Abney Park Cemetery Trust:

NATURE & LANDSCAPE

natureButton: Volunteering at Abney Park is a great way to get some fresh air, some exercise, meet new people, learn about trees and wildlife and gain new skills. The Trust holds drop in volunteer days every Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am to 3.30pm

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The Nature & Landscape Zones

Abney Park contains ten nature and landscape zones that form the basis for the Trust's studies of 'historical layers' i.e. how nature and landscape have changed through the ages (see 'History' pages for the 'layers' or time periods the Trust uses).

The ten nature and landscape zones (nature and landscape zones) are arranged into three broad divisions of Abney Park, the Egyptian Revival' entrance, the Capital Ring Walks, and the Wildwood and Woodland Walks:

1. THE 'EGYPTIAL REVIVAL' ENTRANCE

2. THE CAPITAL RING WALKS

2a. The Chapel Walk

2b. The Chapel Lawns & Chapel

2c. The Birch Heath

2d. Dr Watts' Vista (axial vista from Dr Watts' Walk to Church Street)

2e. Loddiges' Gardens & Courtyard

2f. The Cedar Circle & Fleetwood Gardens

2g. The Loddiges' Arboretum and Abney Orchard

3. THE WILDWOOD WOODLAND WALKS

3a. The Elm Avenues

3b. Dr Watts' Mound

Information about each of these zones will gradually be added to this page. Nature and landscape information will be rearranged so as to be set out for each zone. Meanwhile, the former general background to 'nature and landscape' is provided in the section below.

Landscape Introduction

The name 'Stoke Newington' derives from the Anglo Saxon 'stock' and 'neutone' meaning 'new town in the wood', for here was a well wooded district. It was gradually opened up for semi-wooded pasture under the Mediaeval manorial system. Originally the manor belonged to St Paul's Cathedral and was managed directly by them as a source of food and revenue, but later it was leased purely for financial income. It came into the posession of a Lady of the Manor named Mary Abney in about 1700. Moving here after her husband's death with her daughter and family's chaplain, Dr Isaac Watts, Lady Mary Abney drew up a survey of the entire manor and parish of Stoke Newington and began to lay out the grounds of her house at Abney Park, planting the elm avenues. At about the same date Lady Abney's neighbours at Fleetwood House carried out similar improvements in the portion of Abney Park that they leased from her.

The upper parts of Abney Park were laid out with a small number of exotic trees then relatively new to Britain, and pasture; some on sandy heath soils. The lower parts of Abney Park were known as 'the wilderness' and retained a little more of their former wooded character, along with an ancient hedgerow, before leading down to the Hackney Brook which formed the park boundary. This provided an oasis for birds, insects and woodland or woodland edge plants.

Amongst the trees planted in Abney Park at about this time were the Cedar of Lebanon, the American Tulip tree, and the American Larch (also commonly called Tamarack in the east, a name sometimes used in the West, too).

This tree collection was greately added to when the cemetery was laid oput in 1838-40 by George Loddiges, again 1840-45, and at various dates until the early 1880s. Throughout this period Abney Park had a maginficent educational arboretum. It must have been a haven for birds. After formation of a general cemetery company in the early 1880s and the original like-minded pioneers had gone, a more contemporary landscape scheme was introduced (trees typical of London parks predominating in the new company's scheme of late Victorian re-planting e.g. Hybrid Black Poplar trees, Lombardy Poplars, Horse Chestnuts and hybrid Lime trees). This, together with a more commercial approach to landscape management reduced much of the botanical interest of the historic park and its arboretum. The American Larch trees from the original late Seventeenth and early Eighteenth century parkland, became replaced by the only other North American "deciduous conifer", the bald cypress (Taxodium districhum) that is found in the American southeast. The Cedar of Labanon was felled in the 1920s.

Whather the park would have fared better if Stoke Newington Council had entered into discussion to adopt it as a municipal park and cemetery, is hard to say. But there was a financial incentive to leave the Abney Park Cemetery Company to manage the park as best it could. Financial returns from London boroughs in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century can be compared, and these show that Stoke Newington Borough Council was in a highly fortunate position, being spared the cost of paying for its local cemetery.

Few private cemetery companies could survive now that municipal government tended to pay for and run public cemeteries. However, the Abney Park Cemetery company persevered. Its need for income was a problem, however, and became especially evident after WW1, when path-infilling began to be practiced along the main axial walk (Dr Watts Walk), government inspectors reported poor burial practices, and other cost cutting or income generating measures were taken, including some descent into impropriety and illegality. During the post-war years path infilling accelerated greatly and by the early 1970s almost no grounds maintenance was carried out. Opportunistic plants including the highly invasive Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica or Polygonum cuspidatum), sycamore, bramble and ash, rapidly colonised the grassy open spaces, woodland glades, and abney heath.

In the late 1970s when the commercial cemetery company closed and burials ceased, Hackney Council acquired this wonderful historic estate that time forgot.

low_shot.GIF:

It is the intention of the Trust, which was formed in 1992, to retain as much as possible of the 'woodland' atmosphere, as would typify the 'New World' cemetery designs from which Abney Park drew its original inspiration. Appropriate management since the early 90s has encouraged the appearance of more species of insects and birds; the reintroduction of grassy path edges as surrogate woodland glades has helped the park to support the largest breeding population of Speckled Wood butterflies this far into central London.

One challenge that remains is to do more to prevent loss of the dry heath community that still clings on where the soil changes to sandy brickearth around the Church Street entrance and along Dr Watts' Walk to the Abney Park Chapel. As you walk in this part of the grounds you will notice how different the vegetation looks - typically heathy with silver birch trees and, in some places bracken fern. This is probably the sole surviving remnant of Hackney's sandy brickearth heath flora. Such habitats are in national decline.

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Legacy of Trees and Shrubs from the Original Cemetery Scheme

The original cemetery was laid out with 2,500 trees and shrubs from all over the world by the time of its opening in May 1840, This collection was gradually added to during the ownership and management of Abney Park Cemetery by the Joint Stock Company, which lasted until 1882. Descendants of these important collections from the first phase of cemetery landscaping and management (1838-82), and in some cases original trees, can be found.

For example, Abney Park is nationally important as the main place in the UK where the Service Tree of Fontainebleau Sorbus latifolia has naturalised extensively; as also the Various-leaved Hawthorn Crataegus heterophylla. The latter is described in the UK's standard reference work (Bean,.W.J. 'Trees and Shrubs') as "not now very frequently seen, although there is an example about 30ft high in the Royal Victoria Park, Bath". These two trees date from Loddiges' original arboretum scheme of 1838-40/43. Abney Park is believed to be the first site where these two trees became naturalised in the UK.

Other heritage trees from the Loddiges arboretum, recorded in a survey of c.1860, include:

Bhutan Pine Pinus wallichiana; formerly known as Pinus chylla (Lodd.) - as named by George Loddiges; mature specimens are not rare, but are fairly uncommon in London parks and gardens (along the Chapel Walk, south side). Two fine specimens remain from the pinetum that once lined the Chapel Ride's south side. These trees were sufficiently large by the 1860s to be recorded on a survey of that period.

  • Catalpa the north American Indian Bean Tree Catalpa bignonoides dates from before the 1860s, when it was sufficiently sizeable to be recorded in a survey. It is potentially of 'Great Tree of London' stature, and can be found north of the chapel on the Chapel Lawn itself. It has an unusually upright shape for a Catalpa; possibly being an old nursery form or cultivar.

  • Semi- evergreen Oak of 'Great Tree of London' stature - Turner's Oak Quercus robur x Quercus ilex: rare in London's parks and gardens, of 'Great Tree of London' stature (growing as a single mature semi-evergreen tree in the northern woodland). Elinor Wiltshire, who has studied Turner's and Fulham Oaks in London for the London Natural History Society, has examined some of the unusual oak trees at Abney Park's rare oak grove, and her articles explain more for those who are interested, includeing the role of Loddiges Nursery. 

  • Semi- evergreen Oaks of 'Great Tree of London' stature - Lucombe Oak Quercus cerris x Quercus x ilex, syn. Quercus x hispanica 'Lucombeana': uncommon in London's parks and gardens, of 'Great Tree of London' stature (growing as a semi-evengreen grove in the northern woodland)

  • Rare form of Lucombe Oak in the mature oak grove Quercus x hispanica 'Lucombeana Heterophylla' (growing in the oak grove in the northern woodland)

  • Tall Swamp Cypress near Abney House corner.

  • Several enormous specimens of Narrow-leaved Ash near to Dr.Watts' Mound.

  • A large, old Stone Pine north of the chapel.

  • A large, old North American Hawthorn hybrid east of the chapel.

      More about the Rare and Distinct' form of Lucombe Oak in Abney Park

    Elinor Wiltshire has written several articles for The London Naturalist about the Various-leaved Lucombe Oak in Abney Park, which is one of six semi-evergreen hybrid oaks in a grove.

    botanically, it is thought to be Quercus x hispanica) 'Lucombeana' subvariety heterophylla.; So far Elinor and others have been unable to find any other living examples of this various-leaved variety; there are some specimens labelled as such in the Kew herbarium but the leaves do not match those here at Abney so it most probably arose in a nursery cross independently of that recorded form.

    Mark Lane and Barry Stone from Buckingham Palace very kindly came and took a few suitable hardwood cuttings in late January a few years ago. These have now gone to a specialist nursery to be grafted onto a Turkey Oak rootstock and by July it was possible to tell how many had taken well.

    By methods similar to these, the Trust hopes be able to propagate its rare arboretum trees before they die out.

    Lucombe:

    picture above: Leaves from our Various-leaved Lucombe Oak

     Lucombe oak is a hybrid between Turkey oak  (Quercus cerris) and Cork oak (Quercus suber). Oaks hybridize naturally,the result showing some characteristics of each parent plant.

  • In addition to the rare trees that survive or are descendants of those planted by Loddiges in the early Victorian era, the park contains some older trees from the time of Lady Mary Abney and Dr Isaac Watts. These include extensive regrowth of English Elm and Wych Elm from late C17th or early C18th rootstocks, and some other less common elms such as Chichester Elm. 

    Other Flora

    The Cemetery has a rich diversity of flowers and plants, some wild and others naturalised from old memorial plantings. Examples of the former (wild plants) include:

    • Celandines
    • Wood Spurge
    • Wood False Brome Grass
    • Wood Avens
    • Stinging Nettles (not nice for humans but several butterfly larvae love them!)
    • Cow Parsley
    • Ox eye Daisies
    • Wild herbs

    Examples of naturalised cultivated plants include:

    • Snowdrops, crocuses and other early Spring bulbs
    • An extremely diverse collection of daffodils and narcissi
    • Bluebells and their white and pink cousins
    • Foxgloves
    • Roses
    • Evening Primrose

    The most diversity is observed on the sunnier path edges. We have sown some areas with a wildflower grass mix to improve plant diversity and to provide nectar sources for bumble bees, butterflies etc.

    In 45 is a small nature area. A pond was created but due to vandalism we have changed it to a bog garden. This will be planted up using plants-such as Purple loosestrife, - thinned from the bog garden in the Children's Garden by the classroom.

    Birds regularly observed in Abney Park

    A variety of birds are regularly seen and heard in Abney Park. The area is a place for migrating birds to stop off and refuel and for the residents to hold territory and bring up their fledlings. 

    Includes Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Robin,Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush Woodpeckers -Lesser Spotted, Greater Spotted and Green, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Blackcap, finches and more. 

    Look out for our popular dawn chorus walks. On these you might see bird species which are rare or unusual for Hackney, including Abney Park's Tawney Owls, Firecrests, Bullfinched and Nuthatch.

    Butterflies, Moths and Other Insects

    butterflies:

    The Trust carries out regular surveys of butterflies, moths and some insects. Rarities include the largest inner London population of the Speckled Wood, and an important inner City habitat for the Purple Hairstreak and Large Skipper. For more information call into the visitor centre.

    Below is a list of butterflieswith caterpillar food plants you can see in the cemetery. Most butterflies prefer light open areas with places to bask. Speckled wood are a woodland species and can be seen in the shade of the woodland. 

    How do butterflies and moths survive the winter?

    Most Butterflies and moths can hibernate in one of  the four stages (egg, caterpillar, chrysalis or adult). Some though cannot survive our winters and new generations migrate here, such as red Admirals from the Mediterannean and Painted lady from North Africa.  Speckled Wood hibernate as either caterpillar or chrysalis. Other examples include:

    Adults: Brimstone, Comma and Peacock

    Caterpillars: Footmen

    Chrysalis :Codling, White ermine, Oak beauty, Purple Hairstreak

    ---   ----                          ---   ---                        -- ---               -- ---

    Brimstone  - Purging buckthorn and alder buckthorn

    Comma -nettle,willow,elm

    Common Blue - bird's-foot-trefoil, restharrow, Clover

    Large White -Cruciferae family

    Small/Green viened White -Cruciferae family

    Small Skipper/Essesx Skipper - Grasses eg Yorkshire fog

    Holly Blue- Ivy, Holly, Buckthorn

    Orange Tip - garlic mustard,cuckoo flower.

    Peacock-nettles

    Painted Lady -thistle, burdock, mallow, nettles

    Red admiral - nettles

    Small tortoiseshell -nettles

    Speckled Wood - Grasses esp. couch

    Also Purple Hairstreak (oak), White letter Hairstreak,

    MOTHS

    These are some of the moths recorded. The moths are drawn into a container, atracted by a light, identified then freed.

    Angle shades- various trees and plants

    August thorn -Oak, Lime, Hawthorn, Silver Birch & others.

    Codling  -Apple, Pear, Quince, Walnut

     Dun-bar -Elm, Oak, Birch, Sallow, Hawthorn &others

     Early Thorn -Silver Birch, Alder, Blackthorn, Hawthorn Sallow

     Footman -Oak, Sallow, Apple, Blackthorn & Buckthorn,lichens

     Garden carpet -Cabbage, Rape, Hedge mustard, Horse Radish

     Heart and Dart - Dock, Plantain, Fat hen, Chickweed, Turnip &others

     Magpie - Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Currant, Gooseberry & Spindle

     Oak Beauty -Oak, Silver Birch, Blackthorn, Elm, & Rose

     Red underwing - Willow, Poplar & Plum

    Snout - Nettles

    Swallowtail - Many trees & shrubs inc. Privet, Holly & Ivy

    White ermine - Most low growing plants

    Willow beauty - Hawthorn, Silver Birch, Ivy, Privet, Lilac & others

     

    Fungi

    The Cemetery is home to a great diversity of fungi, ranging from ordinary edible mushrooms through 'exotic' edible varieties to enormous Bracket species and other types which grow on rotting wood. Conducted tours ('Fungal Forays') are a regular feature of our programme-look out for them in October and November -see the diary of Events. The woodchip paths and edging offer a fertile hunting ground.

    Below are some of the more regularly seen fungus.

    Latin    Name                          Common Name

    Stropharia aeruginosa      Verdigris Agaric

    Stopharia aurantiaca         Redlead Roundhead

    Xylaria hypoxylon              Stagshorn Fungus

    Xylaria longpipes               Dead Molls Fingers

    Armillaria mella                   Honey fungus

    Auricularia auricularia-judae   Ear Fungus

    Corpinus disseminatus       Faries Bonnets

    Piptoporus betulinus          Razor strop fungus

    Daldinia concentrica            King Alfreds Cakes

    Trametes versicolor            Many zoned polypore

    many zoned polypore:

    Nectria cinnabarina             Coral spot

    Stereum hirsuitum               Hairy Curtain Crust

    Stereum subtomentosum    Yellowing Curtain Crust

    Phaelolus schwweinitzii       Dyers Mazegill

    Bjerkandera adusta             Smokey Bracket

    Rhystima aceranum              Sycamore Tar Spot

    Cyrptostorma corticalae       Sooty Bark (on Sycamore)

    Clavulina cinera                    Grey Coral Fungus

    Chondrosterum purpereum   Sliverleaf Fungus

    Ganoderma adspersum        Artist's fungus

    Meripilus giganteus              Giant polypore

    polyporus squamosos          Dryad's Saddle

    Hebeoma leucosarx              Poison Pie

    Lacrymaria velutina              Weeping widow

    langermannia gigantea        Giant puffball

    On the 2004 foray we were able to add an Earth Star to our list. These look quite unusaul - it starts off as a ball. then the outer surface splits, revealing an inner sphere, and unfolds to form a recognisable star shape. As this unfolds it raises the inner sphere;which holds all the spores; off the ground or above the leaf litter.

    Lichens

    Lichens are a partnership between a fungus and algae. The algae is protected by the fungus; the algae is able to photosynthesise in the same way as green plants and so provides nutrition. They grow only a half millimetre a year- some may be nearly as old as the gravestones they grow on.  The fruiting bodies of lichens most often resemble 'minature jam tarts'. Though you can see lichens with the naked eye you really need a hand lens to observe them closely.

    In 2002 members of the Lichen Society surveyed the site for lichens and found 37 species. The gravestones and monuments, boundary wall and chapel provide a variety of different rock including limestone, marble,sandstone slate that lichen could colonise. Some can also be found on trees. Lichens need light to flourish so some areas of the cemetery are too dark look out for tombs and stones in sunny areas and on the trunk and branches of trees.

    Below is a list of the species found with a brief description for some. (Information taken from the 'Identifying Churchyard Lichens' leaflets -British lichen Society 1998). There are over 360 different species found in lowland churchyards, some only occur in this environment.

    (Recorders Ishpi Blatchley and Amanda Waterfield 05/03/02)

    Buellia aethelea

    Buellia griseovirens

    Buellia punctata- on tree

    Caloplacca citrina- very common, citrine yellow colour. fruits look like little orange discs with yellow margins. Likes damp stonework.

    Caloplacca crenulatella

    Candelariella aurella

    Candelariella vitellina

    Catillaria chalybea

    Cladonia chlorphaea

    Dimerella pineti

    Lecania erysibe

    Lecanora albescens -white to pale grey;small fruit maybe clustered or dispersed.Favours horizontal surfaces of limestone/marble/mortar/concrete. On wall at Churchstreet entrance.

    Lecanora campestris

    Lecanora conizaeoides - dull grey green colour sandstone,granite and wood.tolerates polluted conditions

    Lecanora dispersa

    Lecanora muralis-  pale grey green to yellowbrownrosette of flatish lobes with frosted margins. Fruits brown. grows on limestone/sandstone/concrete/asphalt.

    Lecanora polytropa

    Lecanora symmicta

    Lecidella stigmatae

    Lepraria incana

    Phaephysica orbicularis

    Parmelia subaurifera

    Parmelia sulcata

    Physcia adscendens- whitish to pale grey or green grey. the lobes are raised up to from tiny helmet shapes with bristles on them. The black fruits have pale grey margins. Marble/limestone.

    Physcia caesia - acid medium;smooth marble/slate.

    Physcia tenella

    Porpidia crustulata

    Psilolechia lucida -luminous, sulphurous green. Powdery covering that can be extensive. North facing sandstone or brick.

    Ramalina farinacae - pale green bushy species. A few tufts on trees.

    Rhizocarpon concentricum

    Rhizocarpon reducatum

    Rinodina gennarii - forms small dark pathces on walls. the fruits come in clusters and are black-brown with thickish fawn margins. Sunny walls   limestone/mortar. 

    Trapelia coarctata

    Verrucaria elaeina

    Verrucaria hochstetteri-white to pale grey; smooth crust with tiny brown or black pits on the surface.  grows on north facing hard limestone/marble.

    Verrcaria nigrescens -black to dark chocolate brown; smooth cracked crust with fine greenishto gingery powder along cracks. Vertical  surfaces limestone/marble -on Booth (Salvation Army) tomb

    Xanthoria parintina- yellow;leafy rosettes with yellow to orange fruits. grows on most stones but especially marble, and bark.

     

    Animal Life

    Abney Park is home to many birds, insects and animals. Residents include the ever more common Hackney rat, hundreds of grey squirrels, families of foxes, wood mice, house mice, bats and the odd stray dog and cat.  

    Squirrels home is called a drey. They gather twigs and leaves together to make a hollow ball they can rear their young in and stay snug.  They make this in the forks of branches or in hollows.  The first litter is born in february and march and the second litter june/july.  Baby squirrels are called kittens.

    Foxes home is called an earth. They live in family groups  and a litter of up to four cubs is born in March. The breeding vixen is often helped by her daughters or sisters to raise the cubs. The cubs come out in April and start to learn about the world the parents bring them food and things to play with. By June the breeding earth is abandoned and the cubs lie up in safe places through the day. In August they will be finding food for themselves. October and November is taken up with finding new territory ready for  the mating season in January. Foxes are seen mainly at dawn or dusk as they hunt at night and lay up during the day. They will eat from bins but also rats,mice and birds such as pigeons. A male fox is called a dog and a female is called a vixen. 

    Wood mice are found in woodland and fields. They have dark brown fur, white belly, large ears, and a long tail. Mice in woodlands eat acorns and sycamore seeds in the winter. Buds in early Spring, In the summer small invertebrates such as caterpillars worms and centepedes and fungi and blackberries in Autumn. And all of these are in good supply at Abney. They like cover so they can hide from predators as they look for food. The ivy and brambles provides excellent cover. Mice make underground burrows lining the nest area with leaves and moss and grass - bumble bees often nest in old mice nests.  Baby mice are born in spring and grow quickly, another smaller litter may be born in autumn. Adult mice tend not to survive from one summer to the next - they are predated by foxes, weasels, birds of prey such as owls and cats.

    Compartment Planting Notes 1993-2006

    Note: For locations of compartment numbers please obtain a copy of the Cemetery Compartment Map at the South Lodge

    1993-4 Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) removed from the southern halves of 15 and 16, and from the central section of 18. Knotweed colonises areas easily and reaches a good height, shading out lower growing plants. A dense planting of mixed broadleaf trees including native Field Maple (Acer campestre) was made in 18, in addition to some new poplars. 

    Planting in 15 and 16 included native species such as Oak (Quercus robur) Field Maple(Acer campestre), Guelder Rose(Viburnum opulus), Wayfaring Tree (Viburnum lantana), Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula),and Hazel (Corylus avellana ).  These were planted as dense stands to be effective in shading out invasive Knotweed.

    1994 Mixed birches (including a small number of exotic Betula jaqumontii) in the previously empty area originally occupied by Abney House in 37 and 38 (courtesy funding by British Gas plc). This area at Church Street entrance also has a few buddleja bushes on which you can observe butterflies in the summer.

    1995- 2004  Additional plantings of larger saplings in 15, 16 (Prunus cerasifera 'purpurea'), 37 and 38; old shrubberies in main entrance drive removed and replaced with outer curved rows of beech, formally placed yews (Taxus baccatta), Fastigiate Oak, Mulberry and Tulip Tree ( and areas of sweet-scented low shrubs; a small group of oaks and a yew at the northern tip of 44.

    A new avenue of English yew (Taxus baccata) has been planted along the former Yew Walk (compartments 42 and 49).

    Knotweed removed from 27-30 and a mixture of large saplings and smaller trees put in their place including hazel, .

    Along the South boundary path there are a selection of Oaks from around the world. Oaks have both male and female on one tree. The bark has been used in tanning, they are host to many insects, the acorns are food for animals such as squirrels and birds such as jays. There are decidous oaks, evergreen oaks, and semi evergreen ones.

    English/Pendunculate Oak (Q. robur)- these can live for 800 years. has a broad spreading crown. Acorns have stalks, leaves have 5-7 pairs of rounded lobes.

    Red Oak (Q. rubra)- E.USA- Acorns bigger than Pin Oak. Leaves with toothed lobes vibrant red autumn colour.

    Pin Oak (Q. palustris)- S.E. Canada, E.USA. More deeply lobed than red Oak; brilliant autumn colour. Acorns in shallow saucer shaped cup

    Willow Oak (Q.Phellos) -E.USA. narrow willow like leaves whichturn yellow in Autumn, tiny acorns.

    White Swamp Oak (Q.bicolor)-S.E. Canada, E.USA. Grows into a narrow round topped tree. Inch long acorns paired on  downy stalk. Leaves lobed, broader than English oak; shiney green above pale grey and downy  beneath.

    Hungarian Oak (Q.frainetto)- S.E. Europe. Leaves deeply lobed with short stalk; dark green above, grey green and downy beneath. Acorns with short stalks. 

    Cork Oak (Q.suber)- S. Europe, N.Africa. Evergreen. This is the oak that cork (the trees bark) is harvested from. Grows to be a wide spreading tree. Leaves are dark glossy green on top and downy beneath. Acorns bourne singly on short downy stalks.

    Sessile Oak/Durmast Oak  (Q.petraea) -straighter trunk and less spreading crown than pendunculate oak. Sessile=stalkless - the acorns do not have a stalk. The leaves have 5-8 rounded lobes and if you look closely small hairs on the underside of the leaf where viens meet.

    Other Oaks on site include:

    Turkey oak (Q.cerris), Holm Oak (Q.ilex), Scarlet Oak (Q.Coccinea)

    Aso sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) in 16 and 17.

    In compartment 45 a small nature are has been created with a mixed hedge around its perimeter Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Beech (Fagus sylvatica), Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa),Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus),Dog rose (Rosa canina), Alder buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). A small area was sown with wildflower seed including red campion and ox-eye daisy.

    weathered_gravestone.GIF: Large areas of bramble were removed from 6, 7, 8 and 9; some of this has returned ! There are many hawthorn in htese compartments.

    A mixture of knotweed, rampant ivy and sycamore was removed from around the avenue of box tombs between 33 and 34 (north- south axis from Issac Watts' staue).

    In 34 there have been Birch sp. (B.costata, B.papyrifera and B. nigra) and Oak sp. (Quercus robur,Q,rubra and Q.coccinea) planted.   You can also see in this area old B. pendula that have died and been left as standing dead wood and you sometimes catch sight of the Greater spotted woodpeckers searching for insects under the bark and in the wood. Planting in 36 includes Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glptostoboides).

    A start has been made to implement a plan to open a two-metre 'corridor' round the inside of the boundary wall; thorny shrubs will be planted against the wall to discourage people from clambering over the walls. This predominantly hawthorn hedge has established well in some areas with  good singing perches, food and cover popular with birds.

    We inherited several fine mature pines, including some Bhutan Pines along the old Chapel Walk where the original cemetery company planted a small collection. The areas around them have been opened up to encourage fresh growth as well as to display them to best advantage. Unfortunately our stock of American hybrid Black Poplars are well past their prime and most if not all are weakened by rot. They are being pollarded which will give them a new lease of life and reduce the danger of toppling in storms.

    Further Information

    For further information about nature and landscape at Abney Park Cemetery please see the on-line encyclopaedia, Wikipedia.

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