Parks & Gardens in London, Suffolk, & abroad
Baxter’s Fields in Sydenham is a grassy park which hides between houses in South East London. The park is associated with significant and important people in the printing industry in the 19C. It is another little surprise in my exploration of green spaces in South East London.
Downham Fields in SE London was also called Durham Hill and I found the park when I was walking in South East London. It is one of the surprising, and perhaps unlikely large green areas – a large green park, on a steep hillside, with beautiful trees and far views over London.
Well, here we are at the start of August in The Fortnight Garden, and the start of the eighth month of the year. I have been lazy – yes, I admit to sheer inactivity in the garden – and it shows! However, I am only going to share the nicer bits!
Downham Playing Fields in Lewisham was created during the development of the Downham Estate as a leisure facility. A century later it still fulfils that function. The fields are a pleasant walk, and have the added bonus of the Spring Brook, a tributary of the Ravensbourne River.
Six on Saturday this week comes from The Fortnight Garden towards the end of July – changeover time in the garden! When I have to cut down the early flowerers and suddenly feel I have to ‘do’ something, rather than just ‘enjoy’, we have reached ‘changeover time’ in the garden. This means another spell of hard work. This year I have to be very careful as my back injuries have left me ‘fragile’ in the words of the chiropractor.
Downham Woodland Walk in South East London is Ancient Woodland which hides away behind the houses on the Downham Estate, and close to more Ancient Woodland in the Forster Memorial Park.
Continue reading ➞ Downham Woodland Walk in South East London
Mid-July in The City Garden is more cheerful than I had anticipated. In a fortnight of mixed weather, while I have been away, the garden has managed to struggle on and so I am going to feed, water and tidy up, and then hope for the best again.
Forster Memorial Park in South East London is another of the surprising and hidden parks in South East London. It lies behind busy main roads and affords peace and quiet to local residents. And unusually it has the remains of Ancient Woodlands as well.
Continue reading ➞ Forster Memorial Park in South East London
Early July in a village garden is a bright and colourful time. Fortunately the garden is now more or less looking after itself because I have ongoing back problems and need to be careful. At least I don’t have to water because there has been a lot of rain, encouraging everything to ever greater heights. Walking towards the house, or looking out of the front door, is like being in a giant flower bed! And as you can see the garden is densely planted and so there is very little space in which to do anything new!
I been been away from The City Garden since the beginning of March with only four brief visits to The City Garden during the past four months. This Six on Saturday in The City Garden in July is therefore a rather sad story.
Continue reading ➞ Six on Saturday in The City Garden in July