Author Archives: leafshade
Words of the Wood, St George’s Gardens
Friends of St George’s Gardens report that their fringe event during Open Garden Squares Weekend on 8-9 June 8-9 was very successful. The weather was good. Friends member Annette Freeman put her word clues on the trees early on Saturday morning and she and a rota of Friends welcomed visitors with the Words of the […]
Fringe event in St George’s Gardens for Open Garden Squares Weekend 8-9 June in the Bloomsbury Squares
It’s that time of year again, when visitors from all over Britain and the world come to enjoy Open Garden Squares Weekend in the Bloomsbury Squares. All the squares are open to be enjoyed. Bedford Square and Mecklenburg Square, usually closed to the public, are specially open (see OGSW website for times) and this year […]
Open Iftar in Tavistock Square
A free meal open to everyone is being held in a marquee in Tavistock Square every evening after sunset during the first part of Ramadan this year, at the invitation of Open Iftar. Open Iftar is the flagship initiative of Ramadan Tent Project, a community institution developing the knowledge, understanding and experience of Ramadan […]
Bloomsbury walks during Urban Tree Festival 18 -19 May
Although the plane trees of Bloomsbury may be thought of as the distinctive feature of the area, two walks during this year’s Urban Tree Festival will also focus on the other interesting trees (and more) in three local squares. The walks are being offered by Camden Guides at 11.30 am to 12.45 on Saturday and […]
Bluebells in Bloomsbury
Warm sunshine has brought out the bluebells, spreading a blue carpet here in Queen Square. Gordon Square also has bluebells, with a signboard in one corner explaining the difference between native English ones (with flowers on one side of the stem only), Spanish ones (with a fuller, more upright flower head) and hybrids between […]
Party – St George’s Gardens 27 April
This year’s St George’s Gardens party will be on the Saturday after Easter. Please be there, bring your families, invite your neighbours. We’ll have children’s entertainer Jebb the Juggler, music from the Café Marama Band, face-painting and second hand books – all as usual. But, in addition, there will be music from Gwang’s Djembe […]
The medicinal bed in Brunswick Square
The volunteer gardeners were very busy – all 14 of them – on the first Saturday of April planting herbs and shrubs, to refresh the existing pharmaceutical garden inspired by Lovell’s Herbal. The plants included myrtle, rhubarb and rosemary, to expand the range of plants with medicinal properties in this area outside the UCL School of […]
Goldfinches in Marchmont Community Garden
A lovely pair of goldfinches was spotted last week in one of the cherry trees in MCG as a volunteer was tidying up after the recent gales. This is the first such sighting since the early days of MCG in 2012 (see image). Quite a few great tits have been spotted – fingers crossed that […]
Store Street Spring Market, 29-31 March
The inaugural Store Street Spring Market will take place from Friday 29th to Sunday 31st March 2019. Supported by The Bedford Estates, the market will feature a vibrant, colourful selection of international street cuisine, artisan grocery foods and ethically traded handmade arts and crafts Visitors will have the opportunity to discover an array of unusual […]
Insect hotels for Russell Square gardens
Russell Square gardens will soon acquire two beautiful ‘bug hotels’, which will be installed on 26th March by a group of Volunteers. The Russell Square Insect Hotels were the idea of a new Volunteer Gardening Group for the Square. They have been sponsored by two adjacent hotels (Imperial London Hotels and Kimpton Fitzroy Hotels). New […]
Bloomsbury Squares & Gardens 