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.

Tuesday 29 May 2018:  Half-term activities for children aged 6+ and their carers:  Plant-lore Walk in Peabody Woods, London Borough of Lambeth (nearest station Tulse Hill).  Organised by the South London Botanical Institute –  http://www.slbi.org.uk – 2.00 – 4.00 p.m.  £5 per child; places limited, booking essential.

Saturday 2 June 2018:  Woodside plants: natives, guests & invaders.  A stroll around Woodfield Recreation Ground, SW16, led by Roy Vickery, looking its plants and discussing how they got there.  Meet at the Pavilion, at 10 a.m.  Free; organised by the Woodfield Project –  http://www.thewoodfieldproject.org.uk –  as a contribution to the Wandsworth Heritage Festival.

Sunday 3 June 2018:   Grassland Plants, walk led by Roy Vickery, as the South London Botanical Institute’ contribution to the Morden Hall Park Bioblitz.   The park, owned by the National Trust is about 10 minutes walk from Morden underground station, at the southern end of the Northern Line.  Meet at the Snuff Mill at 2.30 p.m.  Free.

Tuesday 12 June 2018:  Herbal Heritage: Medicinal and Other Uses of Wild Plants, led by Roy Vickery, Knight’s Hill Wood and Tivoli Park, London, SE27, 1 – c.3 p.m.  Meet at Portobello TRA Room, Cedar Tree Grove, off Lakeview Road, Portobello Estate, SE27 0QD.  Organised by Nature Vibezz –  http://www.naturevibezz.org.    Free; all welcome.

Wednesday 13 June 2018:  Midsummer Wildflowers, stroll around Palace Road Nature Garden, Palace Road, Brixton, SW2 3NJ, identifying wildflowers and discussing their folklore and uses, with Roy Vickery.  Meet at the western entrance to the Garden, at 7.30 p.m.  Organised jointly by the Friends of Palace Road Nature Garden and the South London Botanical Institute.  Free, but donations appreciated; all welcome.

Wednesday 20 June 2018:  Second Plant Walk on Tooting Common.  Meet at junction of Church Lane with Furzedown Road, at 7.00 p.m.  Organised jointly by the Friends of Tooting Common and the South London Botanical Institute; free, but donations, to be shared between the organisers, appreciated.

Monday 9 July 2018:  Third Plant Walk on Tooting Common.  Meet at the junction of  Fernlea, Emmanuel and Cavendish Roads, at 7.00 p.m.  Organised jointly by the South London Botanical Institute and the Friends of Tooting Common.  Free, but donations to be shared between the two organisers appreciated.

Wednesday 11 July 2018:  Wildflower Walk,  led by Roy Vickery, Cranham Marsh Nature Reserve, Upminster.  The fifth annual walk on this site.  Meet at 11 Tudor Gardens, Upminster, RM14 3DE, from 6.45 for a 7.00 p.m. start.  Collection in aid of local Green Party funds.  For further information contact:  melanie.collins@greenparty.org.uk

Friday 13 July 2018:  Healing Hedgerows, walk around the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Garden, discussing the medicinal uses of native plants, for Garden volunteers.  2.30 – 3.30 p.m.

Sunday 5 August 2018:  Enjoying Plants, a stroll around Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, an urban oasis packed with interesting vegetation, led by Roy Vickery, organised by the South London Botanical Institute.  Meet at the Southern Grove entrance to the Cemetery (a short walk from Mile End tube station), at 2.30 p.m.  Free, all welcome.

Friday 17 August 2018:  Plants for All, a gentle stroll led by Roy Vickery, in Ruskin Park, London Borough of Lambeth, meet at the bandstand in the Park at 2. 00 p.m.  Organised by the Friends of Ruskin Park.

Saturday 18 August 2018: Summer Plant Walk led by Roy Vickery, Spring Gardens, Vauxhall, London Borough of Lambeth, meet at junction of Glasshouse Walk with Vauxhall Walk, SE11 5ER, at 2.30 p.m.  Organised by the South London Botanical Institute.  Free, but donations appreciated; all welcome.

Sunday 19 August 2018:  Fourth Plant Walk on Tooting Common, organised jointly by the Friends of Tooting Common and the South London Botanical Institute.  Meet at junction of Emmanuel and Rastell Roads, at 2.30 p.m.  Free, but donations to be shared between the organisers appreciated.

Sunday 9 September 2018:  Plants – Good, bad and ugly, walk led by Roy Vickery, Wandle Park, meet at the Merton High Road entrance to the Park (about five minutes walk from Colliers Wood tube station), at 2.30 p.m.  The South London Botanical Institute’s contribution to the Wandle Festival  Free, but donations in aid of the Institute appreciated.

Saturday 22 September 2018:  Fifth Plant Walk on Tooting Common (see 2 May for details), meet at junction of Gerrads and Tooting Bec Roads, at 2.30 p.m.  Part of the South London Botanical Institute’s contribution to the Lambeth Heritage Festival, and a follow up to an event about the botanical exploration of the Common, at the Institute on Thursday 20 September.

Saturday 29 September 2018:  Wildflower Walk led by Roy Vickery, Brompton Cemetery, London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.  Meet at the North Lodge, Old Brompton Road (about 5 minutes walk from West Brompton and 10 minutes walk from Earls Court tube stations.  Organised by the Friends of Brompton Cemetery.

Wednesday 3 October 2018:  Neglected Uses of Wild Plants, walk around the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Garden, discussing the many uses of our native flora, for Garden volunteers. 2.30 – 3.30 p.m.

Wednesday 7 November 2018 (to be confirmed):  Roy Vickery will be talking about Plant Folklore Past and Present at the Annual General Meeting of the London Natural History Society’s Botany Section.

Feedback on past events

‘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 21 May 2018.