Nature-ist: Waterlow Park

Lindsey
By Lindsey Last edited 175 months ago
Nature-ist: Waterlow Park
Lunch for a sparrow or two
Lunch for a sparrow or two
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Bee
Bee
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Birdboxes
Birdboxes
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What is it? A meadow full of stunning wildflowers in the middle of undulating Waterlow Park. It's part of the RSPB's London House Sparrow Parks project to work out the best seed mix to tempt sparrers back to the city.

Where is it? Waterlow Park is on Highgate Hill just up from Archway Tube and also accessible from Swains Lane by Highgate Cemetery. It's a beautiful park of 20 acres with a pond, lawns, mature trees, play areas and planting and currently there are meadow areas, designated for the RSPB project.

Why has it tickled our fancy? Enjoying an aimless summer stroll through the park we happened upon this field of brilliant yellow flowers quite by accident and were compelled to loiter there, wandering in and out of the hundreds of sunflowers and marvelling at the profusion of wildflowers because it was so beautiful. That it has a conservation angle behind it makes it all the more special.

Nature notes: Just look at those flowers! Right now there's a mix of freshly blooming sunflowers and some which have already been lunch for birds and squirrels, drooping their heads and wilting their leaves. At a lower level there's blankets of celandine and daises, long grass and pretty blue flowers that we couldn't identify. It's covered with fat bees and other insects and is a patch of wild wonder in the formal setting of Waterlow Park. This stunning display can't last much longer so make a trip in the next couple of weeks and pick a sunny day if you can.

Last Updated 26 August 2009