Forum Topic

Goodbye Magnolia Trees in Walpole Park

...destruction notices on the Magnolia Trees outside Pitzhanger Manor indicate the next phase of improvement to the area around the Manor.They were a real feature in bloom and regularly photographed by visitors, and one even hid the ex-library/art gallery building!Make the most of the colours and scent of the Wisterias in the Walled garden this year as it may be their last.Change : love it!?

Philip Alford ● 3909d11 Comments

.....next it'll be "goodbye wisteria" as the Manor and the east end of the walled garden is turned into a construction siteI have always thought that the Consultation was poorly conducted: it was pure 'form over substance' and wouldn't pass scrutiny - FIFA could learn some lessons ;~)

Philip Alford ● 3901d

.....excellent!? = crowded; not enough seats; wrong mix of kit for age groups; sand everywhere; dog/fox poo in sand...and still waiting for the state of the art 'water forest' playground elements to work...what a waste of money and effort for something that is maintenance heavy and won't work for the c5 cold months of the year - it was a vanity project !!*** Space in Lammas and Walpole has become over utilised and can no longer be called open space - next is Gunnersbury ***

Philip Alford ● 3901d

I think that's the rub. Trying to recreate Sir John Soane's  private grounds is ..well a bit of a folly. Soane had wealth and the means to have a legion of gardeners do the work and maintain it all. And how is it meant to look? As it was on his blueprint or as it was when mature?It simply does not sit well at all with the additions of cafes and the removal of seating and places to simply sit down and enjoy, relax or chat. It makes it feel fake. But in the process, those little things that made Walpole Park special, better than other parks, has sadly for me, been lost.Personally, I think Walpole Park is ( and certainly was) the perfect Edwardian Public Park, there for the enjoyment of a whole gamut of society, ponds, rest gardens tennis courts, open theatre stage, benches open grass, formal planting, rose gardens, shrubberies, refreshment huts, variations of trees, avenues of same variety trees, childrens' playgrounds, even a pet zoo, all for  the enjoyment of the public and a distillation of pride in the town in which they and we live.And to top it all, a public library, located in the best possible place. I really wish that was still there.Lammas Park was similar with a continuation, plus bowls, a bandstand, more tennis courts and another playground, plus pampas grasses and other 'exotic' planting.Even with these amenities, less people were employed than in Soane's day but a whole lot more was there for all and sundry.It's not all bad, Other parts of the Park are much better after many years of neglect as are parts of Lammas Park. Every year at the Chelsea Flower show, Birmingham City Council produce a stunning display of old fashioned municipal planting. It is stunning but also clever. But this was something that we used to see in borough parks all the time and took for granted.  Another decade or so and that will be another lost art.The Edwardian Era is arguably the best period for Ealing,  a time when it got the identity we all know and why people are prepared to pay silly money to move here.  The streets, houses and local envirions all blending together made it the place that gave it the Queen of the Suburbs nickname.  The local parks were certainly the conduit for all that.

Mark Kehoe ● 3902d

I wish they'd leave messing about our flagship park - apart from the excellent new swings and play areas(near Ealing Studio end).

Gerry Tan ● 3902d

MarkThe changes to Walpole Park are supposed to restore it to its original state (when built by John Soane in 1800). so it's no wonder they don't look Edwardian.  However, I agree that the urns look too 'new' - couldn't they have done something to age them?  Painting with yoghurt springs to mind for some reason...  Or are they waiting for them to weather in?  It also occurs to me that the gardens would have been unlikely to contain play areas and a cafe in John Soane's time - so why be so purist about the rest?  And why no indoor seating at the cafe - the old wooden structure had a small sheltered seating area, useful when it rained.I also agree about the paths.  Already short cuts are being tramped out and the grass is being worn down at various points.  If some thought had been put into the directions in which people actually want to move and the routes they will take, path or no path, this could have been avoided.Lastly, I am sure you are right to worry about the destruction of mature trees and the ability of park contractors to perform the necessary up-keep of the new planting.

Thelma Leach ● 3902d

I cannot find anywhere in all the plans made public that these were to be removed. Magnolias of this state take an age and a half to grow and mature.Given the inablity of parks to even water and maintain young plants and shrubs, this is a travesty.Noteably these magnolias appear in 1950's postcards of Walpole Park and the Manor, as well as a few of the Ealing Films currently being shown on London Live channel.As for the restoration of the pond and rest gardens, one wonders just why it cost so much. It is the grass equivalent of tarmacing the drive.Just who did the research?  Those urns are the wrong style from the wrong era and in the wrong positions. It bears no resemblance to the design and style of an edwardian public park and looks every inch a compromise of easy maintenance over retro image.  I had hoped that when established it would look good but it will be decades before that is realised. And without the kind of skilled gardeners to look after it to achieve that, it is already evident in the way the gravel is unkempt and scattered and paths been trod in the rather poor new grass. It is money wasted and very poorly researched.

Mark Kehoe ● 3903d

What would be most interesting to know is whether Ealing Council has a plan to plant new ones if these are in the way? They are hardy little souls and these big old ones were magnificent and so I TRUST Ealing Council will replace even if in new places in the park. I look forward to their response on this forum.

Jools Lewis ● 3903d

I love the grand magnolias.  Unfortunately there is a rather cavalier attitude taken towards the elderly nowadays rather than the respect that would have been shown in the past...How old are they? Life seems to be all about box ticking nowadays and not considering let alone actually thinking about any consequences.

Philippa Bond ● 3909d

there are at least 3 notices on the trees around the Manor - 2 near the art gallery entrance (why?)- 1 notice on a tree on the south side wall(and there are 2 other trees next to it that I bet will come out as well but don't have a notice, and none of them are as far along that side as the building wall being demolished - so again why?!)

Philip Alford ● 3909d

There are at least two magnolias at the end of the manor. Last week I only saw that notice on the one which is planted right up against the side elevation. I can understand why this may have to be removed.Were there notices on the others as well?

Terry Freestone ● 3909d

We've lived on the borders of Walpole Park for many years and use the park to walk to EB Shopping Centre. We've always admired the magnolia tree outside Pitzhanger Manor and we're sad to hear its going in the refurbishment. That's 'progress' I guess.

Gerry Tan ● 3909d