North Sheen Rec is among several community spaces to have had a poppy meadow sown by the Richmond council to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War.

Poppies are annuals, which mean they germinate, flower, and set seed all in the same growing period once a year and which will allow Richmond Council to rotate the meadows at different sites in future years. The best sites are those which are mown closely because weeds need to be kept at an absolute minimum for the poppy seeds to grow.

As well as being a fitting tribute to the sacrifices of World War One, and the far reaching consequences of that period of bloody struggle, the poppy fields will be a beautiful addition to the already spectacular parks, and will be a striking annual reminder of this particularly brutal period of human history.

More information can be read about this wonderful project here.

New Flowerbeds

The Friends encouraged Richmond Council to create new flowerbeds in the Rec in 2016 / 17 (previously there were no flowers); this document contains a List of the Flowers planted in these flowerbeds.