Category Archives: Rose Garden

Seed and Plant Swap

Spring is here, the daffodils are in flower and we are excited to learn that Ulla and HCGA are launching this years Queen’s Park in Bloom with a cost-of-living friendly Seed and Plant Swap. 

Events will be held at the Rose Garden in Queen’s Park Gardens, Fourth Ave, W10  4QJ on:
Sunday 2 April at 12 noon – 3pm
and
Thursday 6 April at 2pm – 4pm

The idea is simple:
Bring any spare seeds, plants or cuttings you have  and exchange them with others you find and fancy.
Drop off any plastic plant pots you no longer need.

Meet your neighbours and swap any gardening tips.

They will be selling good quality Melcourt Sylva Grow peat-free potting compost: £1 small bag (bring your own bag), £3 x 30L bag or £5 x 50L bag. Bring cash or card.

They will also be offering gardening advice, so do bring your questions and queries.

It’s too good to miss.

You can learn more about Ulla’s weekly community gardening sessions here.

Beginners Gardening Course

WAES and HCGA are holding a free, month long gardening course for beginners, covering a different topic each week.

Thursday 28th April 2022 at Queen’s Park Gardens 1:30pm to 3pm: Seed Sowing – How, When & Where.
Thursday 5th May 2022 at Queen’s Park Gardens 1:30pm to 3pm: Knowing your weeds, looking at common annual & perennial weeds (plant ID), different weeding techniques for each, use of edible and medicinal weeds.
Thursday 12th May 2022 at Queen’s Park Gardens 1:30pm to 3pm: Sustainable Gardening, composting (garden/leaf), making comfrey/nettle feed, growing for pollinators, using peat-free potting compost- what is it & why it’s essential.
Thursday 19th May 2022 at Queen’s Park Gardens 1:30pm to 3pm: Plant your Own Hanging basket.
Thursday 26th May 2022 – 10am to 2pm: Visit to Kew Gardens.

This gardening course is free, all you need to do is…

*Complete an enrolment form
*Show your ID at enrolment
*Be a resident of Westminster borough
*Attend every week

FOR INFO AND BOOKINGS please email: bookings@nullhcga.org.uk

Queen’s Park in Bloom 2021

Now is the time to brighten up your window boxes and front gardens as our judges will be  out and about in the last week of May/first week of June, looking for green fingered residents deserving of a certificate of commendation.

Winners will be able to claim their prize at the Queen’s Park Festival on 7th August.

If you want any help or advice with your garden why not pop by and meet your local community gardener Ulla Johnson, or join our weekly gardening sessions held in the Rose Garden every Thursday Morning 10- 12pm?  More info here.

HCGA                                                                         Queen’s Park Community Council

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

Sadly, we don’t feel able to hold our usual counting session in the park this year but the HCGA and  QP Community Council have some ideas to help you join in.

They will be giving away bird feeding kits which contain everything you need to take part in the bird count, along with lots of resources to help you make your own bird feeder to feed the birds in your garden or neighbourhood.

 

Enjoy Our Park

Enjoy Our Local Park

We’re still not running official sessions, for safety reasons but you may notice some of our team quietly working away in the park.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the activities run by the QPCC this month. More events below:

The Secret Summer Festival –  Registration details are here.

The Queen’s Park Reality Show (14 – 16 yr olds) 10th to 21st August 2020 from 11am to 3pm every weekday. Registration details are here.

  • Covid-19: Our park is still open at the moment but we’re not running official gardening until we feel it is safe for us to do so, as we work in public spaces.
  • If you use the Wildlife Area, please respect those who are seeking a quiet area, free from joggers and dogs.

Bird Count Results

  • Covid-19: Our park is still open at the moment but no community gardening is taking place. If you use the Wildlife Area, please respect those who are seeking a quiet area, free from joggers and dogs. Read our notes here.

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At the end of January, we joined in the nation’s Garden Birdwatch, counting the birds in our park with Andrew from the RSPB.

You can read more here.

The data has been crunched and once again, the sparrow has come out on top. Read more at the RSPB website.

How do these results compare to our count?

UK Bird QPG
1st House Sparrow 3rd
2nd Starling none
3rd Blue Tit Joint 5th
4th Woodpigeon 2nd
5th Blackbird 4th
6th Goldfinch Joint 6th
7th Great Tit Joint 5th
8th Robin Joint 5th
9th Long-tailed Tit none
10th Magpie Joint 6th
15th Feral Pigeon 1st
19th Wren Joint 6th
52nd ! Mistle Thrush Joint 6th

2020 Bird Count


We would like to thank Andrew Peel for his expert guidance during our count again this year. His knowledge and observational skills were invaluable.

Thank you to all the Friends who came along to help, too.

Blackbirds
Blue tits
Goldfinch
Great tit
House sparrows
Robin
10 Wood pigeons
37 Feral pigeons
1 Magpie
1 Wren
1 Mistle Thrush

The national count will be published in April.

We were also visited by a squirrel and saw a cormorant flying overhead.

Bulb Planting Day!


Ulla and the wonderful HCGA team are holding a small bulb planting & apple themed morning of activities on the 26th October from 10am to 1pm.

They’ll be doing some bulb planting and other activities to make our park even more beautiful. Please come and be a part of this event.

Ulla holds a session in and around the Orchard every Thursday morning from 10am. More details here.