Local Wildlife Site

Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation

Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park

Borough: Southwark

Grade: Local

Access: Free public access (all/most of site)

Area: 6.4 ha

Description

Best known as the park that surrounds the Imperial War Museum, this site is attractive in its own right and is also the largest open space in the northwest of the borough. Trees for Cities has created an interesting tree trail of ‘Ice age trees’ with labelled specimens of trees growing in the ancient Wildwood. his park is well used by visitors who come to visit the museum. A charming ‘Peace Garden’ offers a quiet spot for reflection, though this can be only be access by prior arrangement, and there is also a small playground.

Wildlife

Apart from the distinctive museum building, the landscape is dominated by its mature trees. Most notable are some fine old London planes, but there is a good diversity of other species, including the (reportedly) only white mulberry in Southwark borough. More recent tree planting has featured a higher proportion of native species including silver birch, hornbeam and oak. Common wildflowers in the lawns include garlic mustard, wood avens and common mallow, and the London rarity hairy buttercup has also been recorded here. A small orchard has been planted with native and exotic fruits and an understorey of closely mown grass and common wild flowers including garlic mustard, wood avens and common mallow. In the southeast corner of the park there is a small area of native woodland, with a canopy dominated by pedunculate oak and both silver and downy birch, the latter being rare in Soutwark. The ground flora is quite diverse with native bluebell and agrimony. A walled garden in the north contains a wildlife pond surrounded by beds of nectar-rich herbaceous plants.

Facilities

Children's play area; picnic area; dog-free area; sculptures/ monuments; public art

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More information on GiGL’s SINC dataset can be found here.

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