Author Archives: leafshade
Is closing Russell Square to the public in June really a good idea?
The proposed Evening Standard Festival of Culture over 10 days in June 2019 is causing a great deal of concern locally, not only in the local garden Friends groups. The organisers, currently applying for an alcohol licence, are planning for 5,000 people at any one time mainly in the evening. Over ten days that could […]
Whose face on the new £50 note?
Contenders for gracing the redesigned £50 note are lining up, but one gaining support has a strong Bloomsbury connection: Noor Inayat Khan, whose memorial sculpture is to be found in Gordon Square. Moscow-born Noor lived as a child in London and France, and in 1942 was living again with her family in Taviton Street, just […]
An evening with Zachary Macaulay, anti-slavery activist
The Friends of St George’s Gardens and Goodenough College invite you to An evening with Zachary Macaulay in the Gardens at 5.45 for 6.00pm on Friday 19th October 2018 RSVP to friendsofstgeorges@hotmail.com by October 12 Please gather at the Handel Street entrance, WC1N 1PD The evening will start with the dedication of a new memorial to this leading […]
Repton’s Bloomsbury Squares
FRIENDS OF BRUNSWICK SQUARE are celebrating the bicentenary year of Humphry Repton, landscape gardener, during the Bloomsbury Festival by presenting an illustrated talk by Susan Jellis, author of ‘Repton’s London Squares’ in the new book Repton in London, published by the London Parks and Gardens Trust. Wednesday 17 October at 7.30 pm, UCL School of […]
Tavistock Square memorial honouring the victims of the 7/7 bombing
Recently unveiled, the Tavistock Square Gardens memorial honours the 13 people who died when the number 30 bus exploded in front of the British Medical Association office in the square on 7 July 2005. It also recognises the efforts of the emergency services and the public who helped in the aftermath of the attack. Fifty-two people died […]
TV stardom for Bloomsbury Squares
One of the smaller Bloomsbury squares had a starring role in the last episode of the recent BBC drama Bodyguard –Woburn Square. Spoiler alert: a man in a suicide vest was being negotiated with by armed police as he stood in the middle of the square – which isn’t square at all but long and […]
Humphry Repton bicentenary year
The celebrated garden designer of Russell Square and Bloomsbury Square, Humphry Repton, died 200 years ago this year. He was in many ways the successor of Capability Brown and there special events celebrating his work across the country. Two are taking place on our doorstep in Bloomsbury: Repton in Context – a lecture series at […]
Broods of blackbirds
Ricci de Freitas of Marchmont Community Garden (MCG) writes: You won’t believe it, but I had noticed a female blackbird hanging around in the garden for a few weeks. I saw it fly into the green ivy wall a few times.Then I heard the familiar sounds associated with nesting and feeding young. After a few […]
Beware barbecues and cigarettes
Although visitors may have loved the hot weather since June, it hasn’t been very good for the gardens which have suffered in the drought. So it’s especially important to take care with things that can cause fires. Camden encourages users of BBQs to be sure to place them on level ground where they will not […]
Garden evening get-together
Volunteers from all the gardens in the Association of Bloomsbury Squares and Gardens met on a beautiful summer evening for their annual get-together, to share experiences and views on our local garden community, enjoy refreshments and lose themselves in a large shady garden without having to worry about weeding or pruning. Every square has […]
Bloomsbury Squares & Gardens 