Category Red Lion Square
Fanny Wilkinson, landscape gardener, in Camden (talk on 5 March)
Fanny Rollo Wilkinson (1855–1951), recently commemorated with a blue plaque on her former home in Shaftesbury Avenue, was probably Britain’s first professional woman landscape gardener, designing scores of public gardens and playgrounds, many of which can still be found across the city today. Friday 8 March is International Women’s Day and a few days before […]
French help in Red Lion Square
Friends of Red Lion Square have been hosting a volunteer group of five French university students, 3 girls and 2 boys, this term. During their 2-hour sessions, they have planted over 1,000 bulbs, installed stakes for willow edging to two large beds, cleaned some benches and the history boards. In often challenging weather conditions, they […]
Gardening re-starts in Red Lion Square on Saturday 4 March
Enjoy fresh air and exercise doing some supervised gardening! Everyone is welcome with no previous knowledge necessary. Meet by the Café at 10.30 onwards for a free coffee and a chat! Tools will be provided. Wear sensible clothing and footwear and bring gloves. We have 100 hedgerow whips to plant amongst other tasks, guided by […]
Gardening – it’s good for your health, and the gardens!
Spring is on the way and the new gardening season is about to start. Friends of Brunswick Square’s gardening group have their first session of the new year, led by a professional, on Saturday 4 February, 10-12 noon – just come along and join in. No experience needed. Red Lion Square gardening group will start […]
Red Lion Sq garden volunteers – new date 10 December
December does not deter Red Lion Sq garden volunteers. They will be out in force on Saturday 10th December, 11.00 – 13.00 (postponed from their usual date of first Saturday in the month). They will be planting the bulbs donated by Taylors Bulbs via the Metropolitan and Public Gardens Association and are always happy to […]
Tree fall in Red Lion Square
An Ailanthus (Tree of Heaven) in full leaf, appears to have been caught by a south westerly gust of wind last week and fell, missing the Fenner Brockway statue by about 10 feet. A number of people witnessed the fall, with reports of a groaning then a great crack! Apart from a smashed bench and […]
Blue Plaque for Fanny Wilkinson
English Heritage has awarded a Blue Plaque to Fanny Wilkinson, the first woman professional Landscape Gardener in England and the person who laid out Red Lion Square as a public garden in 1885. Fanny worked at the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association for approximately 20 years from 1884 to 1904. During this time, she designed more […]
The Bloomsbury ‘garden gangs’
Otherwise known as the amazing volunteers who help to look after the gardens in the squares. They were out in force on the first weekend of February and would be delighted if you’d like to join them in future. The usual pattern of work is first Saturday in Brunswick and Red Lion Squares (except March […]
New season start for volunteer gardening
The new season starts in Brunswick Square and Red Lion Square on Saturday 5 February and continues on most first Saturdays of the month (see below). Just turn up and join in – bring your own gloves if you can, everything else (including advice!) is provided. Volunteers come as and when they can, not necessarily […]
Light and Shade in the Bloomsbury Gardens: View festival drawings of the squares online
The artist Nick Andrew had a busy (and exhausting!) 9 days from 16 – 24 October, drawing, demonstrating and meeting visitors in and around the Bloomsbury garden squares for the Bloomsbury Festival, with the theme of ‘Shining Light’. (See the ‘Bedford Square’ drawing below.) We’re planning an exhibition of the drawings in Bloomsbury shortly (details […]
Bloomsbury Squares & Gardens 