Archive news

Manager Jason Taylor had an unusually quiet Park for the first weeks of lockdown. Kensington Gardens took the brunt of the mobs. However that’s all changed.

These are extraordinary times….
when normally we love to plan, to fix things to look forward to and fill the diary.

However, one thing we can be absolutely certain of — the seasons roll on. Summer is turning into Autumn.

Members have told us how much they have enjoyed the Parks, the fresh air and the exercise. There have been problems. The Royal Parks were not alone in facing situations which their staff never dreamed would be part of their jobs.

We are aiming to keep you all up to date:
Both Parks flower beds are being cleared ready for the big burst of Autumn planting starting on Monday with an almost military operation.

The Hyde Park nursery has thousands of trays of plants, specially grown to the horticulturalist planting designs.

The Royal Parks have a launched a Summer of Kindness campaign, with the key messages: enjoy the parks, be kind to others and respect the environment which they hope make people stop and think about the impact of their actions on the parks. The more people who support the campaign the better!

The Royal Parks launched their campaign in July following an extraordinary few months when “our” two Parks, Kensington Gardens in particular, were almost overwhelmed with visitors who were desperate to get some fresh air and exercise.

Unfortunately, not all have been well behaved and you will know by now from our Blogs that extra tonnes of litter have been left in their wake.

Pat from Hyde writes…
The past 5 months have been a little strange, to say the least. Having only joined the Hyde Park Team in December I have now spent longer working in lockdown mode than not. The height of lockdown now seems in a distant past, but despite its challenges, there have been numerous silver linings and positive outcomes. One of which being our weekly blogs for The Friends.

The Royal Parks have produced the most magnificent bedding display for the NHS outside Buckingham Palace.

Red, white and blue, the much admired bedding scheme at Buckingham Palace was all ready for the big plant out. The geraniums, some of them breathtakingly tall, and other patriotic coloured plants had been beautifully tended for a year in the Hyde Park nursery.

Hyde Park’s events, throughout the ages, have characterised the space, and are arguably the defining feature for this particular Royal Park. From Pink Floyd to Taylor Swift, Rock and Pop concerts have attracted millions of fans to the famous Parade Ground. The BBC Proms provide an eclectic mix of live performances, while the bandstand has recently been revived by none other than the Friends Group for a selection of intimate concerts

I find the parks delightful during the day, but I find them even more enchanting at night. Having shaken off my fear of the dark during a spell in the Territorial Army, I now love to spend time in the parks at night. They are so much more peaceful than during the day, and in some ways more beautiful. Here I describe some of my experiences.

The last two weeks have been busy in the parks. People have picnicked, protested and partied as the parks remain a vital space for people to relax, play and congregate, all at a distance of course. As the lockdown restrictions continue to ease there is a sense that summer has finally been unlocked, quite literally.