Other locations

Some interesting plants of other locations in the area

Wanstead Park Station, Forest Gate. The arch has a good population of Hart's-tongue Ferns

Though called Wanstead Wildlife, as explained in the introduction, the website looks at plants not only in Wanstead, but in nearby areas. The photograph above puts this in perspective - the hart's-tongue ferns Phyllitus scolopendrium under the arch of Wanstead Park Station are a nice natural touch, but Wanstead Park Station is very much part of Forest Gate rather than Wanstead. It might perhaps have been better called Wanstead Flats Station as the Flats are just a few hundred meters away!

Manor Park Station, also near to Wanstead Flats, did have a nice selection of ferns in an open drain channel on Platform 1. These included hart's-tongue fern, black spleenwort Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, rusty-back fern Ceterach officinarum and male fern Dryopteris filix-mas. Sadly, these are now gone as the drainage channel has been filled in. Lady fern Athyrium filix-femina was found in a similar situation on Forest Gate Station

Near to Manor Park Station, in Manor Park Road and adjacent streets, shaggy soldier Galinsoga ciliata grows particularly near the bases of roadside trees. Considering that this has not been found in areas surveyed more in depth than the streets, this was thought worthy of a mention. A millet, as yet unidentified, grows profusely in Manor Park Road also. At the base of St. Nicholas Church in Gladding Road, and also by the old wall nearer to Capel Road nearby, grows pellitory-of-the-wall Parietaria judaica. Escapes include a tobacco plant Nicotiana sp. growing by a garden fence in Northumberland Avenue, Aldersbrook.

The nearby Aldersbrook Allotments harbour a variety of plants not deliberately associated with those grown there! One of particular interest was butchers broom Ruscus aculeatus. Whether this was a deliberate planting is not known. Even gardens, with their deliberate plantings, should be considered. In the garden of a house in the newer part of the Aldersbrook Estate nearby, there is a fine example of a loquat Eriobotrya japonica. In this sheltered position, the tree flowers and fruits profusely. At the other end of the Aldersbrook Estate, in the grounds of St. Gabriel's Church, is a specimen of black mulberry Morus nigra.

Traveller's joy Clematis vitalba is a species not found hereabouts except by the east side of Wanstead Golf Course fence in Blake Hall Road. Purple toadflax Linaria purpurea grows nearby, as does snowberry Symphoricarpos albus. In nearby Warren Road, by the railings and overlooking the golf course towards Redbridge, a specimen of pot marigold Calendula officinalis was nicely in flower on 22nd January in 2008. It is interesting to see how long a garden escape such as this may persist. On the grass verge that separates the houses from the east side of St. Mary's Avenue in Wanstead, early crocus Crocus tommasinianus was found flowering on the same day.

At the corner of Wanstead High Street and the road called New Wanstead is an area of woodland known locally as the Tarzy. This unusual name is said to have derived from the tar-covered fence that a person erected to enclose the wood (part of Epping Forest), and which he was forced to take down! Tarzy Wood, as the area is also known, deserves a more thorough investigation of its wildlife, but we could pick out greater celandine Chelidonium majus, yellow corydalis Pseudofumaria lutea, hazel Corylus avellana, cowbread Cyclamen hederifolium, green alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens, buddleia Buddleja davidii, pendulous sedge Carex pendula, early crocus Crocus tommasinianus and purple garden crocus Crocus purpureus. Many of these, it may be noted, will have originated from adjacent gardens. On the pavement beneath the bridge that carries the Central Line tube trains, a specimen of garden pansy Viola x wittrockiana was found in 2008.

In the grounds of nearby Snaresbrook Crown Court is a population of common fleabane Pulicaria dysenterica. The lawns of the court also harbour harebells, but a mowing regime does not enhance these. There are some lovely specimens of planted trees in the ground - the cedar of Lebanon Cedrus libani is a fine example. Unfortunately, presumably due to security concerns, the grounds are not made encouraging for casual visitors, and photography is frowned upon if not prohibited. There has been suggestions of the creation of some form of wildlife trial, but as yet this has not been forthcoming. (August 2008)

South again to Wanstead, west of the Green and parallel with the link-road which is in a deep cutting here, is a cycle/pedestrian route which connects Blake Hall Road with the Green Man Roundabout, and hence to Leytonstone. By this route is a created meadow, sometimes called Wanstead Meadow or Blake Hall Meadow. A regime of grass cutting has been instigated by Redbridge Council to enhance the wild-flowers that were seeded here at its creation. Perhaps the glory of the site is the host of cowslips Primula spp. that flower here during May. These are not of the wild variety, and many will have crossed with other primulas, but they certainly look lovely. Many other flowers are also here, including ox-eye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare. The area merges into the wood at the end of Woodcote Road, and Bush Wood itself, near the Green Man roundabout. In Woodcote Wood may be found much three-cornered garlic, outcast no doubt from nearby houses, but taking a strong hold. The link-road is separated from Bush Wood hereabouts by a wire fence, behind which is a planted embankment. Through this are creeping one or two patches of pot marigold. How persistent these are remains to be seen!

The Green Man Roundabout complex, which separates Bush Wood from Leyton Flats, was rebuilt and subsequently landscaped and seeded in 1999. Whether part of the seeding or plants that have taken advantage of the situation, the system is quite rich in a variety of wildflowers. A species abundant here that is not found elsewhere in our study area is chicory Cichorium intybus. Wild parsnip Pastinaca sativa is also common here, as is wild carrot Daucus carota. Lady's bedstraw Galium verum is another nice plant to be found here. On the pavements outside the Green Man pub (not its present name), shaggy soldier Galinsoga ciliata lives.

A stormy view of the Green Man roundabout underpass. July 2007

In August 2008, a superstore nearby the attempted to concrete over some of the wildflower areas adajcent to the Roundabout. This was on the pretext of rat problems, but quick intervention by local wildlife conservation people managed to have this stopped. The land that was to be concreted over was actually part of Epping Forest, given as party of the exchange deal relating to the ceration of the Hackney Link Road! The photograph above shows the aspect of some of the land that could have been lost.

Elsewhere in Leytonstone, in the conservation area of Browning Road, one or two gardens have successfully grown good specimens of banana Musa sp., visible towering over garden walls. Further afield, between the Central Line railway by Leytonstone Station and Gainsborough Road, is a created area of grassland, kept mown as something of a meadow. This area also has a wonderful display of cowslips Primula veris, first noted in May 2006.

Local parks, gardens, churchyards and allotments are also worth looking at. A visit to West Ham Park concentrated on looking at the collection of trees in the park. These, of course, are all planted, but apparently the Park Office does not have a list, so a partial one - of those specimens noted - is available here. A visit to the park is recommended to anybody interested in trees and shrubs.

Also what should be mentioned in this section are some of the trees that are to be found in streets and gardens. These can include the likes of some good specimen trees of more common species, but also some perhaps more unusual ones. Monkey puzzles have long been a favourite and are well known, and the loquats have already been mentioned, but there are also some palm trees including Chusan palm Trachycarpus fortunei and tree ferns, for example. When will somebody plant the first Wollemi pine in Wanstead?

In building up a picture of the plant-life of the Wanstead area, particular attention has been paid to areas such as Wanstead Park, and very little to some of the localities mentioned in this section. It is hoped that this may gradually be rectified, but it is likely that this will be a slow process!