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 green spaces shown below, including what are labelled Fields 1 & 2 (probably Perivale West Meadows) and separated from Perivale Park by a railway line.
I mentioned this project to a friend who volunteers at the Barnes Wetland Centre, and he in turn suggested a friend of his, Richard Bullock, who delights in surveying meadows for their botanical diversity. So it was on Sunday September 30th, 2018 that five of us (Richard, Dave and Maria Widdowson, Zé and myself) ventured into the Perivale meadows to inspect the plant (and bee and spider; can you spot them?) life. We spent about three hours there before ending at St Mary’s church graveyard in search of a rare Rustyback fern, last reported in 1991 as part of a nature conservation survey conducted by the London Ecology unit.
The list that follows comprises 95 identified species (and one or two that are being checked!)
The following is a list of the above, with DSC numbers if you want to contact us for the RAW files from the camera.
Alder-Alnus-glutinosa-DSC_0627.jpg Apple-Malus-domestica-DSC_0677.jpg Ash-Fraxinus-excelsior-DSC_0622.jpg Autumn-Hawkbit-Leontodon-autumnalis-DSC_0578.jpg Autumn-Hawkbit-Leontodon-autumnalis-DSC_0579.jpg Bird's-foot-Trefoil-Lotus-corniculata-DSC_0573.jpg Bittersweet-Solanum-dulcamara-DSC_0663.jpg Black-Horehound-Ballota-nigra-DSC_0655.jpg Black-Poplar-hybrid-Populus-nigra-x-DSC_0624.jpg Blackthorn-Prunus-spinosa-DSC_0589.jpg Blackthorn-Prunus-spinosa-DSC_0644.jpg Bramble-Rubus-fruticosus-DSC_0594.jpg Broadleaf-Dock-Rumex-obtusifolius-DSC_0628.jpg Bulbous-Buttercup-Ranunculus-bulbosus-DSC_0575.jpg Cat's-Ear-Hypochoeris-radicata-DSC_0572.jpg Cherry-Plum-Prunus-cerasifera-DSC_0623.jpg Cock's-foot-Dactylis-glomerata-DSC_0577.jpg Cock's-foot-Dactylis-glomerata-DSC_0592.jpg Common-Carder-Bee-Bombus-pascuorum-DSC_0668.jpg Common-Couch-Elytrigia-repens-DSC_0590.jpg Common-Dandelion-Taraxacum-officinalis-DSC_0583.jpg Common-Dandelion-Taraxacum-officinalis-DSC_0636.jpg Common-Elder-Sambucus-nigra-DSC_0629.jpg Common-Mallow-Malva-sylvestris-DSC_0676.jpg Common-Ragwort-Senecio-jacobaea-DSC_0585.jpg Common-Sorrel-DSC_0609.jpg Cow-Parsley-Anthriscus-sylvestris-DSC_0593.jpg Cow-Parsley-Anthriscus-sylvestris-DSC_0642.jpg Crack-Willow-Salix-fragilis-DSC_0652.jpg Creeping-Thistle-Cirsium-arvense-DSC_0604.jpg Curled-Dock-Rumex-crispus-DSC_0598.jpg Dog-Rose-Rosa-canina-DSC_0635.jpg Dove's-Foot-Crane's-bill-Geranium-molle-DSC_0569.jpg English-Elm-Ulmus-procera-DSC_0630.jpg English-Oak-Quercus-robur-DSC_0639.jpg Fairy-Ring-Champignon-Marasmius-oreades-DSC_0580.jpg False-Acacia-Robinia-pseudacacia-DSC_0682.jpg False-Acacia-Robinia-pseudacacia-DSC_0683.jpg False-oatgrass-Arrhenatherum-elatius-DSC_0588.jpg Fat-Hen-Chenopodium-album-DSC_0675.jpg Field-Maple-Acer-campestre-DSC_0641.jpg Garden-Spider-Araneus-diadematus-DSC_0657.jpg Garlic-Mustard-Alliaria-petiolata-DSC_0607.jpg Giant-Hogweed-Heracleum-Mantegazzianum-DSC_0679.jpg Goosegrass-Galium-aparine-DSC_0633.jpg Groundsel-Senecio-vulgaris-DSC_0658.jpg Hairy-Bittercress-Cardamine-hirsuta-DSC_0606.jpg Hart's-Tongue-Phyllitis-scolopendrium--DSC_0665.jpg Hawthorn-Cretaegus-monogyna-DSC_0591.jpg Hedge-Bindweed-Calystegia-sepium-DSC_0664.jpg Herb-Robert-Geranium-robertianum--DSC_0647.jpg Himalayan-Balsam-Impatiens-glandulifera-DSC_0659.jpg Horse-Chestnut-Aesculus-hippocastanum-DSC_0626.jpg Horseradish-Armoracia-rusticana-DSC_0678.jpg Ivy-Hedera-helix-DSC_0643.jpg Knotgrass-Polygonum-aviculare-DSC_0637.jpg Lady's-Bedstraw-Galium-verum--DSC_0566.jpg Lady's-Bedstraw-Galium-verum--DSC_0576.jpg Lesser-Burdock-Arctium-minus-DSC_0653.jpg Lesser-Stitchwort-Stellaria-graminea-DSC_0610.jpg Male-Fren-Dryopteris-felix-mas-DSC_0667.jpg Meadow-Buttercup-Ranunculus-acris-DSC_0613.jpg Meadow-Buttercup-Ranunculus-acris-DSC_0614.jpg Meadow-Vetchling-Lathyrus-pratensis-DSC_0618.jpg Norway-Maple-Acer-platanoides-DSC_0648.jpg Ox-eye-Daisy-Leucanthemum-vulgare-DSC_0581.jpg Pendulous-Sedge-Carex-pendula-DSC_0640.jpg Red-Fescue-Festuca-rubra-DSC_0582.jpg Red-Fescue-Festuca-rubra-DSC_0600.jpg Red-Fescue-Festuca-rubra-DSC_0601.jpg Ribwort-Plantain-Plantago-lanceolata-DSC_0570.jpg Ribwort-Plantain-Plantago-lanceolata-DSC_0571.jpg Rosebay-Willowherb-Chamerion-augustifolium-DSC_0608.jpg Rustyback-Asplenium-ceterach-DSC_0686.jpg Rustyback-Asplenium-ceterach-DSC_0688.jpg Rustyback-Asplenium-ceterach-DSC_0689.jpg Sheep's-Sorrel-Rumex-acetosella-DSC_0586.jpg Smooth-Tare-Vicia-tetrasperama-DSC_0584.jpg Soft-Rush-Juncus-effusus-DSC_0621.jpg Spear-Thistle-Cirsium-vulgare-DSC_0638.jpg Stinging-Nettle-Urtica-dioica-DSC_0605.jpg Sun-Spurge-Euphorbia-helioscopia-DSC_0673.jpg Sycamore-Acer-pseudoplatanus-DSC_0651.jpg Tall-Fescue-Festuca-arundinacea-DSC_0587.jpg Tall-Fescue-Festuca-arundinacea-DSC_0603.jpg Timothy-Phleum-pratense-DSC_0599.jpg White-Clover-Trifolium-repens-DSC_0611.jpg White-Deadnettle-Lamium-album-DSC_0631.jpg Wild-Cherry-Prunus-avium-DSC_0662.jpg Wood-Avens-Geum-urbanum--DSC_0645.jpg Wood-Dock-Rumex-sanguineus-DSC_0595.jpg Wood-False-Brome-Brachypodium-sylvaticum-DSC_0646.jpg Yarrow-Achillea-millefolium-DSC_0567.jpg Yarrow-Achillea-millefolium-DSC_0615.jpg Yorkshire-fog-Holcus-lanatus-DSC_0612.jpg
The breakdown into the individual areas is indicated below.
Field 1 was certainly more diverse than Field 2. I understand that this latter field might be converted into a wetlands; it is to be hoped that Field 1 at least might be preserved as a diverse meadow!
Finally, the Rustyback fern found on a tomb in the graveyard of St Mary’s church. This one got Richard quite excited!
Please send us comments on any of the species above that you might have an interesting fact or story to tell us.