Events

Roy Vickery is available to give talks and lead walks, for further information see the Compiler page of this website, or e-mail roy@plant-lore.com.

Note: The listed events are arranged by a variety of organizations many of whom might want to charge a fee, or take a collection in aid of their funds. 

Due to Covid regulations it may be necessary to book in advance for some events.

Roy is occasionally available to provide one-to-one walks, or walks for small groups, in the London area, in exchange for a donation to the South London Botanical Institute.

Tuesday 19 October 2021:  Beginners’ Botany, our fourth stroll around the Tooting Common area, London Borough of Wandsworth, starting at 2 p.m. and continuing for about an hour.  Free, but as the number of participants is restricted to eight, booking essential; for details and to book please contact roy@plant-lore.com   Three places remaining.

Friday 29 October 2021: Our green neighbours – trees & other plants on Tooting Common, walk with Roy Vickery on Tooting Common, London Borough of Wandsworth, for members of Streatham Women’s Institute, starting at 10.00 and continuing for about an hour.

Saturday 30 October 2021:  Brambles and berries – Common plants in autumn, walk led by Roy Vickery, for Woodfield People, starting at the Woodfield Pavilion, 16a Abbotswood Wood Road, Streatham, London Borough of Lambeth, 11.30 am. – c.12.15 p.m.  All welcome, booking unnecessary.

Wednesday 3 November 2021:  Roy Vickery will be discussing plant folklore with residents of Morden College, Blackheath, London Borough of Greenwich.

Tuesday 23 November 2021:  Roy Vickery will be discussing plant folklore with residents of Ralph Perring Court, Beckenham, London Borough of Bromley.

Saturday 1 January 2022:  New Year Wild Flower Hunt with Roy Vickery, Brockwell Park, London Borough of Lambeth, meet at the Clock Tower, near Brockwell Hall, at 11 a.m. and continuing for c.90 minutes.  A joint event arranged by the Friends of Brockwell Park and the South London Botanical Institute, for which a collection will be taken.  All welcome.

Sunday 2 January 2022:  New Year Wild Flower Hunt with Roy Vickery, Tooting Common, London Borough of Wandsworth, meet at the café, off Bedford Hill, c.15 minutes from Balham stations, at 11.00 a.m. and continuing for about 90 minutes.  A Friends of Tooting Common event.  Free, all welcome.

Wednesday 12 January 2022:   The Folklore of Common Hedgerow Plants, Zoom talk by Roy Vickery,, 7.00 – 8.30 p.m. for the Shropshire branch of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England  Contact   admin@cpreshropshire.org.uk 

Feedback on past events                                                                                                                                                                  NEGATIVE FEEDBACK WOULD BE APPRECIATED SO THAT FUTURE TALKS AND EVENTS CAN BE IMPROVED. 

‘A wonderful experience – it has inspired me to look further at the overlooked wild flowers I come across daily – and, I should add, Roy was a delight!’ [Wandsworth Heritage Festival plant walk, 11 June 2021].

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‘Thank you so much, that was fantastic’ [Festival of the Great North Wood on-line talk, 14 April 2021].

‘Very engaging’, [St Leonard’s, Streatham, Herbal Heritage walk, 23 September 2020].

‘Thanks for yesterday.  Me and my friends had a blast.  Can’t wait for the next stomp’ [Tooting Common tree walk, 29 August 2020].

‘Thanks for the very informative talk last night.  Everyone said how interesting it was’ [talk to Dulwich, Peckham & Crystal Palace Rotary Club, 26 August 2020].

‘Roy was warmly thanked  for an excellent and entertaining talk’ [report on the London Natural History Society’s Botany Section  2018 AGM talk, London Naturalist, 98: 21, 2019].                                                                               

 ‘Roy provided a master-class. You simply cannot buy that experience’ [Camberwell Old Cemetery Plant Walk, September 2019].

‘Thanks very much for … your exceedingly interesting talk’ [Leigh-on-Sea Horticultural Society, 5 January 2019].

‘Thank you so much for your walk and talk yesterday Roy, it was much appreciated and has prompted ideas for future activities’ [Friends of Stambourne Woods, 8 September 2018].

‘I just wanted to write to say how much my partner and I enjoyed the walk in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park today.  It was a fascinating tour and got me thinking about local names and stories about plants …  it has certainly left me wanting to learn more’ [5 August 2018].

‘Thanks for an enjoyable and so interesting walk on Cranham Marshes last evening’ [12 July 2018].

‘Roy was very insightful and cleared up some doubts I had about some of the weeds’ [National Weed Appreciation Day, 28 March 2018].

‘Being in Roy’s company and having an opportunity to soak up his knowledge’ [most enjoyable aspect of Plant Folklore for Walk Leaders, South London Botanical Institute, 21 February 2018].

‘Many thanks for your very entertaining and informative talk at the FOTC AGM yesterday – much appreciated’ [Friends of Tooting Common, 13 November 2017].

‘I really enjoyed the [Poppies – beyond Flanders Fields] talk’ [South London Botanical Institute, 10 November 2017].

‘Thank you for your talk yesterday afternoon.  I find folklore to be a fascinating subject, and was very interested to hear of the examples which you spoke about’ [Purley Townswomen’s Guild, 8 November 2017].

‘Really enjoyed the walk’ [Streatham Park tree walk, 23 September 2017].

Images: upper, discussing hemlock, Conium maculatum, Spring Gardens, Vauxhall, March 2021, © Melat Negash; middle, Woodfield Pavilion; lower, discussing Weeds & their Uses, Railside Community Garden, Streatham, August 2021, © Amanda Waite; all London Borough of Lambeth.

Updated 14 October 2021.