COMING UP – Saturday 21st March 2026. (See poster below)
Spring in the garden
What to see
Agnes Riley Gardens are looking wonderful at the moment. The blossom is amazing, the bulbs our volunteers planted this winter are flowering. The fruit trees in the orchard are coming in to bud. Bushes, like forsythia, Japanese quince and flowering currant are in full flower. And here and there – in out of the way corners – wild flowers are edging their way in, red dead nettle, shepherd’s purse and celandine.
All these plants that flower early are vital for queen bumblebees. Unlike honeybees, bumblebees die off in the winter and only the queen lives through the winter. When she wakes up, a queen needs early sources of nectar to boost her energy levels. Then she finds a suitable nest site, for example under a shed or in an old hole or burrow to lay eggs. Later in the spring bumblebees need more flowering plants to provide pollen to feed the grubs as they hatch.
We have seen a queen bumblebee already this year feeding on the Chinese Berberis in the community garden.
Some of you may have seen that a new hedge has been planted by volunteers at the edge of the raingarden by the playground. The trees are very small at the moment but will thicken out to make a home for insects and birds. Hawthorn and blackthorn will flower in the hedge too.
Thanks for all the hard work our volunteers are putting in to make our park more lovely and more friendly to nature.
Spring celebration – March 21st – Free, family friendly, all welcome
Come celebrate Spring with the Friends of Agnes Riley on Saturday 21 March, 10:30am–1pm – everyone’s welcome – drop in anytime.
There will be bulb planting, a new mud kitchen for kids, chance to join in a bug and plant survey and learn how to sue an app to do this. Free drinks and snacks!
No need to bring anything – just come along to enjoy our lovely park in the springtime.
NEW PLANTING – February 2026
The Rain Garden in ARG has been enhanced – the Friends and other volunteers have planted hedging whips along the railings. They might look small now but they will soon get established and will provide precious shelter and food for bugs, butterflies, birds and amphibians. It will also provide some welcome colour for us humans as the whips include hawthorns, dogwoods and hornbeams, which will blossom in the spring and have autumn colour.
We have also planted fruit trees (Bramley apple, pear, cherry and Mirabelle plum) which will also provide blossom and fruits once they get established. Thanks to Poppy George and Tom Smith from Lambeth for providing the trees/whips and their labour! More news on the Rain Garden soon.
Congratulations to all who contributed to the great pond clear out – September 2025.
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Agnes Riley Gardens has won a green flag after having been nominated for the first time this year. 💚 💚
It now has the internationally recognised mark of excellence for parks and green spaces which is awarded by Keep Britain Tidy as the benchmark that recognises those that are welcoming, safe, sustainable and maintained to the highest environmental standards.
The achievement is the result of dedicated work by Lambeth Council’s Parks and Open Spaces team, the Friends of Agnes Riley Gardens, including local residents and volunteers and community partners, whose collective effort has transformed Agnes Riley Gardens into an outstanding green space for all to enjoy.
In addition to this new award, all 25 of Lambeth’s existing Green Flag parks have retained their status, alongside the borough’s three Green Heritage Awards and four Green Flag Community Awards—confirming Lambeth’s position as one of the top boroughs in London for quality public spaces.
Cllr Donatus Anyanwu, cabinet member for Stronger Communities at Lambeth Council, said:
“This is fantastic news for all of our residents and community volunteers especially those who care for Agnes Riley Gardens and Lambeth’s many beautiful green spaces.
“Our commitment is clear: we want every park in Lambeth to reach the Green Flag standard. These awards reflect the strength of our partnerships with local communities and our dedication to safe, welcoming, and biodiverse public spaces.
“Agnes Riley Gardens joins a growing list of spaces that Lambeth can be proud of. Together, we’re making Lambeth greener, safer, and healthier.”
Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager for England and the Isle of Man, added:
“Congratulations to everyone involved in Agnes Riley Gardens. This award celebrates the tireless work it takes to meet the Green Flag standard. High-quality green spaces like Agnes Riley Gardens improve our physical and mental health, support biodiversity, and offer free, accessible places to connect with nature and community.”
Lambeth’s Green Flag Award-win
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Latest update about the ARG pond – thumbs up to Frog Life and FOARG
Over the past several months, the pond at ARG has seen some much needed love and attention, including structural work, cleaning, and some planting.
Frog Life charity have been working with the FOARG and Lambeth, as part of the Blue Chain Project, to improve the biodiversity and wildlife in the pond.
We have dedicated volunteer Pond Champions, helping to monitor the Pond and engaging with training provided by Frog life. If this is something you would be interested in, please get in touch.
And also….. fun with water jets ⛲️
Friends of Agnes Riley Gardens 