23026) - A few years back, some large rocks (and railway sleepers) were brought to the park, next to the footpath at the cross-paths, close to the Cowgate lane entrance. Kids soon started scrambling on them with great delight, but the rocks were soon enclosed with fences to prevent this. Now they have been moved to their final - [Gurnell Leisure Centre: a proposal to relocate to Longfield Meadows?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/23017) - The Save Gurnell site is reporting two new proposals from Ealing council for the leisure centre. One of these involves wholesale relocation of the centre to Longfield meadows (a site of importance for nature conservation, or SINC), as shown in the plan below. This follows an earlier proposal to relocate just the BMX track to a - [Perivale park summer/autumn event, 2022.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22994) - This year the event held on 25 September was bigger than ever. We had the dog "olympics", where owners and their dogs participated in various types of races and skills tests. The team from Café Berry, whose home is in the nearby Pitshanger park, came with their delicious home-baked cakes and snacks, and gave everyone a - [The orchard garden - Geranium Rozanne.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22980) - The orchard garden was originally planted with four rectangular flower beds surrounding the avenue of Crab apple trees, with four larger almost square wild flower and spring bulb meadows (parched yellow below). Last year those meadows put on a fantastic display of flax. Now, a year on all these areas have all evolved. In autumn, the geranium - [Some lovely mushrooms in autumnal park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22976) - This is the 2022 edition of mushrooms in the park. I would not dare identify them, but someone might? - [Perivale Park Summer event, Sunday September 25th, 14.00-16.30](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22932) - IMPORTANT: As a sign of respect to Her Majesty and the Royal Family, we have postponed this event by two weeks to September 25th. - [Free five-a-side football training for 8-10 year olds on 26th October - book now!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22955) - As part of the grant we obtained from the Freshwater foundation, we are organising two sessions of free five-a-side football training for 8-10 year olds on Wednesday October 26, 2022 (half-term). The training will be done using the park MUGA (multi-use games area) by Brentford FC community sports trust, who have many years of experience - [The MUGA (multi-use games area) has lines again - The RedGreen group inaugurate!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22936) - About three years ago, a group of youths attempting to play five-a-side football in the MUGA court in the park, next to the tennis courts, handed me a list of things they would like to see fixed in the park. Top of their list was to have the MUGA lines repainted. This had last been done at - [New orchard fruit (in September?) with sunflowers.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22921) - Well, its an odd year this year. In one meadow, sunflowers are making a rather late appearance, whilst in the adjacent orchard, new fruit has recently set on the trees as if it were April. The fruit looks abundant, but whether it will ripen is touch and go. Meanwhile, other early autumn flowers captured in photos - [The power of rain.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22912) - Here is a guest article by Carmel, who has been out and about in the park. The park has changed so much in the last 24 hours. On yesterday's dog walk in the pouring rain. Brent and Costons Brook are running so high that the banks look like breaking and all fields still looking brown. This - [Group-led bike rides in Perivale Park -24th September](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22909) - [Unusual happenings (contd.): Spring has arrived (again) in the orchard.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22866) - A few days ago I noted that many of the fruit trees in the park orchard were putting out new leaf buds. Well, what happens next? New flower buds! The first photo shows something unusual as well, almost ripe fruit next to a new flower bud. Meanwhile the green leaf fall in the park continues, - [Dragonflies and Damselflies walk.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22853) - Today Neil Anderson gave a group of 21 of us a masterclass in nature observation. Thanks also to Sean McCormack of the Ealing Wildlife group for organising! We walked around the Longfield meadows and ponds. The largest, lined pond still just about had some water and the dragon and damselflies were there, although in reduced - [Greater London Green Flag Award: Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22847) - The Green Flag award scheme aspires to Raising the standard of Parks and Green Spaces and is the International mark of quality. Earlier this year its judges visited Perivale Park, and we walked them around, showing the various points of interest. Now the judging is complete and we are delighted to announce that the coveted Green Flag - [Unusual happenings in the orchard.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22830) - This year, the spring and summer has been very dry with little sustained rain. July is turning out to be one of the driest on record. No wonder the trees everywhere are suffering. The walnut tree planted as part of the Queen's Jubilee is looking quite stressed for example. But there is one strange happening. - [Coston's brook safari.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22784) - Coston's brook is a tributary of the river Brent, joining it at the south west corner of the park (red arrow on 19th Century map of the area). Yesterday a group of intrepid explorers ventured up stream for about 200m from its confluence with the Brent to explore it habitats. The report of this trip - [A Nature walk with Neil Anderson - 30 July, 2022.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22778) - Neil Anderson will be looking for Dragonflies, Damselflies and no doubt interesting invertebrates on July 30 (Saturday), starting under the arches at the Stockdove entrance to the park. Do come along! - [The annual June gardening tasks.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22770) - A small but enthusiastic band of gardeners tidied up the orchard a little bit this last Sunday. After the copious mulching of the area last year (in preparation for the London in Bloom judging!), the ground cover of weeds was far less than a year ago. Little by little the rest will get done - - [Perivale Park orchard after three years](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22743) - Twenty four fruit trees were planted to create an orchard in 2019. Three years on they are now having their fourth summer - which promises to be a scorcher! I have taken photographs of all 24, shown below. I am glad to say they are all still alive, although two or three do appear to - [Explore historical georeferenced maps of the park area.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22732) - Jon has sent me this fantastic link for exploring georeferenced maps with historical overlays. Click on the map below or use this link. The historic layers range from 1885 through to 1955 and using this one can explore how the park and surrounding area has changed over the years. Have fun! . - [The flower meadow is seeded - now for the rain dance.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22721) - The seeder has visited the park flower meadow, after having done Horsenden meadows and Cayton green park. We now need some ground soaking rain showers to germinate the seeds. If all goes well, the birds will be very happy in the autumn and winter. - [Roses.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22705) - The last addition to the orchard area was the planting of roses about two years ago. It been a good year for roses in general and the orchard roses have really grown and flowered this year, with only minimal pruning last year. The mulching last June has also helped, suppressing other weed growth in the - [Perivale Park - Contributing to the Queen's Green Canopy on Platinum Jubilee day.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22695) - On Jubilee day, June 2, 2022, we capture the park with the new Walnut tree planted by Ealing May Councillor Munir Ahmed in March as a contribution to the Queen's Green Canopy. It is looking very healthy indeed! In the last four years or so a great many trees have been planted in the park. - [Can someone help us identify these caterpillars?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22641) - I show two photos set to the friends by Ros, asking what caterpillar they are. The photos were taken in the park near Costons bridge. - [Orchard gardening event - 19th June, 2022 @ 10.00](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22653) - Well, its been a few months since the orchard garden was spruced by a team of gardeners and so we have organised a session on Sunday 19th June at 10.00 am. All welcome. Refreshments will be provided and the tasks might include some or all of the below, but you are free to come along - [A little bit of oak maintenance.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22660) - The oak processionary moth can be a scourge of parks with lots of oak trees. And Perivale park has quite a few mature specimens. Almost three years ago we highlighted what can happen when a tree becomes infested. So it was good to see that the parks department continues to regularly spray the trees to - [Cricket in the park: deep SHAME on this weekend's teams.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22646) - The park has two wonderful cricket pitches and for the summer season there are always matches being played on them. So it is no surprise that after the match, some of the teams have a picnic and refreshment. The trouble is that all the detritus that accompanies food and drink is sometimes‡ simply left scattered, as - [Perivale Park resident heron.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22629) - Herons come in a wide variety of tameness and approachability. The most approachable we have seen was sat on a canal boat moored on the grand union canal near Stocker's lake, who hardly stirred as we walked along the tow path and got to perhaps two metres of him. In contrast, the canal near Horsenden - [Dinosaur trees - and of course bluebells at Wakehurst.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22620) - There are some sights you simply are not going to capture in an urban park in London. So to see these you will have to go a little further afield - to Wakehurst or "Kew gardens in the country", one of our "guest" park appearances here. The so-called Dinosaur trees were only discovered in a remote - [Perivale Park, London. July 7, 2018.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18685) - March and April this year was heavy on rain. As a result, the 2018 wild flower plantings only got under way on May 8th, when a tractor came along, prepared the soil and planted the wild flower seeds. Since then there has been little rain, and so only the very hardy thistles have flourished. But - [Fox cubs galore!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22614) - Foxes are now very much part of the urban park and garden scene. Like the bats we went out to see last week, they are best seen at dusk, when the cubs are brought out to frolic by their mum. So it was that we captured this scene of (six?) cubs playing in a local - [A splash of colour anyone? A guest appearance from the Isabella plantation in Richmond park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22575) - Occasionally other parks in London make a guest appearance here. In April, none can beat the display of sheer exuberant colour that the Isabella plantation puts on. After visiting, you just want to go a lie down in a darkened room to recover. After all that colour, go seek out the Handkerchief tree (Davidia involucrata), - [Beavers!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22526) - Ealing council has just announced a project to bring Beavers back to Ealing. Watch this clip to see Councillor Deirdre Costigan telling us about the project. We do not hear in the clip where the beavers will be introduced, but possibly the large pond in Paradise fields close to Horsenden hill, and just a little - [Perivale Park Bat Walk.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22549) - Organised by Paul and the Ealing Wildlife group, a group of twelve intrepid bat watchers set off into Perivale park at dusk. Bristling with sensitive bat detecting equipment, which reduces the sounds the bats make from ~45 KHz down to human-audible form, we first aimed for the pond areas. There insects fly at night and the bats - [Fruitwatch: A contribution from Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22532) - There is a national fruitwatch under way, looking out for flowering times of fruit trees across the country. So here are a few sent to Fruitwatch from our orchard garden, at the peak time for the avenue of ten Crab Apple (Mallus, Red Sentinel) trees. The trees are now 5-6 years old (depending on how - [Spring Daffodils in the orchard - 2022 style.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22478) - Last December, volunteers planted bulbs in the orchard area, including the easily accessible and diggable raised beds. Here is the result. Since we are largely devoting the raised beds this year to flowers, the next batch will go in shortly. I am not telling what it will be, you will have to discover for yourselves. - [A 1960's childhood in Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22521) - We have received two absolutely delightful emails from Caroline, who recollects her childhood spent growing up in Perivale Park. I quote her emails (with her permission) here for everyone to relish. Caroline now lives in Canada, and has not visited the park since the late 1980s. The park is literally where I was brought up. My - [Great to see ... footpath repairs, frittilaries and marsh marigolds](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22491) - Out and about today (very strange weather, one minute blue skies and sunny, the next driving wind and snow), we spotted a wonderful marsh marigold. There will be many more to come, but this one is the first large one seen this year. Next, the footpath close to the ponds. This was damaged when the - [A plum job: Fruitwatch](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22488) - The University of Reading is running a FruitWatch project. Here is how they describe it: Fruit trees are highly dependent on insect pollination to produce fruit, and climate change is impacting both the timing of fruit tree flowering and pollinator flight, which could reduce pollination and fruit production. We need your help to understand how fruit - [Noticeboards: a refresh!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22467) - One criticism often levelled at the amenities in the park is that there is no information about them! Well that is about to change. The first phase is the refresh of the notice board next to the Golf pavillion. Its been a few years since anything new was put there, but take a look at - [Yellow cheer!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22451) - With events in the world as they are, its good to go out and have at least some cheer. And since its daffodil time, I thought I would try the cheer by showing them. Only the first of these photos are taken in the park itself, since most of them there have not yet started to flower. - [Tadpoles this year?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22439) - The locals know the original park pond for its tadpoles. For a few years in the recent past they have been abundant in what was actually quite a small pond. Unfortunately, the tadpoles have become less abundant, and last year (2021) we think there were none that could be seen. In an effort to prevent - [The earlier-than-ever spring blossom in the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22421) - Perivale park is surrounded by blackthorn and hawthorne bushes/trees. One particular corner on the Gurnell-Greenford greenway along the river Brent is always one of the first to flower. These are also a highly scented varieties and as one walks along the path, both senses detect the arrival of spring. Spring bulbs are now also arriving, - [A rubbish-jam on the river Brent.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22415) - As it passes through the southern edge of Perivale park, many trees overhang the river Brent. Occasionally one of these is felled by strong winds and there it forms a barrier to all the rubbish that is brought down the river from the Welsh Harp and the tributaries to the Brent.. On this occasion, the - [Reminder: Attend the Perivale Park AGM to find out about future projects!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22412) - The agenda for the AGM will include the Chair's annual report about what happened in the park in 2021. It contains 30 items, some small some big. To find out what they are, do send the friends an email at friends@perivalepark.london to request the report and to attend the meeting via a Zoom link. Looking forward to - [GoParks Ealing!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22405) - In addition to Perivale featuring on the Ealing Foundation site as January's park of the month, GoParks are now featuring the whole borough. If you go to www.goparks.london/boroughs/ealing you will learn that Ealing has 209 parks and blue spaces, of which six have friends groups. They have created attractive images that can be shared on social media - [And now for the sunset in the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22379) - We are lucky that our bedroom window faces south, which means that in the mornings we can see the sun rise in the east and in the evening we can see it set in the west. Sometimes it can feel like a display of modern art, and a few times I have here shown the morning artwork. - [Perivale as a (winter) sports park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22360) - Sometimes, when going for a walk in green areas in Ealing, one can come across football or cricket pitches that do not seem abundantly used. Not so in Perivale Park, when during the winter months, the football pitches have freshly painted lines, teams young and old and even a good smattering of spectators. Below you can see - [Perivale is Ealing Park of the Month for January.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22346) - The newly formed Ealing Parks foundation has started a park of the month project. Over the coming months and years, many of Ealing's parks and green spaces will no doubt be highlighted. So it is a great honour for Perivale Park to be chosen to be the inaugural Ealing park to be so featured: www.ealingparks.foundation/park-of-the-month-january. There - [Costons Nature reserve - new homes for ducks and slow worms.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22322) - If you happen to visit Greenford town centre on a Saturday, do pop in to see if anyone is working at the close by Costons Nature Reserve. There it was that I met Sean today, who showed me some of the new additions that have recently appeared. These include bat and birdhouses in the trees, - [Perivale Park: outreach around the world.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22300) - Since the first post in 2017 four years ago, some 245 stories, often accompanied by lots of photos, have appeared here. I thought it might be fun to show the demographics of how a little park in west London is reaching the world. This next analysis is of the most popular posts, of which the Nicky Hopkins - [Friends of Perivale Park. Annual General meeting, 8th February, 2022, 19.30.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22312) - There is lots to say about the park this year (mostly good!), the second year in which the park and its surrounds have played an important role in helping people cope with the COVID pandemic. If you want to hear more about the park, why not ask for a Zoom joining code (two years ago no-one - [Stop Ealing Council and Junction 2 Music Festival from destroying Horsenden Meadows!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22294) - Several blogs here cover Horsenden Hill, including its magnificent west meadow. It is an ecologically unique and precious wildlife resource in west London. So the idea of up to 15,000 people entering the meadow to have a music festival does not bear thinking about. A petition to stop this is gathering momentum; https://www.change.org/p/stop-ealing-council-and-junction-2-music-festival-from-destroying-horsenden-meadows If you - [Spring bulb planting in the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22285) - The Bulbs for London project, together with Richard Spencer-Smith, have come up trumps with two large boxes of spring bulbs delivered on Tuesday. At very short notice, I managed to persuade two members of the "Red Green" park group to come along and help us plant some of them on the Wednesday. As you can see, - [Dog water fountains in Perivale Park!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22280) - Meeting four dog walkers in the park a few weeks ago, I stopped and asked them what amenities in the park they would like to see. One of the responses was dog water fountains for thirsty dogs. Providing this could be non trivial, since laying down a water pipe from the mains could be costly. - [The annual sunrise show (episode 3).](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22257) - At round 07.40 at this time of year, the sun rises. With appropriate cloud cover, the effects can be spectacular. So, for collectors of sunrise as a "visual art form", here is the one for 2021. In winter, the colours can come from the sky rather than the plants! And here are some more colours, just - [Animals galore! A guest appearance by Staines Moor.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22231) - Occasionally, one of the other green areas in west London makes an appearance here. Unlike Perivale Park, this one has lots of grazing animals to be seen. It is one of the delights of the UK that animals and ramblers can be allowed to mix together in some locations without being separated by fences. Common sense mostly prevails and - [Late autumn colours in the park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22223) - The autumn colours this year are delayed by perhaps a month due to the combination of temperatures and rain. The effect of course also depends on the time of day and whether a late sun is shining from a low angle making the leaves on the trees translucent. Next along would be the snow! Lets - [Autumn additions to the orchard](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22213) - The orchard in the park comprises 34 fruit trees, or it did until a few hours ago! Now some trees needing a new home have been replanted there. The trees needed a new home because the owners are moving to Canada. A dwarf apple tree and a decorative orange tree have now taken up residence. - [Autumn colour galore.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22184) - The cosmos this year were self-seeded and they are putting on a nice autumn show for us. Further afield, the Egyptian ducks were very curious about us, and whether we might have food for them. The rather cross clucking from one of them indicated they were not impressed with our lack of response. - [London in Bloom, 2021: Ealing Borough awarded the Gold Category.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22181) - In July this year, Perivale Park was included in the itinerary for the judging of the City category of the London in Bloom competition. Just to clarify, each London borough is considered to be the size of a city. Competition amongst the boroughs is intense! On Wednesday we heard that Ealing has been awarded the - [Perivale Park (late) Summer event - photos!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22158) - Our second community celebration of the park took place in lovely weather yesterday. We estimate one hundred or so people might have dropped in during the day, either to participate in the dog olympics, to buy cakes from the LAGER can stall, to go on the inspirational nature walk, to learn about Horsenden Hill and - [Sunday September 12th, 14.00 - 16.00](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22133) - A date for you to reserve in your diaries. The (now annual) Perivale park events day is happening again! The program is still being finalised, but we hope to have: Nature walks in the area guided by experts, including this year .. The new Costons lane nature reserve Dog olympics with various events. Park exercises Guest - [Evolving colours for the start of autumn: the teasel.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22108) - I have been following the colours in the park from the violets of early spring to the oranges of late July. The fairly regular rain this year has encouraged them all this year. The dipsacus (teasel) is briefly flowering at the moment, with that rather strange arrangement it has. It is considered a weed in - [A walk through the park by a LAGER CANer.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22120) - LAGER (Litter Action Group Ealing Residents) visit the park frequently, either as a group or as individuals. Here is one such visitor's report. Thanks Ian! For a day-off after 2 days of grotty undergrowth we took a wander round Perivale Park this afternoon. (Apart from the benches) it all looked pretty clean, until we got - [Fruits (and vegetables) in the orchard.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22089) - Its early days yet, but already the apples in the orchard are turning red! And we have cob nuts! The apples are all English heritage, but don't ask me about the variety. As delivered from the nursery they all had labels identifying them, but these were all removed when planted, for reasons that were never - [Colour in the orchard meadows.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22078) - It is mid-July now, but one blessed with more rain than usual for this month. Apart from everything spurting growth, a more diverse mid-summer colour has now appeared with unusual blues, pinks and yellows. Go see the four meadows in the orchard to see for yourself. Many of the plants there came to be there - [The scented delights of Longfield meadows (National Meadows Day)](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22060) - Most of the June postings here were about colour. So I thought I would start off July with one about the heady honey-like aromas of Lady's Bedstraw, as currently found in Longfield meadows in abundance. The scent is due at least in part to coumarin, of which a scientific story can be found here. The scientist who - [Perivale Park orchard garden, June 2019 - June 2021 in pictures.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22034) - The orchard garden is now two years old and to celebrate, we have collected some of the best photos taken there into a Powerpoint slide show. Click on the photo above to download the full slide show. - [Cowgate Road entrance - the "pothole"and access around the gate.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22039) - Access to the park from this entrance had caused problems for people with buggies and wheelchairs due to the presence of a large pothole and lack of access around a gate, as noted this April. As of today, both issues are now sorted! There are several large puddles that used to accumulate after heavy rain, - [Five more benches installed.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22046) - Contemplating nature sometimes can be done sitting down. And having lots of benches from which to do that helps! So it is a pleasure to say that five more "railway sleeper" benches have now been installed in the Longfield meadows area of the greater park. What we now need are a few benches with backs - [The pastel shades of Achillea in the orchard flower meadows.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22017) - The next flower to highlight in the park is located in the flower meadows next to the fruit orchard. Yes, it is indeed named after Achilles, whose soldiers used the plant (yarrow) to treat their wounds. Like the poppies, it comes in a wonderful variety of pastel colours. If you have the time, go visit the - [Diversity in the Park orchard: A newsletter.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21996) - First, a bit of history. For many years, a bowling green was maintained in the park, just adjacent to the Cowgate road entrance. From personal memory, about 20 years ago there were regular Sunday bowls matches but one day some youngsters decided to play a game of football on the green. The cost of bringing - [Poppies in close up!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/22002) - I know I did a post on poppies a few days ago, but walking past them today we noticed the remarkable variety of colours they are showing. So here are a selection for you to enjoy. If you find other intersting colour variations, drop us a line friends@perivalepark.london with the photos and I will add - [After the poppies ... the cornflowers](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21984) - The park is now looking decidedly blue, with the abundant cornflowers joined by Echium (Viper's bugloss) What next I wonder? - [Sprucing up the orchard for inspection!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21941) - We had a wonderful turnout today for the orchard gardening. Here are some of the helpers (not all present at the same time) Mark and his van brought over two van loads of tree chippings, creating the large mulching pile that will be used over the next few months. The wonderful helpers from the Shah - [Poppies!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21914) - As promised a week or so ago. Again, the combination of rain followed by sun and heat has brought them on wonderfully. This year (or late last year) the Ealing parks people did not rotavate any strips or meadows, but they did give some of the borders a haircut. We did not notice any seed - [Perivale Park kids playground. The litterers have surpassed themselves in their disgrace.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21904) - The photo below shows the state of the kids playground in the park this morning. The litter had appeared by yesterday morning (Friday), with the playground having been cleared of all rubbish not much more than a day earlier. So this is a single day's littering and the photo shows the area of only one of - [June is the month of colours!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21886) - The wet May and lots of recent sun and heat has brought the colour of June to us. The yellows, blues and whites of spring have now been joined by the likes of the blues of the cornflowers, the reds, orange and pinks of poppies, the red white and pinks of campion and the related - [Tufted Duck](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21872) - Saw these two Ducks diving on one of the ponds on Perivale Wetlands today. - [A splash of blue in west London.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21855) - More photos of the flax meadows in the park orchard garden. The last photo is of the salsify in Horsenden west meadows, where one corner of a meadow has a regular appearance by this root vegetable. - [Saturday June 12th, 2021, 11.00. Another community gardening event in Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21846) - This is what we hope to achieve with your help on Saturday June 12th, 2021 at 11.00 for about two hours. On May 22 we had managed to clear the ground weeds which were strangling the plantings in one of the four flower and grass beds surrounding the benches in the orchard. Then about 4 - [Perivale park orchard: its flower meadows and some gardening exercise.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21835) - The weather held dry between 11.00 and 14.00 today (but rained earlier and later) so our small but select group of volunteers were able to really dress up one of the four flower beds around the orchard garden benches and free two of the adjacent flower meadows of the large dock plants that had become - [One more set of bluebells: Long wood.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21819) - The bluebell season this year seems to have lasted longer than usual. So it was in the second half of May we were able to visit a somewhat less-well known English bluebell wood, possibly because accessing it if you have a car can be less than obvious. The wood itself was at its peak! Long wood - [Flaxen meadows.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21803) - The four wild flower meadows in the orchard area of the park were planted with a variety of exotic plants about 18 months ago. One of those was flax, which made a brief appearance last autumn but has now come into its own. It has not yet reached its peak, and should last throughout the summer. - [First we eat it, now we enjoy the colour ...](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21788) - of the wild mustard. We were harvesting the young tips in March and April (they make lovely greens, if a tad bitter for some tastes). But those that managed to escape our attentions have now flowered and a magnificent display it makes too. And to add some variety, I show the resident geese in the wetlands - [Saturday, May 22, 11.00, Perivale park orchard communal gardening event.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21784) - Calling all gardeners please to a communal event on May 22. The orchard garden needs you! As do the wonderful collection of new gardening tools we now have and some industrial size Thermos pots for warming tea or coffee, thanks to Richard and Vanessa, The weeds need weeding and the fruit trees mulching. Or just - [Dawn this morning......](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21780) - [Bluebells, Cowslip and Stitchwort in Gutteridge and Ten-acre Woods.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21754) - The bluebell season is lasting a bit longer than usual, due to warm weather early in April and then cold spells. A lesser-known local bluebell wood is Gutteridge. As with Perivale wood, where the glory was stolen to some extent by the Celandine, in Gutteridge wood its the white Greater Stitchwort that takes your breath - [Busy Perivale Wetlands](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21670) - [London National Park city Wiki.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21744) - A freely accessible Wiki guide to the London National Park City is now available. The idea is for those of us with local knowledge of interesting areas and activities in London can add to the collective nuggets of information about London city. Some of the topics are shown below: Perivale park has a presence there - [A walk around the Coston's Lane Nature reserve.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21731) - The new nature reserve on the south west corner of the park has activity. A large and hugely enthusiastic group of volunteers have started appearing on weekends to create a new reserve area. I gather the intention is to leave some of the wilder-looking areas natural, but a new pond in the middle will be - [Sparrow Hawk (I think)](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21720) - [The Beauty of ... dandelions?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21705) - Is it that dandelions are having a good year? Or that our senses are heightened? Whatever the reason, I cannot help but show photographs of them here, since they certainly gave pleasure. These were all taken in the orchard garden in the park. And as you can see, the Malus (Red Sentinel) crab apple trees are - [Perivale Wood: Bluebells and Celandine in April.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21684) - Perivale park is blessed with no less than three local nature reserves within walking distance. Of these, Perivale wood is the oldest and largest and is famed for its display of English bluebells. Normally only open one day a year to protect the plants, this year the Selborne Society, who look after the wood, have opened - [The Greenway project nears completion.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21676) - Two years ago, work started on the Greenford Greenway project, which aimed to create a variety of green corridors in the area between the Gurnell leisure centre and Greenford town centre. This area of course includes all of Perivale Park itself, and the eastern extension into Longfield meadows where the wetlands were part of the - [Magnificence of Marsh Marigolds](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21650) - The Perivale wetlands, which increasingly feature here, have a little stream feeding the ponds. In December 2019, a group of volunteers planted the edge of the stream with aquatic plants. Of these the Marsh Marigolds took a year or so to settle down and now there are lots of them along the stream and surrounding the - [A Deep Clean of the park!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21646) - Litter picking is an increasing activity. When we are out on a pick, more and more frequently we get asked questions by passers-by such as "where do I get those collection bags from?" or "how do I get a litter picking stick?". Also, we sometimes go out on a pick only to find an almost - [Egyptian Geese in Perivale Wetlands](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21641) - [Gardening (tools) Galore.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21627) - Thanks to Richard and the Ealing park rangers, to Awards for All and to Habitats and Heritage, a fantastic set of gardening tools is now available! Just what is needed to help plant those bulbs, prune those trees and remove the weeds from the orchard. Once the perennials have emerged in a month or two - [A Red Kite over Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21611) - [Spring - 2021 style!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21594) - Its late February, the snows have gone and the sun has come out. These are photos were taken on a circular walk which encompassed Perivale park and the blossom at the exit via Ruislip Road, on to the Cuckoo estate avenue and Hanwell community centre and park, then entering the Hanwell Big Local project and - [Swans And Canadian Geese on Perivale Wetlands today.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21584) - [The waters have gone on the flooded footpath!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21579) - A few weeks ago, I noted that the Capital Ring path often includes a water feature, and made a plea for maintenance of the drain from which the water was pouring. Well, Thames Water have responded! Thanks to them!! Two days ago their team visited armed with their special tools. Firstly a CCTV camera was - [Frozen ponds galore - and sixty-trees meadows!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21549) - Five years ago, Perivale park and the adjacent Longfield meadows had only one pond, known to locals as the frog pond - and even that was only about 15 years old. Now - there are lots! Most are currently frozen and its going to get colder and they are going to freeze more! Here are some - [The Capital Ring in the park: a plea for maintenance!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21413) - A few days ago, the park rangers responded to feedback that the route of the Capital Ring through the park was confusing some walkers, by putting up a number of new signs directing them in the correct direction (which is apparently a clockwise circuit of the ring). Two of these signs were attached to the - [Friends of Perivale Park: Annual General Meeting, Monday February 15th, 19.30 by Zoom.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21524) - The Friends of Perivale Park group is now one year old and its time to report back what they have been up to this last year. If you want to find out more about them, why not join the AGM by Zoom on Monday February 15th, 19.30. You will also have a chance to ask - [Snow and broad beans.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21517) - Yesterday's snow has nicely highlighted something stirring in the raised beds, found in the orchard garden. These are overwintering broad beans and we hope that by April-May they will have something edible to pick. The tips will need picking to keep black fly at bay. The beans were chosen also as a "soil improver", hopefully - [Before and after- a spot of "tidying".](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21483) - I am loath to describe our activity in the orchard garden as weeding. It is very much in the milder category of tidying. There are four wild flower meadows and four flower beds surrounding the benches to be tidied. Here are some photos of the ongoing process. The meadows are not yet finished, with some - [Sunrise in Perivale Park - 2021 version](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21495) - The show is always different and this one has its very own personality! Taken between 07.30 - 07.45 It was a cold night and the frost was on the ground. Also, the photo is taken in the west of London, pointing obviously east towards the city centre. Whether the warmth rising from central London affects the - [More flowing water in the park - and an unexpected flower seen!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21456) - Some more, apparently unassuming, rainfall during the night transformed Perivale Park into an aquatic playground again. Here are some videos of the gushing waters.       Meanwhile, in a secluded corner of the park, one I have walked past many a time, spring has arrived. A lovely bank of violets (scented - [Birds of Perivale Park, 2020!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21437) - Neil Anderson has sent this fantastic record of the birds he has spotted in the Park and surrounding areas, both in December and the whole of 2020. I will try to add a few photos of some of them later, but meanwhile can the Friends of Perivale Park wish everyone a happy new year and - [Five fantastic new exercise machines have arrived!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21425) - Here they are: With all these Zoom-based exercise classes which have taken off for obvious reasons in 2020, coupled with all the new facilities in the park, there is no excuse any more! And of course wash your hands after using them when you get home! - [Spring bulbs for 2021 - the Costons Lane entrance.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21402) - The last two years we have applied to Bulbs for London and this year we were also successful in getting a lovely box of assorted bulbs and seeds. Amazingly, it included some Eremurus tubers! Now that is exotic for you. A start to the planting was made yesterday and this time we have selected the - [Perivale Park - like you have never seen it before!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21379) - I encountered a licensed drone pilot the other day, and we have just spent a delightful hour taking photos of the park from an angle I have never seen before. Fortunately, recent rains have filled up the ponds and even the sun cooperated by setting nicely. I hope to repeat this experience in next spring - [National Tree Week - Perivale park's contribution.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21370) - This event will be taking place on Saturday 28th November, 2021. Please note that the time shown below should actually show a start time of 10.00, not 11.00. The trees have just been delivered and they are BIG. The challenge with trees this big is not merely to plant them, but to keep them alive - [Early dawn ponds - and soft exercise areas.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21359) - Just before lockdown in February, six new exercise areas on the path of the "5km" run around the park were created. But the lockdown delayed the surfacing with a soft compound (which health and safety presumably nowadays demands of such places). They have now been lined and appear to be ready for use. They are - [Another pond starts to take place in park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21332) - From having just one pond in the park three years ago (the one known as the frog pond) we now have an abundance, big and small. At the last count it was nine in the main park and three on the other side of the railway embankment. Perhaps the most photogenic are the three ponds - [The Cowgate road entrance to the Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21325) - This entrance is much used by local residents, many of whom are pushing kids buggies and whose progress has been hampered in the past by the puddles, verging on mini-ponds, that invariably form there when it rains. Some large ones have been seen with the recent rainy october. Now works are being done to solve this problem. A - [For all fungus lovers - an autumn abundance.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21300) - A combination of constant rain and showers coupled with very mild weather has produced one of the best displays of fungi in the park for a little while. A particularly rich location is next to the large pond in the centre of the park (first photo, now gradually filling up with water) which was surrounded - [Late summer colours whilst we wait for the trees to turn.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21284) - October is a favourite month for late summer colour. The Cosmos in particular always put on a good show and this year we had a lot of plantings of this flower around the park. In particular, the Gurnell-Greenway route along the Brent and Ruislip road and also the "three ponds" near the kids playground. Now, - [The Brent Rivers.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21278) - The 29km long river Brent, named after the goddess Briguntia (bringer of poetry, springtime and love) runs through the southern edge of Perivale Park on its way to Hanwell and the river Thames. The charity Thames21 has produced a wonderful little history of the river, which you can see at https://youtu.be/hJMxPqMFDfk. This film shows a - [Dawny ponds.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21269) - Visiting the park just before dawn is an interesting experience. It can be full of joggers and dog walkers and if you visit regularly you get to know most of them! I tend to go out to tidy up the park of litter before the commuters take over and perchance to pick up a spare roll of litter - [Rain, rain, rain!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21220) - The last three days have seen near continuous steady rain. So its time to go out and see how the park (and birds) have responded. The ducks and gulls are out in force enjoying their new ponds. Meanwhile, some of the new paths in the Longfield meadows area have become ponds themselves. Firstly, the three-ponds - [Amphibians galore - next year?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21213) - Those of us of a certain age remember distant childhood times when everyone so it seemed had access to a local pond with abundant tadpole populations. Such a rain-replenished pond was dug perhaps 10 years ago in Perivale Park. For a fair few of these subsequent years tadpoles were indeed seen. However the pond was - [Celebrating Perivale Park: Nature walk report](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21210) - One of the activities last Sunday involved a nature walk around the park. Here Neil Anderson has kindly sent us summaries of few highlights regarding sightings: Quiet for birds as anticipated but Kestrel & Red Kite Butterflies: several Small White but also Common Blue & Brown Argus. Dragonflies: several each of Migrant Hawker & Common Darter, - [Rectory Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21192) - Rectory park is to the west of Perivale Park and just south of Northala fields. The spring show there was subdued but recent rains have brought out the autumn flowers such as the cosmos wonderfully well. Rectory park is also one of the bases for the Ealing parks department and is blessed with a new sports area. - [Celebrating Perivale Park!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21159) - The weather was perfect for an early september day and we had lots of activities for all happening throughout the two hours of the meeting, organised by the park Friends. Below are some photos of everyone enjoying themselves. The nature walks by guides Neil and Brad were "sold out" almost immediately and I hear spotting - [Invasion of the supermoles.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21153) - This is a much anticipated annual event in the park, the mole invasion. These little critters are highly organised and select only the finest cricket turf to dig their mounds, in this remarkably neat pattern. A day later and the moles vanish; probably hibernating until next summer. The event signifies in some ways the end of - [Tennis courts in the Park - how to book (shortly).](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21148) - More developments regarding the tennis courts. The power supply cable laid into a trench a week or so ago is today being connected up to the keypad system controlling entry. When commissioned, entry will be according to the instructions below. In fact, the Perivale park courts do not yet appear in the court listing for the - [Sunrise in the park - September style.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21137) - Sunrise at this time of year is around 06.15 and it terms of spectacular display it literally only lasts a few minutes. So you have to be in the right place at the right time to capture these effects. This is what I saw today! If you inspect the photos, you will notice I was not the only person - [Celebrating Perivale Park: Program of events on Sunday 13 September, 14.00-16.00](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21116) - The current program of events for the celebration of Perivale Park can be seen below. Do please come along on the day to enjoy the events and of course bring along your ideas and suggestions for enhancing the park. Information desks: The following groups will distribute information leaflets or have members present to talk and - [The Greenwayers have a new base - in the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21128) - If you have wandered along the Capital ring path in the park recently you may have wondered why a nice new cabin has just appeared there. It is for the Gurnell to Greenford "Greenwayers", a group whose aim is to clear those lovely waterways we have running throught the park from litter. Here their "kit" - [Cuckoo park revisited in August.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21103) - In April, I wrote about the Cuckoo estate and the associated Cuckoo park, which is just south of Perivale Park. The latter had been sown with a flower border just before the lockdown and was waiting for rain. Now in August, it has indeed rained and this has transformed the borders. You can see the - [The tennis courts are - electrified!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21100) - The park has some very well patronised tennis courts. In March, one of the sturdy doors to the courts was replaced by a new version with a keypad - and then promptly locked so that no-one could use it. Yesterday, two workmen turned up digging a trench to carry an electricity cable from the adjacent - [Arum or Calla Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) is actually Cuckoo Pint/Lords & Ladies (Arum Maculatum)](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21064) - London is sweltering at the moment (Greenford, ~34, Algiers a mere 28°C). Visitors to the park do not linger long in the open sun but seek secluded glades for relief. One such glade in Perivale Park was discovered this morning when a few of us gathered informally for some exercise. After half an hour of flexing as - [Thanks, LAGER Can!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21075) - Today twelve of those fantastic folks at LAGER Can (Litter Action Group Ealing Residents) came over to Perivale park and hunted for litter. After about 90 minutes, around 20 bags of the stuff had been removed from the park and surroundings and placed in litter bags for collection. Thanks Cathy for organising us so effectively - [Harvest festival - summer style with tomatoes, pumpkins, butternut squash and courgettes.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21082) - The raised beds in the orchard garden, a "pocket park" within Perivale Park, are yielding more and more harvest. Here is a selection. OK, the tomatoes are still green. And an escapee from the photo is a splendid plum that was taken from one of the trees a day or so ago (it had probably been eaten). - [Trinity Way Open Space.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21044) - Earlier this year, I put up a list of areas in the London borough of Ealing that had been seeded with flower mixes. Today a comment on the post alerted us that Trinity way open space in Ealing was looking particularly great at the moment. Curiously it was not part of the original list of sites in Ealing. So I - [Flower meadows in July.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21033) - With mid-summer approaching, and with the help of a few rain showers, the summer seed-mix planted into the meadow next to the three new park ponds is showing its most colourful diversity. From now on the Cosmos will start to put on the final show of the summer. What we now need is our first - [Butterflies and Birds.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21019) - We are currently starting a big butterfly count in the UK. Suitably inspired and anxious to see some birds as well, we ventured off to Horsenden hill, with the added bonus of Horsenden farm opening its new shop selling vegetables, breads, honey and microbrewed beers. The Gruffalo also always provides interest (to those who have not - [Celebrating Perivale Park: An autumn event on Sunday 13 September, 14.00-16.00](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/21010) - A Friends group for Perivale Park was formed and constituted seven months ago. We will be celebrating the park and its role in helping to cheer us all up during the 2020 pandemic by having an autumn event on Sunday 13 September at 14.00. The program is still being finalised and will be announced here and - [The orchard garden in July.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20992) - Even slightly "formal" gardens or planted beds in parks nowadays are not as common as they used to be; the cost of maintenance (= a lot of weeding) has reduced their number. More likely now are wild flower mixes along borders and meadows. Perivale park however does have one such planted area, in which four - [The orchard garden - through a fresh pair of eyes.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20970) - Last weekend a group of us gathered to do some weeding in the orchard garden. This is right next to the Capital Ring path and the Nicky Hopkins bench and so there is a fair amount of footfall. One of the visitors on that day was Damian Walker, who is a professional photographer. These are the - [A community weeding.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20961) - On Sunday July 5th (2020), we had a community weeding in the orchard garden part of the park. Seven budding gardener friends of the park turned up (all socially distanced!), several with "no weeding experience"! The targets were the flower beds surrounding the four seats in the orchard garden where the crab apple trees are planted. - [The orchard garden "pocketpark" - at Wakehurst.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20949) - Perivale park has a small "pocket garden", being the old bowling green converted into an orchard with 34 fruit trees, four raised beds, four seating benches embedded in floral borders and four larger garden quadrants. These latter were prepared with a layer of sand last year and planted with bulbs, of which the allium (ornamental - [Flowers, for everyone to enjoy in their natural surroundings please!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20936) - The original meadow, first sown in profusion in 2017, has now morphed again as encouraged by recent showers. The flowers showing up now have a certain delicacy which requires a little extra attention from passers by. The cosmos about to come will soon balance this with a different more robust perspective. Note the allium in the orchard - [The joy of summer (as a dog).](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20912) - Here are some photos taken around the newly replenished "playground" ponds in the park and sent to me yesterday. The dog is Paula's and his name is Forrest and the photos are by Joana. Thanks Jo! If you have photos taken in the park, do send them along or post them to the Instagram account - [A new Nature reserve on the edge of Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20905) - News has reached us that Ealing Wildlife Group have reached their funding target to convert some abandoned allotments on the edge of the park into a new Nature Reserve (the allotments were abandoned due to propensity for flooding). Congratulations to them! It will join Littern Nature reserve as one of three in the local area, - [First Perivale Park . . . then King's College Cambridge!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20896) - In 2017, a large meadow in Perivale Park was transformed with wildflowers. Next, the erstwhile manicured lawn of the old bowling green was similarly transformed last year, after it has to be said a few years of neglect. Now, news reaches me that another pristine and rather more famous lawn, apparently previously manicured and most - [Litter. Well done (almost) everyone!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20890) - Today we undertook a litter-picking exercise walk around the park, taking in the Greenway walk to Gurnell. We armed ourselves at the start with two litter pickers and (optimistically) just ONE collection bag. Well, that optimism was justified! Mind you, it is only the start of a weekend, and we will revisit monday morning. But - [RHS Wisley - out of lockdown.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20856) - Although this forum is about Perivale Park and its surroundings, I could not resist celebrating the partial release from lockdown by allowing visits to other gardens. In this case, RHS Wisley, about 40 miles away from the park. Any visit is bound to be a snapshot of the particular part of the season. This year, - [A delight of daisies.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20839) - After the yellows of spring, we now have the whites of early summer. Here are some of the daisies that are showing up well everywhere around the park, and indeed further afield. The daisies seem to have relished the relatively dry last two months or so that we have had and they are to be - [South Greenford - Least Used Station in London](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20828) - Well, Greenford is newly on the map. It now (i.e. 29 May, 2020) has the least used station in London! Well, let's try to lose that record by saying why you would want to come to South Greenford, the station with this unenviable (and hopefully temporary) record. Visit http://www.nationalparkcity.london/station-walks and type in South Greenford. There you will see - [Poppy day.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20807) - The Perivale Park orchard garden (a "pocket park" project) after more than a year of preparation and planting, is starting to show its full colour. During the current lack of rain it also needs extra watering! In particular, the 24 fruit trees are starting to show large fruits now and they need an extra bit - [Litter.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20786) - All but one of the photos shown here, taken during our exercise around the perimeter of the park this morning, need no explanation.‡ Most of the litter bins are emptied regularly, but their mere presence seems to encourage the stuff. Animals might play a role as well in distributing it, if not depositing in the - [Perivale Park Tennis courts.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20782) - Several people have asked me about the tennis courts in the park. A keypad system has recently been fitted to the main entrance from the Capital Ring and which is currently locked. What is going on? Information is currently sparse. But from two regular players there today I gather that: The keypad is in preparation - [Raised bed plantings in the orchard garden](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20769) - The raised beds are located in the midst of the 24 orchard fruit trees. The first harvest they have produced has just been gathered (winter garlic). There are still some left to harvest if you want to help yourself! And now the next set of vegetables has gone in, pumpkin, butternut squash and courgette. These - [Park Friends Posters.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20765) - The park friends group are putting up posters around the park. The first batch of twelve went up about a week ago and another 12 are being prepared. We hope this will make it a little easier for walkers enjoying the park to contact us and to comment and make suggestions for the future. The - [Breaking news update! Orchard garden, Greenway and Wetlands](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20739) - Time for an exercising walk around the greater Perivale Park to see what is new. Literally a week can make a difference. To start with the orchard garden. The four garden meadows now have the gladioli flowering and the beds surrounding the benches are maturing nicely, with the geraniums showing well throughout. Most of the - [A meadow of Stunning Salsify.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20726) - We revisited Horsenden west meadows today and returned to where we saw the salsify a week or so ago. It did not let us down. From a distance you might think the meadow had just grasses, but get up close and the effect is stunning. Much better than photographs taken with a phone camera can - [Horsenden Hill West.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20531) - Horsenden Hill is the fifth green space surrounding Perivale Park. It comes in east and west sections and today we exercised in the western half (the eastern half involves rather more climbing). West Horsenden hill has large open and flat meadows with a network of paths connecting them. We turned left into one such meadow and - [The orchard garden and the snowed-upon golf course.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20697) - With golf courses closed to golfers, the rest of us can happily explore them. Part of Perivale Park is its golf course and that is where we went for our exercise today. And found it was snowing! The snow was of course the cottonwood tree. For about a week in May, the park is filled - [Perivale Park Ponds get some perfused plant mats.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20683) - One aspect of the modern world is accelerating its natural time scales. So when a new pond is created by moving large amounts of earth, the pond is initially largely devoid of any life, whether plants or invertebrate. But a solution is to hand: plant mats. Grown in a nursery and implanted with plants, these - [The first sighting of - a star of Bethlehem.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20665) - Weeding remains the central activity for us in Perivale park itself. But we have noticed a star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) emerging in the bulb glade where they were planted 18 months or so ago. Unlike the Fritillaries, this one has not (yet) emerged in abundance. But it is doing better than the wood anemonies which are so - [Weeding exercises in the park - and the ponds quickly refilled.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20640) - With the recent rains and abundant sun, the beneficiaries have been the "weeds" (which if they did not dominate so quickly can be appreciated for themselves). The four raised beds in the orchard garden area of Perivale Park needed some attention! Three of the beds are planted; one with winter garlic, another with flowering and - [Horsenden Hill (East), Gruffalo and friends and (canal) Herons.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20621) - Today's exercise was to perhaps the best known green area in Greenford/Perivale (after the park of course!); the heights of Horsenden Hill. The hill has a myriad of footpaths, some well trodden but many less so. We have visited often over the years but still manage to get lost! I suspect most visitors now know - [Ealing Council Wildflower areas - 2020.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20528) - For a few years years now, Ealing Council has planted areas of the borough with seed mixes to create food for the insects and birds as well as a feast for human eyes. I have just been sent the planting areas for this year (thanks Brad!). The planting comes in two types, parks + green - [Greenford Birch Wood - a little known green space.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20608) - Greenford Birch Wood is one of the smaller green areas northwest of Perivale Park, running alongside the A40 and where most of the drivers there have no idea it exists. Coston's Brook is a tributary of the River Brent, both running through Perivale Park. The brook itself seems to arise from multiple sources close by - [Cuckoo Park, Cuckoo Avenue, Chestnuts and Charlie Chaplin.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20590) - Just to the south of Perivale Park is Cuckoo Park, reached by a most magnificent avenue of chestnut trees (Cuckoo Avenue) by branching off south from the Greenford to Gurnell Greenway. The trees were planted as part of the development of the Cuckoo estate in the late 1930s. I was at the end of a Greenwayers' - [Perivale Park Purple-Pink Profusion.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20552) - Purple is my favourite colour. I have a professional interest in it , and I give public talks on the theme. Greenford (in which ward Perivale Park actually sits in) is associated with the historic scientific revolution of the mid 1800s resulting in the birth of the synthetic chemical dyes industry. William Perkin discovered mauveine (aka - [Historic Perivale and Pitshanger](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20504) - More history, this time east of Perivale Park, towards Perivale and then to Pitshanger. The ancient parish church of Perivale is located along Perivale lane. One can almost imagine how it all looked 885 years ago! On the way we pass by in the meadow adjacent to Gurnell leisure centre, with its BMX and skateboard - [Northala heights: swans and herons.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20484) - Continuing our anticlockwise exercise-based circumnavigation of Perivale Park, we reach Northala fields to the west of the park. As per usual, at sunrise over the mounds. The swans, in synchrony, were feeding and a heron was watching. The ponds after all are certified fishing ponds, although not allowed at this moment. The reed beds south of - [Scents and colour in the park and orchard.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20414) - The ambience of the park is changing very rapidly now with spring well under way. In particular, I am keeping a close eye on the orchard, which has trees, grasses, flowers and fruits all planted up from last year. The crab apples were sourced as fairly mature and these are now putting on the spectacular - [Spring bulbs - 2020 style!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20184) - It is very wet and in places water-logged out there. We got some bulbs for planting last Nov/Dec from the Bulbs for London charity and they contacted me today for photos of how the bulbs looked like this spring. Whether it is the very mild winter, or the abnormal amount of rain we have been - [Spring butterflies in Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20459) - butterflies - [Historic Northolt and Belvue Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20444) - As I remarked before, Perivale Park is surrounded on all sides by other green spaces. This time our daily and (very) early exercise walk took us west towards Northolt and Belvue Park. This area has a very long history, dating to medieval and Roman times. I will let the highly informative signs that you eventually come across - [Paradise Fields at dawn.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20428) - Perivale park has neighbouring green areas in all four (arguably even five) compass directions. The one to the north is called Paradise fields, with the Paddington branch of the grand union canal running along the north and east edges and with Horsenden hill visible further east. As with Perivale park itself, the Capital ring (section - [A walk around the park at sunrise.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20341) - We notice that more people are visiting the park than normal, but at sunrise (~06.30) there are rather fewer. So a good time to get one's ration of daily exercise. The orchard garden is moving on. Blossom buds can be seen in all the 24 fruit trees and 10 crab apples and the four garden - [Perivale Park orchard garden: the meadows and the first flowers!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20358) - The design of the orchard includes a fruiting tree area, a central parade of crab apple trees with four benches from which to sit and admire the surroundings and four square meadows which will provide hopefully long lasting colour during the summer. The central section and the meadows were planted before christmas and are now - [The Park has had a haircut (and a facelift).](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20369) - When the Coston's Brook corridor that runs out of a culvert near the children's playground and joins the river Brent about 200m further on was opened up about 18 months ago by removing much of the impenetrable undergrowth and blackthorn, we always knew the shrubs and trees would come back. Meanwhile we enjoyed all the new shoots - [A magnificent display of - Snakeshead Fritillaries](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20321) - It is one of the delights of nature (and I am no botanist) that in each season, some plants and trees do less well and some do very well. This year, its the daffodils that are not at their peak, with many of the plants in the park coming up with no flowers. But to - [The park is useful not just for greens for supper, but also for ...](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20331) - ... dock leaves. Now, given the current shortage of toilet rolls, I wonder what these leaves might be useful for? An experiment may well be tried. And if successful, we are certainly keeping the location of these a secret! Walking along the extended Perivale Park, down the Brent river valley area, we came across this - [Two abandoned guinea pigs (have now been found a foster home)](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20328) - Ros tells me that two guinea pigs in a box were today found abandoned in the Park near the small gate off Cowgate road. A foster family has now been found for them. If people are having problems looking after pets, instead of just leaving them in the Park, they should contact Ealing Together https://ealingtogether.org/ or Ealing - [An abundance of greens on our doorstep.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20280) - The Portuguese always had a love affair with "grelos", these being the flowering shoots of the Brassica family. Two or three weeks ago we harvested a lot of cabbage "grelos" but those are now in full bloom and no longer tender enough to be consumed. Since last week the mustard variety started producing their "grelos" - [A Tiny forest in Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20286) - Necessity is the mother of invention. A large batch of trees had been ordered for the park in March, but the world had other ideas for what would happen this month. So what to do with the trees? Temporarily at least, our very own Tiny Forest has been created in an area the size of - [Restricted life in the UK - the Park is still open (for exercise, in groups of two).](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20264) - Today is the first day of a new set of Coronavirus restrictions in the UK; one exercise walk a day for groups of no more than two people.‡ We have found it best to do this early in the morning and today at 06.30 the weather at that time was absolutely stunning. Things are still happening in - [More spring colour - and a new exercise area!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20247) - Around the park contractors are installing twelve new exercise machines, in about five different locations. The largest of these is shown below, which will take six units. I am currently turning up early in the morning (when there is no-one around, as you can see from the photo) in the hope that when the six units - [The early shoots of spring.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20213) - Here are some of the early spring buds and leaves in the park. It will change very quickly from here on. Here is another gallery of photos - [Tiny forests.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20199) - On the news today is the project by environmental charity Earthwatch Europe and Witney Town council to plant the "UK's first-ever Tiny Forest". On a plot the size of a tennis court, volunteers have planted some 600 fast growing trees. Which led me thinking. In Perivale park quite a few small trees have been planted - [Dinner tonight - from Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20201) - Strolling around the park yesterday with Richard, we walked past the flower meadow near the tennis courts. Last year it had been sown with a Linnet bird seed mix combined with brassicas. The latter are now starting to flower, and are showing yellow. Richard had been hoping for the purple sprouting variety and we pondered - [Heron returns to Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20175) - The annual Heron has returned to the field between Betham Rd and Coston Brook. This is a regular harbinger of spring who turns up to eat up as many of the new tadpoles as he can. A couple of years ago he bought a friend but on his own this year. With all the new - [Birds in the park - February 2020.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20132) - This morning we went for a stroll around the park with Neil Anderson to see how many different species of birds we could spot. The final total: 31 and as Neil put it "if we'd looked harder we could have found House Sparrows by some of the gardens + previous visits have seen Jay & Greenfinch". The - [What Dennis Did](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20160) - [Greenford to Gurnell Greenway: Project Update](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20146) - Visitors to the park may have spotted notices describing progress in the Greenway project. I also attach it here if you want to peruse the details, thanks to Richard! Click on the image above if you want higher resolution. - [The first six years of a new pond.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20125) - People have been asking about the new ponds in the park. When first dug, they did look rather raw, although even now just a few months later, they mounds of clay spoil surrounding the ponds are starting to green out. Richard has kindly sent us some photos of how a newly created pond develops over - [No ice-skating please: Winter in the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20118) - The first real cold snap of the winter has resulted in hoar frost on the twigs and branches and a very slightly frozen surface to the new ponds in the park. The stream feeding them is still flowing, so its unlikely anyone will (or should) be ice-skating there this winter, or indeed in the future - [Quadrat surveys of our biodiverse Perivale meadows, 2019.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20106) - Last year, five of us conducted three quadrat surveys of the meadow areas to the east of the railway viaduct in Perivale Park (below, red arrow). This is a beautiful grass meadow and part the Greenford-Gurnell Greenway project, whereby the south meadow has been converted to new wetlands, with the little stream feeding these wetlands - [Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers Diary for Cleaning Up in 2020!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20100) - Richard, who organises the Greenwayers diary (and much more) has sent the following dates for clean-ups in 2020. All Sundays (10am to 1pm): 16th Feb, 15th March, 19th April, 17th May, 21st June, 19th July, 16th August, 20th September, 18th October, 15th November. "The site for 16th February will be familiar to you as the - [Google maps: "Your photo is making a difference"](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20093) - Google maps has for some time allowed anyone to upload a photo of a feature on the map. Once you have done this, they then kindly send you periodic encouragements to continue the habit by revealing the viewing statistics for your photos and a slider which supposedly rewards your activities with "points". I thought I - [Welcome 2020: Winter cheer and future projects!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20083) - January 1st and another year to look forward to - lots of projects and ideas on the brew. Here I show splashes of colour still visible in the park and the first signs of spring in the orchard. If you have any ideas for the park this year, do please let us know using the - [Perivale Park in the BBC news - in a good way!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20077) - I noted the planting by the edge of the new river in the extended park area last week. Now the BBC has spotted this new wetlands and you can see the TV report here (time codes 5:04 to 7:05: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000csmw/bbc-london-evening-news-23122019#t=5m4s These types of ponds mostly capture road run-off, probably in no small measure from the very - [Gauge map, Costons Lane, Greenford](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20061) - Richard has just sent me this link to the Costons lane river Brent monitoring station (the weir near the new bridge). The display below is live. If you cannot see this, then the one below is a snapshot of the last month's rain. Yes, it has rained a lot recently. So much so that planned - [Perivale Park stream-side plantings.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20052) - Today's planting was of sedges, rushes and other damp-loving plants along the course of the newly created stream in the extended park area east of the railway embankment. Many of them will produce interesting flowers next year, and will naturalise the shallow banks of this new stream feeding the wetland ponds in the adjacent meadow. - [Sunrise in the park on December 9, 2019.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20045) - It is on mornings such as these that I lament that I do not have a professional camera. The best I can offer here of sunrise in the park is one taken using a mobile phone. The aspect is taken from the north-west edge of the park. The colour-fidelity is so-so (there is a bit more yellow - [Planting Sessions Friday 13th and Saturday 14th Dec](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20038) - Planting Sessions Friday 13th and Saturday 14th Dec Thames21 will be hosting 2 planting events. We are going to be planting sedges rushes and a variety of other colourful species on the Gurnell side of the park. Starting location is going to be the Perivale Park Golf Course Café. Below are the links for the - [LONDON NATIONAL PARK CITY RANGERS](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20041) - If you are interesting in becoming a London National City Ranger, find out more here: www.nationalparkcity.london/rangers . - [More spring bulbs in the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20033) - The bulbs alluded to in a previous post have now been planted. The course of the plantings reflected the style of the person doing the hole digging, with some taking the form of random walks across the grass, others the shape of a spiral and in one case a filled circular shape. We had a - [Perivale North Meadow Wildlife Survey, 19/08/2019.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20021) - The two meadows to the east of Perivale park and across the railway viaduct are a rich source of diversity. To establish exactly how diverse, we did a survey this August and the results are shown below. The survey took the form of two Quadrats and a general transcept. The species listed below are what - [An update on the Friends of Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20014) - Following a public meeting on 4th November, it was agreed to form a Friends of the Park committee. This committee met on 25th November and elected the following officers; Chair, Henry Rzepa Vice-chair, Carmel Cahill Ross Bryar, treasurer Barbara Grummett, secretary A draft constitution has been prepared for discussion and agreement at the next meeting on 24 February, - [Bulbs for London - in Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/20004) - The Metropolitan Public Gardens Association is a long established charity that runs an annual Bulbs for London program. This year, as a newly formed Friends group (of Perivale Park) we applied for bulbs and were delighted to hear that our application was successful. The box arrived a day or so ago: These will shortly be planted in the - [Orchard garden update: next year's planting for the four meadows.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19987) - We now have details of how the four meadows in the orchard garden will be planted for next year. Each of the meadows now has a mound of soil, which will be mixed shortly with sand and evened out as soon as the rains and rather soggy ground conditions allow! The meadows will then be - [Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers Outside the Box!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19975) - As the name indicates, the Greenwayers normally work along the river from Gurnell to Greenford but on Sunday 10th November, in the spirit of friendship, we went slumming it in Pitshanger Park to relieve them of a bit of their rubbish before it reaches us! The weather on the previous day almost stymied the event - [A year in the Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19963) - Carmel Cahill sent me these photos; she is one of the new Friends of Perivale Park, which was formed on Monday 4th November, 2019. The photos come with the comments: Ducks in the pond on the sports field is today and shows how water attracts new wildlife. The next is Stanley in the same spot in September. Others - [Come to our litter sweep in/along the River Brent in Pitshanger Park on 10th November!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19955) - [Forming a Friends of Perivale Park Group, Nov 4, 2019.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19947) - South West London Environment Network (SWLEN) & Ealing Council are looking to form a Friends of Perivale Park group to help maintain and enhance this precious green space. The inaugural meeting is on Monday, 4 November, 19:00-21:00 GMT in the Conference Room of Brentside High School. If you would like to find out more by attending, - [The Perivale Park orchard garden in autumn.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19938) - This is the orchard's first year, and so it is still far from its final maturing outlook. But even at this stage the Malus fruits, of which there are in fact just a few, have acquired their brilliant red colour. And the four raised beds still have lots of space for more plants! - [A short walk along the Greenford-Gurnell Greenway (and beyond)](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19924) - The new Greenford to Gurnell Greenway is now open for walkers. Here I start at the new bridge, which connects Perivale Park to Ruislip road (East). The walk actually goes further, towards Pitshanger park and the hitherto little known (at least to me) Brentham Garden Suburb. To quote the society, "The Labour, Co-operative, Arts and - [Autumn colours (and new bridges)](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19904) - Here comes the first striking autumn colour (location 1 on map) Location 2 has an outbreak of colourful fungi (see this post). Location 3 is the new bridge crossing the river Brent, installed as part of the Greenford to Gurnell Greenway. The ramps are now in place and we might expect it to open pretty soon - [Calling raised bed (guerrilla) gardeners please!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19887) - The Perivale Park orchard garden now has four raised beds installed, with soil already delivered and ready to be poured into them in the next few days. The raised beds are intended for community plantings. We need some volunteers or indeed guerrilla gardeners to fill them with interesting plants. Since we already have wild flowers in the - [Fungi.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19836) - Last october, Trees-for-Cities volunteers planted the new park woodland. Large mounds of bark chippings were brought in as mulch. After all the trees had been planted, a lot of these chippings were left over. Now, some 11 months later, the fungi have come! Spotting fungi is a skilled art, one I have not properly acquired. No doubt there - [The Perivale Meadow Ponds: a wetlands takes shape.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19844) - To the east of the railway line connecting Greenford and West Ealing stations, a new wetlands is taking shape. The flow from the stream that will feed these ponds is still small, being the drainage from the nearby housing estate in Stockdove way. As the winter rains come, we hope that the ponds will fill. The - [Islands and beds (raised) in the park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19856) - Even more rains have now fully matured the three ponds in the park itself. With the help of more "shallowing", pond 3 now has its own island! Raised beds in the orchard area have now arrived, and will shortly be filled with compost. It will then be time for volunteers to plant them out with interesting winter crops - [Prospective Pulchritude of Perivale Park Ponds.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19820) - The past month has brought frequent and sometimes flash rains.‡ The cumulative effect of which has been to fill up the three new ponds in the park to (literally) overflowing, just a week or two after their excavation. The spoil from excavating the ponds is heaped up around the edges and will next year no - [Autumn colour in the orchard and first water in the new pond.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19772) - The normal time for seeding the flower meadows is late March/April, but this year a later planting in June was made in the orchard area. With the help of a fair bit of rain this summer, together with hosepipe watering of the fruit trees in the orchard, this late meadow is now starting to show - [Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers 8th September Event](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19747) - The gateway to hell? And the gateway to heaven! Thanks to our marvellous volunteers and the help of a Tunnocks chocolate wafer delivery: 62 bin bags of litter, a - [PinkHill Meadow (Oxford), a model for the Greenford Greenway ponds + more new ponds in the Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19721) - One of the two meadows just the other side of the railway viaduct that runs along one side of Perivale Park has had a lot of earth moved recently. Here are some photos of its current appearance and some information about what it might shortly become. The water to create the ponds will be from - [River Brent Bankside Cleanup - Sunday 8th September, 2019, 13.00.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19735) - Richard Spencer-Smith sent me this information: Our next GGG event is to take place 'underneath the arches' near Gurnell Leisure Centre: cue for a song? Or maybe that little ditty was before your time! It's a humdinger of a litter pick, all on land. Apologies to the aquaphiles among us - there will be future - [Fruits of the forest (sorry, park)](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19698) - In mid August, the brambles are frutifying and we went out collecting. The result was rather more colourful than we anticipated! New excavations for ponds have appeared in Perivale meadow, the eastern side of the railway embankment. One of them is both large and deep! I will try to find out why so deep, and - [Oak processionary moths in Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19685) - The park is blessed with some large and presumably old (if not ancient) oak trees. Most look healthy, but today I found out that some are infested with the oak processionary moth. It was in spring, around 5am, that local residents were awoken by a strange noise outside in the park. I quickly dressed and - [The golden yellow hues of August in the Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19672) - Early August, and the sunflowers are in residence, but the shallow pond is now dry despite recent rains and the yellow grasses are now seeding. Many of the young trees planted last October by the Trees-for-Cities communal event are brown and have probably not survived, but I estimate perhaps 30-50% might make it through to - [Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19642) - Whilst this forum is mostly about Perivale Park, there are many other fantastic green spaces in London to explore. One of my favourites is the nature reserve in Tower Hamlets in east London, the cemetery park. This place has a remarkable history which is still visible, and a wide diversity of nature. The signs in - [The first fruits of the Perivale Park orchard garden!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19627) - The trees for the orchard garden were planted about four weeks ago, and some of the apple trees already have fruits! I thought I might also provide some information about the trees planted. Ten large more mature Malus robusta 'Red Sentinel' (crab apple) were planted next to the benches. To give some idea of what they - [The Perivale Park Orchard Garden in July.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19610) - If you have visited the park recently you might have noticed progress with the orchard. The trees are in and are being watered, four sturdy benches made from recycled tropic hardwood for seating are now complete and very soon raised beds will appear for planting with herbs. The four meadow areas visible in the photos - [Djokovic 1 - Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers 57 and a table leg](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19600) - An extremely successful river clean-up took place on Sunday 14th July thanks to the hugely dedicated efforts of 12 volunteers, supported by Billy Coburn from Thames21. With 3 land-army pickers and 9 merfolk, we managed to collect 57 bags of mainly plastic litter, a large table leg, a sizeable laminate floor underlay and 4 pallets. - [Bee corridors mean .... honey!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19583) - With all these flower meadows and bee corridors being planted around Ealing (and Brent) and especially Perivale Park, are the bees happy? To find out I visited Ealing Beekeepers, who run hives within the foraging range of the park (typically 2-3 km, but can be up to ~6 km or further). The very friendly and enthusiastic members took us - [July flowers: close up!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19564) - When flower plantings started in our area in 2016, we were never sure quite what to expect. It depended on rain and the type of seed set down. Now in mid-July we are starting to get some answers for 2019. Firstly Perivale Park itself. This year's planting is very different from 2016-2018, which were an annual - [Northolt park flowering meadow.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19531) - You are as likely to meet a contractor in many London parks now as you are a park ranger. So it was yesterday that we ran in Andrew, one of the Perivale Park contractors for Ealing council, talking to local residents about the developing orchard garden "pocket-park". Since these contractors visit many sites, I asked what the most spectacular local - [We have new signs for the Perivale Park flower meadows!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19506) - Thanks to a generous grant from the Perivale ward of Ealing council, we now have three colourful and informative signs in the park next to three floral meadows. Thanks to Jan and Brad for their fantastic designs! Thr QR code in the signs resolves to this web site. Go visit the park today, check out - [In-River litter pick or Balsam Bash: the Choice is yours](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19503) - [NATIONAL PARK CITY TALKS, Sat 29 June, 11 – 5, Conway Hall, London.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19494) - Here is a flyer for the first of many events for June-July celebrating the creation of London as a National Park City. If you love your parks, do go along and hear what others are doing! - [Bee Corridors and Ponds, June 2019.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19479) - In June, only last year's plantings are in full colour (being around 2 months ahead of this years seedings). Here are some snaps of one of the Ealing "bee corridors" set out last year and now in full magnificence. This should last a month or so longer. There are also corridors that have been ploughed - [The orchard garden: the layout starts](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19475) - Close to the Nicky Hopkins bench in the park, on the site of the old bowling green, an orchard garden has started to take place. The final layout will include an orchard with fruiting trees, grass paths, seating, raised beds for community use and small flower meadows. Currently turf is being installed to define the - [An Update on Eels in the River Brent](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19472) - From Lucy Shuker, Brent Catchment Partnership Development Manager,Thames21 Many thanks indeed to the Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers for keeping up the fantastic clean-up work and for keeping us in the loop. I am so excited to have the eel pass and monitoring station being installed by ZSL on the Costons gauging weir and to find out how - [Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers June Event](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19462) - This is what the GGGs had to contend with at the river clean-up event behind Gurnell Leisure Centre on Sunday 9th June: Yes, a gas boiler and a moped, and 25 bags of plastic litter as well as a lump of polystyrene! But the 9 intrepid volunteers were in no way phased! And the River - [Museum of London Docklands - Secret Rivers Exhibition](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19454) - The Secret Rivers exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands is on now and will be continuing till October. It's very much worth a visit for those interested in the many rivers that have been wholly or partially lost. Our own River Brent running through Perivale Park appears on the large map at the entrance - [Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers June Clean-Up Event](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19450) - [Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers May Event](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19431) - Many thanks to the 12 wonderful volunteers who assiduously cleared an area of dry riverbed next to Perivale Park Golf Course last Sunday 12th May. 24 bin bags were filled with small items of plastic and wrappers, 10 larger items were removed and a patchwork of sun-dappled dells were created in just 3 hours. Hundreds - [(Almost) all things orchard.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19417) - Here is an orchard update, both for Perivale Park and for our exploration of the Hanwell orchard trail. Firstly, the Perivale Park orchard. The final stages in preparing the surface were done yesterday, with a very fancy gadget levelling the entire plot to within 5cm, in preparation for the next stages, which will be setting out - [Bee corridors in London (Brent). Hey, Ealing has them as well!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19400) - The BBC news headline reads 'Bee corridor' planted in London to boost insect numbers and goes on to describe how "... wildflower meadows will be put in place in 22 of Brent Council's parks in north London." Well, Perivale Park is one of a similar number of parks in Ealing getting the same treatment! This is how - [A survey of the plant life in Perivale West Meadows: a follow up 8 months later.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19366) - Last autumn we surveyed a meadow next to Perivale Park. The same crowd returned there on Sunday May 5th to investigate how it appears in spring. A method for estimating whether a meadow is "species rich" is known as Quadrat sampling. We chose two such quadrats (4m2 in size). I hope to report the results - [Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers next event!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19356) - We have added the Brent River Park (BRP) logo to our flyer to give credit to the great work carried out by this stalwart group over a very long and continuous period. It reflects the longstanding involvement of the community with the park and the reinstatement of the route. The aspirations of the original proposal - [Late April in the meadow.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19343) - Last October, a range of naturalised flowers were planted in the park. Here is an update on how some of them are getting on in late April. The daffodils have flowered, but the wild garlic and bluebells are just starting. - [FOG and the River Brent through Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19340) - In the course of our recent river clean-up opposite Brentside School, we experienced the full effects of FOG (fat, oil and grease) and understood something further about the role of dead vegetation in the river. Two sets of waders and a kayak were coated in a white, almost impossible-to-remove grease after being in the thick - [Floral meadow seeding, April 2019.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19331) - Today the central meadow is being prepared for a seeding later in the day. After that the rain dance(s) will need to be performed to ensure a spectacular display in July. Also some explanation for the recent tree planting at the north-west corner of that meadow, which were planted into the relatively narrow gap between - [53 Bags of rubbish!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19305) - The Greenford to Gurnell Greenwayers had a fun day today, removing all sorts of rubbish from the River Brent. This included one large butane tank (at least 25 Kg), a modern rental bike which was lurking there and 53 bags of very smelly rubbish. This was a canoe job, dislodging items which had become trapped - [Future River Clean-Up Dates with the Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19324) - Following the highly-successful clean-up on 14th April in and around the River Brent near Brentside High School, our next events will be taking place on: Sunday 12th May 1pm - 4pm: meeting at the bridge over Costons Brook in Perivale Park Sunday 9th June 1pm - 4pm: meeting at the same spot Both activities will - [April actions.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19295) - A few events in the park this April. In the spring glade at the northern entrance, the snake's head fritillaries have made their expected April appearance, with more are flowering every day now. Very nice close up! Preparing the central meadow for this year's flowing, which is more complicated than you might imagine. A special - [Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers April Event](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19290) - The next clean-up on the River Brent is taking place this Sunday 14th April starting at 1pm. This event is suitable for all because it will consist of river bank litter-picking as well as in-channel work in waders to clear a large litter-berg which has built up behind a fallen tree. So, gentle tasks as - [Nearly-200-pocket-parks-will-help-transform-the-nation](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19280) - It is not just Perivale Park that is getting some attention. The Government has just announced the winners of a national competition called "Pocket Parks". There are 15 London boroughs with these projects under way, including the Perivale Park Orchard Garden project in Ealing. The list of projects in the London boroughs area is: Blenheim - [The "Greenwayers" tidy up Costons Brook.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19274) - Costons Brook is one of two waterways in Perivale Park, being a tributary to the larger River Brent. It arises from perhaps three streams flowing from the north-west of the park, one apparently originating from the nearby Metropolitan business park. Tracing the others will require access to specialist maps! At any rate it flows out - [Early spring in the Park, 2019.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19252) - Its been a wet and windy spring so far. Here are some photos of the entrance to Perivale Park near to the South Greenford station/ A40 entrance. The Tenby daffodils (Narcissus obvallaris) planted last october are flowering, but many produced just leaves with no flowers. No sign of the snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno'), but - [A suggestion for planting a new tree species in the park ...](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19242) - Many new trees have been planted, or shortly will be planted in Perivale Park. Travelling in Morocco, we came across a very unusual species of tree and it struck me it would look really good to have one in the park. I think it would attract many new visitors! You may be interested to learn - [Ice skating anyone?](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19201) - London now has a mild temperate climate, so the appearance of ice is relatively unusual. Here is the new pond in Perivale Park, nicely full from winter rains, with a thin covering of ice. Too thin of course for actual ice skating! Here we have the river Brent where it is joined by Coston's brook, - [Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers March Event](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19215) - The next Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers event around the northern section of Costons Brook will be on Sunday 17th March with a limit of just 20 people due to our safety policy regarding steel toe-cap and steel mid-sole wellington boots as well as approved gloves, both of which we provide. Our public liability insurance through Thames21 is - [Ealing Parks Foundation Open Evening.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19195) - An open evening was held last Thursday 24th January 2019 to announce the Ealing Parks Foundation. Thanks to Ros Bryar for kindly sending this report of the meeting. The aim of this evening was to introduce the new Ealing Parks Foundation, to encourage people to apply to be trustees of the Foundation and to outline - [The Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19180) - Perivale Park is blessed with two rivers. To the south runs the river Brent and in the south-west its tributary Costons Brook. Today I learnt about two recent events involving cleaning up these waterways. Richard Spencer-Smith sent me the following descriptions of the activities of the Gurnell-Greenford Greenwayers. Our first event took place on the Brent - [Perivale Park activity in January](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19176) - The Greenford to Gurnell Greenway is well under way in the park. A new path is starting construction, heading off to a brand new bridge across the river Brent. This will help complete a circular pathway around the entire park, and no doubt encourage those quarter marathon runners (two circuits?). Lots more still to come! - [Trees for Cities Perivale Planting (+ double rainbow as a bonus).](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19140) - Trees for Cities is a charity which mobilizes armies of volunteers to go plant trees. Today, it was the turn of Perivale Park, part of the new Greenford to Gurnell Greenway project. The planting started at around 10.00, and we were organised into groups and trained to plant trees safely and correctly. Some 150+ people turned up - [Sunrise in Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19127) - You obviously have to be up fairly early to see this aspect of the Park. Here is sunrise on the morning of November 14, 2018 at ~07.10 am. The sunsets can be equally spectacular, and indeed observed from the same viewpoint as the sunrises (but with a different set of trees in the foreground. I also - [A LIDAR map of Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19150) - LIDAR (light and RADAR map) is a 3D mapping technique that detects surface features which are not otherwise discernible from the ground. One of the Ealing park rangers (thanks James!) pointed me to this site; https://houseprices.io/lab/lidar/map?ref=TQ15148280 which provides a postcode based map of UK LIDAR data. Here it is for Perivale Park. In the enlargement below - [Greenford to Gurnell Leisure Centre Greenway](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19123) - I have previously mentioned this flagship plan by Ealing council for enhancing the Perivale Park area. Today the plan was published, along with an invitation for people to comment. I do urge anyone reading this to do so! Particularly exciting are the proposed seven new wetland scrape areas to add to the existing tadpole pond - [First London National Park City Network Forum.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19117) - Next year the London National Park City launches in July. As a prelude, the first forum, or get together of some of the many organisations in London that promote it with the ethos of a national park took place on November 7th. Perivale Park was represented on this occasion by the RedGreen Group, a small local - [Station walks (relaunched) from South Greenford station.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19109) - You can now plan your visit to Perivale Park by browsing the newly re-launched London National Park City station walks map. There are currently four walks starting from South Greenford (SG) station radiating out in the four compass directions. You can download e.g. KML files (Google Earth) for each walk from the site. Anyone can - [The Greenford-Gurnell Greenway starts to take shape.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19087) - Over the last week, a short stretch of Coston's brook as it runs through Perivale Park has been transformed. The brook rises in the industrial estates north of the A40 in west Greenford and for its short course it emerges from culverts and then openly runs through the park before joining the river Brent close to - [Perivale Park bulb planting, October 27th, 2018.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19080) - About 4500 bulbs‡ were planted in the north-west corner of the park yesterday. We were blessed with glorious sun, but rather foot-numbing temperatures. Despite this unanticipated coldness, we enjoyed delicious home-made lemonade provide by Jack, who also provided a fish&chip lunch for some of us. The ground it turned out was rather harder than expected and the - [Botanic Gardens - 1452 to 1673.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19015) - Public parks in the UK are surprisingly young; the first was the Derby arboretum, opened in 1840, followed by e.g. Victoria Park in London (1845). There are now around 27,000 in Britain. Perivale park itself was only created in the 1930s. Here I want to note a much older genre, the Physik gardens containing medicinal - [Perivale Park: the orchard project starts!](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/19062) - One of the (several) projects under way in the park this autumn is the preparation of an orchard area, replacing the old bowling green. The latter was abandoned more than a decade ago by its enthusiastic bowlers, but then about four years ago the adjacent Coston's brook was dredged and the spoil from this operation - [A survey of the plant ( + bee & spider) life in Perivale West Meadows.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18899) - The Greenford to Gurnell Greenway is a project to transform underused and disconnected green space along the river Brent in West London connecting Greenford town centre to Gurnell Leisure centre. It is one of six initiatives to improve green spaces as part of the London National Park City project. Part of the greenway includes the - [Greenford to Gurnell Greenway Project.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18894) - As part of the Greenford to Gurnell (swimming pool) project, a new Perivale Park woodland is to be planted running alongside a recently constructed path. You can vote for the trees and make other suggestions here or view the location and design. There will be a community planting on Sunday December 2nd. As more of - [Perivale Park bulb planting day, Saturday October 27th, 10AM-2PM.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18887) - Join us on Saturday 27th October, 2018 in planting four thousand bulbs near the entrance to Perivale Park. Funded by a community grant, we now need YOUR help to plant the bulbs! The bulbs will be a mix of the following: 800 common star of Bethlehem. 500 English bluebells, 500 snake head fritillaries, 800 wild - [A new wetlands in Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18866) - As part of the "re-wilding" of the park, the ground has been cleared and prepared for a new wetlands area. It will be watered naturally and during the expected wet winter months, the new pond - which has a shallow terrace and a deeper centre - will hopefully fill up with rainwater. The flora and - [Nicky Hopkins Memorial Bench in Perivale Park: the unveiling.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18825) - The opening of the Nicky Hopkins memorial bench took place in Perivale Park at noon today. Here are a few photos of the occasion (click on any image for higher resolution). - [Wetlands and Orchards.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18802) - Perivale Park is one of six projects in London funded by a "green-capital" grants program, with the RedGreen group project contributing to an orchard and a bulb planting. The main Perivale park green-capital grant will include the development of two wetlands areas, the locations being shown on the map below. Work has already started on - [Nicky Hopkins Memorial Bench in Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18799) - On September 8th at 12.00, a memorial will be unveiled in Perivale Park to Nicky Hopkins ("Rock’s Greatest Session Man") He was a famous session musician who played with many of the greats of the 1960s onwards such as the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, Ella Fitzgerald, Art Garfunkel and - [The Capital Ring: Perivale and Crystal Palace Parks](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18790) - The Capital Ring walk is a 126 km circumambulation around London passing through Perivale Park (section 8). In a southerly direction, you can get to another park in south-east London, Crystal Palace park (sections 3 and 4), which is a rather more famous cousin of Perivale. The Capital Ring often also intersects with other local walks, such - [Perivale Park, August 18th, 2018.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18778) - There was finally some rain last week, and the cosmos in particular have picked themselves up. A dead tree seems even more petrified, nay ghostly, than usual! A bridge across Coston's brook always has a hop plant growing on it, and this year's harvest looks particularly enticing! Meanwhile, the main wildflower planting area never did - [Perivale Park, July 28, 2018.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18755) - After two months of no rain, several people I know performed rain dances last night. The result was much thunder and a great deal of heavy rain - everywhere except Perivale Park! Despite that, the spring wild flower plantings are still looking great - I guess they must all be pretty draught tolerant. Here are - [Perivale and Brent Valley Parks, July 14th, 2018.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18725) - There was a small shower of rain last night and the parched flowers seemed to appreciate it. Some of the brambles shown below are already tasty, but they will need a lot more rain for most of them to ripen. This photo was taken along the Brent river valley, walking from Perivale Park to Hanwell. - [Trio Oreade play Beethoven and Schumann close to Perivale Park.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18719) - Close to Perivale Park is St Mary's Perivale, a 12th century church now used as a music venue. You get to the church along mostly "country lanes" from the park itself. Last night, for those who wanted to escape the football world cup, the Trio Oreade entertained us magnificently. You can see the program notes - [Perivale Park, London, July 10th.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18707) - Here are some examples of Tuesday morning activities in Perivale Park. - [The RedGreen group project.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18695) - Groundwork UK is a charity that aims to re-connect people with nature and transform whole neighbourhoods. They provide grants under an "Our Space" awards scheme for small-scale community projects. A group of locals meet in Perivale Park every week under the "everyone active" scheme (https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/perivale-park-athletics-track/ ) to take gentle exercise in the athletics track there. - [#StationWalks from the London National Park City Project](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18672) - London is about to become a national park city, with the aim of encouraging Londoners and visitors to London to get out and explore its many green features. One way of doing this is to go on a StationWalk, where you start and end at a station. Perivale Park has its own station, South Greenford. To - [A local community forum for Perivale Park, Ealing.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/6) - Welcome to this local community forum for Perivale Park, Ealing. Here you will find posts relating to events, news and photographs of the Perivale Park area, located in the London borough of Ealing, West London. - [New green spaces for the banks of the River Brent.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18665) - The banks of the river Brent close to Perivale Park in London are about to be enhanced with reed beds, wetlands, meadows, woodland and orchards. This is a fantastic new local resource for the area! Photographs of the existing fields will appear here shortly and as the development proceeds more will be added to illustrate - [Wild flowers in West London.](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/18657) - Bees are having a tough time around the world. Oddly, they are surviving very well in cities. One reason are the wild flower meadows in London and for some summer relief I thought I would tell you the story of the one shown below. We live in west London, in an area that was farmland ## Pages - [About](https://www.perivalepark.london/about) - A blog about Perivale Park, London. Please contact Henry Rzepa (rzepa@rzepa.net) for suggestions, information etc. ## Categories - [Flowers](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/category/flowers) - [General](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/category/general) - [Friends of Perivale Park](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/category/friends-of-perivale-park) - [Raised-beds](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/category/raised-beds) - [orchard](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/category/orchard) - [Ponds](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/category/ponds) - [Bistro](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/category/bistro) ## Tags - [Animal dance](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/animal-dance) - [Bee](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/bee) - [Behavior](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/behavior) - [Flower](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/flower) - [George](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/george) - [King](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/king) - [Meadow](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/meadow) - [Person Career](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/person-career) - [Person Location](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/person-location) - [Plant reproduction](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/plant-reproduction) - [Pollination](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/pollination) - [Reproduction](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/reproduction) - [river Brent](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/river-brent) - [Tri Oreade](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/tri-oreade) - [12th Century](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/12th-century) - [re-wilding Chris Packham People's walk for Wildlife](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/re-wilding-chris-packham-peoples-walk-for-wildlife) - [Birds](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/birds) - [bees](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/bees) - [butterflies](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/butterflies) - [birdseed](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/birdseed) - [butterfly](https://www.perivalepark.london/archives/tag/butterfly)