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Late Summer 2019

Dear Member,

Dulwich Park’s new Head Gardener, Rob May

Some of us have already become acquainted with the new Head Gardener, Rob May, as he has supervised some of the Friends’ recent ‘Dig the Park’ initiatives. Hailing originally from Blenheim on the south island of New Zealand, Rob has worked for the contractor idverde (previously Quadron) almost continuously since 2009.

He was Head Gardener at Peckham Rye Park until 2015 followed by a stint in the same role at Holland Park until 2018. Rob tried private residential garden work for six months but missed the large open spaces of London’s Victorian parks – so he leapt at the Dulwich Park opportunity.

Parking charges within the park

As you may already know, Southwark Council have completed their consultation into parking charges in Southwark parks. The Friends’ submissions (and those of many others, it seems) did not find favour. Accordingly charges of £2 per hour during park opening hours will be introduced in Dulwich Park in October.

Although we understand the position will be reviewed after a year, we suspect that somehow charges are here to stay…

Lake and Rivulet survey

Concerned about the water quality and bio-diversity of the lake and rivulet, the Friends and Dulwich Society jointly commissioned a specialist investigation. The chosen adviser, 35percent, has produced its report, a copy of which can be emailed to you on request to our email address above. The Friends are in the process of digesting the report’s findings and how to take things forward. Some straightforward recommendations include installation of a water level gauge to monitor levels over time; and a review of the (mostly broken) aeration equipment.

Further Southwark consultations

Southwark have launched two consultations (likely to be less controversial than the car parking charges scheme) to which you may wish to contribute:

Trees policy consultation: https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/parks-leisure/ - closes 27th September

Biodiversity action plan: https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/protecting-biodiversity-and-making-nature-accessib/ - closes 27th October

Giant redwood taking off…

As previously trailed, the park is now home to a coastal redwood tree - Sequoia Sempervirens, to give it its correct name – by kind donation of Dulwich Park Friends Jean and Charles Cary-Elwes. Jean grew the tree from a seedling bought at Muir Woods California, growing it on for fifteen years before its planting in the park in 2017. The tree has thrived, though the species takes around fifty years to reach a typical height of 12 metres – that’s 40 feet in ‘old money’.

The pictures show Jean alongside her protégé, and the plastic tube that housed the sapling when Jean bought it on a visit to Muir Woods. Jean stresses that its exportation in the sealed tube was properly licenced.

“The first winter that ‘my baby’ was subjected to snow, frost and high winds etc was nerve-wracking for me and at one point I even wrapped it in a blanket! However, these trees are tough and it continued to grow.

By the spring of 2017, it was bursting out of the largest pot available and it was obvious that it needed to be planted in the ground. I approached Dulwich Park and asked Robert Roach if they would like it and I suggested it would be most suitable for the American Garden. He was delighted…We visit it regularly and are amazed and thrilled to see how tall it has become.”

More trees, glorious trees

The Friends’ application to the Mayor’s Greener City Fund proved successful, meaning that fifteen new trees will be planted in the park during National Tree Week (23 Nov-1 Dec), five each alongside the College Gate entrance road, in the orchard and in the Japanese garden by the rivulet. £5,760 was awarded on a matched funding basis that included £1,050 from the Friends as well as value in kind from volunteers organised by idverde’s Development Officer Andy Robinson e.g. through corporate initiatives (via Hands on London) and school programmes.

The Friends’ Chair Emily Montague has set up a Dulwich Park Tree Trail, using the Ticl App. This can be found here and will grow over time: https://ticl.me/set_location?e=1&r=/Dulwich/headlines/13740/view

All the fun of the Dulwich Park Fair

Following the tried and tested formula of many years, the Dulwich Park Fair on 19th May captured locals’ and visitors’ imagination yet again. The montage says it all…

Lewisham Concert Band returned to the park

The now annual concert by the popular Lewisham Concert Band took place on a wonderfully sunny afternoon. With an audience drawn from across the age spectrum, the band entertained with selections from classical to pop, with jazz in between. The concert is brought to you by virtue of a grant obtained by the Friends from Southwark’s neighbourhood fund.

Your elected committee for 2019-20 is as follows:

Emily Montague – Chair

Trevor Moore – Vice- chair

Michelle Pearce – Treasurer

Jackie Prescott – membership

Neil Ellis

Roland Green

Yasmin Hashmi

Stephen Henden

Stella Plumbridge – website

You can contact us via the email address at the head of this newsletter, or ring our Chair, Emily Montague, on 07800 765338 or Vice-chair, Trevor Moore, on 07967 000546.

Best regards,

Dulwich Park Friends

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