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 park was in early July. He suggested we visit Northolt park, about 4 km north-west from Perivale park.
This park has an interesting history. From 1929 to 1940 it was a famous and innovative racecourse, located near Dabbs Hill lane, lasting only 11 years as such. After the war, it closed permanently because the need for housing by then was far greater. It would be fair to say the old racecourse is now largely forgotten by residents from other boroughs. But it is now the scene of “bee-corridors” and flower meadows, which are springing up everywhere in London. Below are some photos taken of the park.
Each flower meadow tends to have its own unique characteristics. This one was certainly the scent of the blue flowers! It will be also interesting to see how it changes as the summer progresses; some meadows only come into their own in later summer.
I forgot to say that the bees have certainly discovered the flowers! Northolt park had fantastic numbers of them!
Slightly belatedly, I found out that July 6th, 2019, the date we visited Northolt and Gladstone parks, was also National Meadows day; http://www.magnificentmeadows.org.uk/celebrating-meadows/national-meadows-day