Islington News: Naturalist wonders in London, Vivienne Palmer, Culpeper Community Gardens

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 28 March 2008

Vivienne Palmer in Culpeper Community Gardens

Frogs, finches and woodpeckers – even London has its naturalist wonders

VIVIENNE Palmer does not have her own garden – but she enjoys the enormous variety of wildlife that can be discovered in “backdoor” Islington just five minutes from her home.
Now, with the discovery of interesting habitats and birdlife close to where she lives in Cloudsley Road at the Angel, Vivienne is working on a book on the subject.
The only outdoor area at 48-year-old IT trainer Vivienne’s home is a rather precarious balcony where she plans to grow wild creeping and ornamental plants.
Her main interests are nearby Culpeper Community Gardens opposite Sainsbury’s and Lonsdale and Gibson squares.
“Being without a garden I thought I would be severely deprived of wildlife,” she said. “I was completely wrong. If you are prepared to look even a short distance around your locality you can discover some wonderful examples.”
For example, she was surprised to find greater spotted woodpeckers, long tail tits and gold finches all in such an urban environment. In Culpeper Gardens she even discovered cockney sparrows, once common in London but now dying out in urban areas.
She added: “Culpeper is particularly special because it is a community garden. There are lots of people from different backgrounds who come and enjoy it. I just sit there with my binoculars and observe.
“Currently the ponds are brimming with frogs which are fun to watch.”
She’s particularly interested in the London plane trees – she has one tall specimen outside her home, which is more than 100 years old but despite the ravages of time is still sturdy and provides an important habitat for birds.
She added: “There were crows making their nest in a London plane in Pentonville Road last year despite the cacophony of noise and clouds of pollution.”
She has no title for the book yet but may call it Confessions of An Inner City Naturalist.
Vivienne, who lives with her husband John, said: “Something else that surprised me was the abundance of bumblebees, even on some very cold days recently.
“Normally queen bees hibernate underground in winter. It shows how mild our winters have become.”

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: