March 2026 Bulletin

Softly, softly: Stunning colours and textures in this picture of a tiny duckling by Vida Cody, FoGP Photograpy Group

We were thrilled to receive more than 80 entries from young poets for our Poetry Competition. 
The poems from all ages - five to 18 - were impressive and demonstrated just how much Greenwich Park means to us all.
Please do come to our Awards Ceremony at 12 noon on Saturday, April 18, in the Pavilion cafe in the Park. We will be announcing the winners and reading the winning poems.
The Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, councillor Linda Bird, will be handing out the prizes and giving certificates to the successful young poets. If the weather is kind we will have a barbecue in the café garden. 

Ducks, daphnes... and apricots
A warm welcome from The Queen's Orchard, writes Emma Paley, Kitchen Engagement Gardener.
Entering, you will be greeted by the dainty daffodils, who nod their heads as you pass. The sweet smell of hyacinths and daphnes will follow you until you reach the apricot blossom. Apricots you say? Yes! They're being trained against a south-facing wall and it's warm enough to grow apricots.
Nearby, in the ornamental pond, two beautiful mallard ducks have happily made their home amongst the Equisetum japonica and the Nymphaea alba. The forty apple trees and six pears have had their winter pruning, the beds have been mulched, the greenhouses cleaned and tidied and here we are, ready for the start of spring.
I would like to highlight our lovely new climbing perennial from the Andes in South America, Mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum), a cousin of the nasturtium. The Incas grew this ancient crop for its nutritious tubers. The leaves are also edible and are fabulous in salad.
Here is an insight into what we are doing in the Orchard this spring.
Planting out (March): Pea 'Blauwschokker'; Radish 'Poloneza'; Broad bean 'Crimson Flowered'; Carrots 'Lila Lu', 'Yellow Stone' and 'Nantes'; Beetroot 'Flaming Barrel' and 'Chioggia'; Mashua tubers.
Sowing (March): Ten different species of heritage tomatoes; 'Purple Landrace' and 'Rubylicious' to name a couple. Chillis, such as 'Chilhuacle Negro' and 'Lemon Drop', along with five other heritage varieties. We are going to experiment growing Watermelon 'Little Darling' on the Hugelkultur mound. Flowers: German chamomile; Amaranth 'Love Lies Bleeding' and hyssop.
Sowing (April): Fennel 'Perfektion'; Sweetcorn 'Bountiful'; Borlotti bean 'Borlotto Liongua Di Fuoco'; Squash 'Red Kuri'; Cucumber 'Shintokiwa'; Basil 'Sweet Genovese'. Flowers: wild chicory, wild garlic, Sunflower 'Vanilla Ice' and wild bergamot. 
A huge thank you to all the volunteers for their constant care, love and devotion to this beautiful space.
Happy growing from us all at The Queen's Orchard.

An often overlooked corner of the Park

Picture: Will Lowe, FoGP Photography Group

is quietly undergoing a tremendous makeover. If you haven't noticed the changes in The Rockery, tucked behind the public lavatories by the main Blackheath Gate, now is the time to take a peek. With cloud-pruned conifers and a mass of spring planting, the area is already coming into its own.

What’s the buzz… 
We have an exciting opportunity to benefit from training on identifying bees which is provided by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. The training will take place on April 8 from 10.30 am to 3.30 pm in the Learning Centre. Please bring a packed lunch and a hand lens if you have one. Tickets for the training day are free, but you will need to reserve your place here. 
The Friends will be helping the Park carry out bee surveys and we hope to build up a pool of trained people who can take part. Please email info@friendsofgreenwichpark.org.uk if you would like to help with the surveys.

Friends’ AGM, 2026
Our 33rd AGM will take place at the West Greenwich Library on Tuesday, May 12, at 6.30pm for 7.00pm.  Do come along, have a glass of wine and meet the committee.

Sharing the Mulberry’s story
As you walk beneath the trees of Cherry Avenue toward the Rose Garden in the Park, you may notice, on your left, the remains of an old tree beside a younger one. Both are mulberries, linked by a story that is not immediately visible.
 In 2020, after heavy winds, the original mulberry near the cricket pitch split and was found to be badly rotted within. It was taken down, leaving a stump.
 What might have passed as a quiet loss instead became the beginning of a new journey. The Friends began discussing whether another mulberry could be planted nearby. By 2022, the idea had taken on greater significance. To mark the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II, it was proposed that a new mulberry be planted as a commemorative tree—a fitting choice given the association of mulberries with Buckingham Palace, home of the national collection. It was agreed that the new tree should be planted near the old stump.
Unfortunately, The Royal Parks do not permit individual plaques, so the new mulberry stands without explanation. We’re sharing its story because we think members will wish to know of its commemoratory significance.

Midsummer Jazz - a day to remember

SAVE the date… the Friends’ Midsummer Jazz in the Park will take place in the Royal Observatory Gardens on Sunday, June 14, and will feature the Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band. The concert starts at 12.30, ends at 3pm, and the garden opens at noon. As well as a bar, food and ice cream, there will be some cracking raffle prizes. Tickets are £10 for adults (£12 on the gate, if still available), under 16s free. These sold out very early last year so book up when they go on sale on May 1 on our website.

Frogs and newts and volunteers please

Calling all those interested in volunteering to help with our herpetological surveys. We are carrying them out in two areas of the Park - The Learning Centre area and The Queen’s Orchard. We have seen a promising amount of frogspawn and hope to record frogs, toads and newts.
The surveys will be done by two teams of four on a fortnightly basis from April 13 and will start at 8.30am/9am. No relevant experience is needed.
Let us know if you would like to get involved by emailing info@thefriendsofgreenwichpark.org.uk
Places will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

Come and join the Birdwalk.

The next Bird Walk - led by Julia Holland - will take place on Sunday, March 29.
Meet at the Blackheath Gate at 8:30 am. Binoculars and cameras are recommended if you have them. The bird walk lasts for approximately two hours. You don’t have to be a Friend of Greenwich Park to attend the walk, but we always welcome new members and there are many benefits of being a Friend.
There will be no walk in April because of the London Marathon.