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.

Friday 24 – Sunday 26 April 2020:  Folklore Society conference –  Folklore, Learning & Literacies, at the UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, incorporating a session  Plant-lore as a Cure for Plant-blindness led by Roy Vickery, probably on the Sunday afternoon, details to be announced on the FLS website.  Event cancelled due to coronavirus.

Monday 27 April 2020: City Nature Challenge, led by Caroline Pankhurst & Roy Vickery, as the South London Botanical Institute’s contribution to London’s challenge in this global event, West Norwood Cemetery, Norwood Road, London Borough of Lambeth, meet at the main entrance to the Cemetery, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. 

Saturday 16 May 2020:  Spring Flowers, walk led by Roy Vickery through Brompton Cemetery, London Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, starting at the Cemetery’s South Lodge, in Fulham Road, at 2 p.m., and finishing at the North Lodge.  Organised by the Friends of Brompton Cemetery

Wednesday 20 May 2020: In Search of Plant Folklore, Roy Vickery discusses his life’s work collecting information on the uses and folklore of British plants, and hopes people present will help by contributing their memories.  Organised by the Quaggy Waterways Action Group – www.qwag.org.uk – at the Methodist Church Hall, Albion Way, Lewisham, at 8 p.m.

Wednesday 3 June 2020:  Home to Many –  Wildflowers in Battersea Rise Cemetery, meet at the Cemetery entrance at junction of Battersea Rise with Bollingbroke Grove, SW11, London Borough of Wandsworth, at 2.30 p.m.  The South London Botanical Institute’s contribution to the Wandsworth Heritage Festival; collection in aid of Institute funds.  All welcome. Event postponed until May/June 2021, due to coronavirus.

Saturday 6 June 2020:  What have we here? Discovering our local flora, walk led by Roy Vickery, meet at Clapham South underground station, London Borough of Wandsworth, at 2.30 p.m.  Collection in aid of the South London Botanical Institute.

Sunday 7 June 2020:  Our Wonderful Wildflowers, walk led by Roy Vickery, Beddington Park, Carshalton, London Borough of Sutton, starting at 2.30 p.m. and lasting for approximately 90 minutes. Meet at the Pavilion Café.  Contact dawn.fielding@sutton.gov.uk

Wednesday 17 June 2020:  Plants & their Folklore, walk led by Roy Vickery, meet at the Clockhouse pub, Barry Road, SE22 9QA, at 6.30 p.m.  Organised by the Peckham Society, and lasting approximately 90 minutes.

Saturday 20 June 2020:  Botanical Ramble, c. 7½ miles, enjoying plants in Epping Forest, led by Roy Vickery; meet at Chingford station at 10.30 a.m., following the arrival of the 10.03 train from Liverpool Street (but check train times nearer the date), bring packed lunch. Organised by the South London Botanical Institute.

Wednesday 24 June 2020:  Hidden Wildflowers, walk led by Roy Vickery, Hillside Gardens Park, SW2, London Borough of Lambeth, meet at entrance nearest Downton Avenue, at 7.00 p.m. Collection in aid of the South London Botanical Institute.

Sunday 16 August 2020:  Lumps, bumps & wiggles –  An introduction to plant-galls and leafmines with Roy Vickery, Tooting Common, London Borough of Wandsworth, meet at the café, off Bedford Hill, at 2 p.m.  Organised by the South London Botanical Institute.

Sunday 30 August 2020:  Botanical Survey of Pleasance Allotments, led by Roy Vickery, meet at entrance to the Allotments, next to 18 The Pleasance, SW15 5HF, 11 a.m. – 3p.m., a joint London Natural History Society/South London Botanical Institute event.

Wednesday 23 September 2020:  Herbal Heritage: Uses of our Native Plants with Roy Vickery, St Leonard’s churchyard, Streatham, SW16 1HS, London Borough of Lambeth, meet at the entrance to the church at 2.00 p.m.  The South London Botanical Institute’s contribution to Lambeth Heritage Festival; collection in aid of SLBI funds.

Saturday 3 October 2020:  Botanical Survey of St Leonard’s churchyard, Streatham, London Borough of Lambeth,with Roy Vickery. Meet at the entrance ot the church at 11 a.m.  Continuing the South London Botanical Institute’s monitoring of the site’s flora, started in March 2008.  All welcome. 

Image:  Brompton Cemetery, London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, April 2019, © Peter Matthews.

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

‘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].

Updated 6 April 2020.