Parks & Gardens in London, the UK & abroad
I am pleased to say that, in early October, I am still enjoying summer weather in Northern Spain. Even though the trees in Northern Spain are still green, but with a tinge of gold, the mornings are quite sharp. This week my Six on Saturday is all about planting in Spanish Towns. Planting in Villafranca del Bierzo and Monforte de Lemos – plants hanging over balconies or under windows, and trees in streets.
Today’s Six on Saturday comes again from the mountains in northern Spain where the dahlias seems to grow abundantly. I don’t know what they are called but here are six wonderful dahlias as my flowers in the Picos de Europa – just beautiful!
My Six on Saturday comes to you from sunny Spain, the Picos de Europa to be more specific, where I am easing off after a difficult year. The Propagator will, I hope, allow such a breach of ‘backyard’ information! So, this is gardening in the Picos de Europa.
Hilly Fields Park in SE London, in the Borough of Lewisham, is another wonderful park. And it is yet again a green space, previously countryside, which has been preserved as the city has expanded thanks to campaigning by local people.
It is the end of August and there is a hint of ‘year-end’ in the garden. It feels slightly tired, as though we are in the last fling before settling down to sleep. On the whole I have been pleased with progress this year, but I can also see where some changes are needed next year. The laurel tree needs to be cut back, the damson needs its biannual prune (so no jam next year), and the neighbour’s conifer is threatening light and life. Then some of the plants need to be changed around – but less so than this year – slow progress!
London Gardens Online tells me that ‘…Brookmill Park in Lewisham originated as a small recreation ground provided from 1880 near the Kent Waterworks’ reservoir by the River Ravensbourne. It was expanded in the 1920s when part of the disused reservoir was infilled, and opened as Brookmill Park. Some evidence of the reservoir remains, much reduced in size, as the small oval lake still found in the park. When nearby housing was destroyed by WWII bombing, the park was further extended, re-opening in 1951 as Ravensbourne Park.
When Deptford and Lewisham amalgamated to form Lewisham in 1965, the park reverted to its earlier name. It was again re-landscaped when the DLR was constructed, necessitating re-routing of the Ravensbourne, and former Thames Water gardens were added, now a formal garden with pond, pergolas, ornamental beds and hedges. The park was re-opened in 1998…’. (2012 and no photographs).