Friends of Crabtree Fields

Tag: Fitzrovia

  • Pergola repairs and spring wildlife at Crabtree Fields

    Pergola repairs and spring wildlife at Crabtree Fields

    Contractors working for Camden Council completed repairs to the pergola at Crabtree Fields earlier this month, in time for the main bird nesting season and before the wisteria (pictured) came into bloom. The Friends group had pressed Camden’s parks department for the past few years to make the repairs after the volunteers had had to […]

  • Tree planting December 2021 at Crabtree Fields

    Tree planting December 2021 at Crabtree Fields

    This December we planted around a hundred trees to restore the hedges at Crabtree Fields. Saplings of hawthorn, rowan, blackthorn, silver birch, hazel, and common oak were added to the park to increase greenery, improve biodiversity, provide a habitat for wildlife and enhance the appearance for the public park. The trees were provided free by […]

  • Repairs to children’s playground

    Repairs to children’s playground

    Camden Council has closed the children’s playground at Crabtree Fields because parts of it are in need of repair. However, Camden says they want to remove and replace most of the equipment. “I write to inform you that we have been advised that wooden play features at Crabtree Fields have reached their end of life […]

  • Spring blossom on a plum tree at Crabtree Fields

    Spring blossom on a plum tree at Crabtree Fields

    Signs of spring are showing at Crabtree Fields: blossom on a plum tree, near the Colville Place gate. Plum (Prunus cerasifera) is one of the earliest trees to blossom in the park. It is native to southeast Europe and western Asia. It was introduced to Britain so long ago that it has become naturalised in […]

  • Over a hundred trees planted this autumn and winter at Crabtree Fields

    Over a hundred trees planted this autumn and winter at Crabtree Fields

    The Friends group have now completed our sessions of winter planting in Crabtree Fields. This past week we planted nearly 100 saplings, thanks to the The Conservation Volunteers Dig Trees’ scheme which supplied the trees. In November we planted 30 trees provided by the Woodland Trust. During this final session we planted a mix of […]

  • In flower: loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)

    In flower: loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)

    If you take a wander through Crabtree Fields at the moment you may be lucky to smell the fragrant blossom of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica). Native to China and widely grown in Japan it is often referred to as Japanese loquat. In Spain it is called nispero. It flowers in late autumn and early winter but […]

  • Thirty saplings for hedges planted in Crabtree Fields

    Thirty saplings for hedges planted in Crabtree Fields

    This morning we planted 30 saplings at Crabtree Fields to increase the density and amount of native hedgerows — including six crab apple trees. In all we planted six each of crab apple (Malus sylvestris), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), dog rose (Rosa canina), and hazel (Corylus avellana). They were supplied free of charge […]

  • Autumn and winter maintenance and planting at Crabtree Fields

    Autumn and winter maintenance and planting at Crabtree Fields

    The Friends group and Camden’s contractor idverde have completed the first stage of the autumn and winter pruning of hedges at Crabtree Fields in readiness for planting of new trees and shrubs. The autumn trim will make it easier to sweep the hard surface areas. The vines on the pergola have been cut back so […]

  • This is why park hedges should not be cut in the spring and summer months

    Farmers are not allowed to cut hedges between 1 March and 31 August to protect the habitat of nesting birds. The same guidance should be applied to public parks in our cities, yet all too often it is ignored. Using machinery such as hedge trimmers and leaf blowers can disrupt the habitat, disturbing nests. Birds […]

  • Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) blossoms in Crabtree Fields

    The first of our small blackthorn trees is blossoming in Crabtree Fields, adding to the variety of plants to support wildlife. Blackthorn, also known as sloe, is a small deciduous tree native to the UK and most of Europe. Because it is early flowering it provides a valuable source of nectar and pollen for bees. […]