This month, we visit Grove Farm Nature Reserve, a hidden gem which provides 18 hectares of green space in North Greenford with a complex mosaic of habitats; woodland, grassland and scrub.
Parts of Grove Farm are a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) and a Statutory Local Nature Reserve (LNR). Grove Farm’s significance not only lies in its ecological richness but also in its strategic position as a stepping stone for wildlife between the green spaces in Harrow on the Hill and Horsenden Hill.
The woodland in Grove Farm contains deciduous trees such as Oak, Ash, Elm, Hazel and Blackthorn. At this time of year, Grove Farm has a particularly magnificent display of Wood Anemones (Anemonoides nemorosa), possibly the largest in London.
In early spring, the woodland also has some areas covered by the bright yellow of Lesser Celandine and in later spring a small patch of native bluebells. It also has a good number of wild service trees which are considered relatively rare. All these species are indicators of ancient woodland, though most of the existing trees have grown up recently. The wood is home to a pair of breeding Tawny Owls you can often hear calling to each other from dusk. In late spring, the meadows are lit up by yellow Buttercups.
Coston’s Brook runs along a valley through the site, although the brook is difficult to see from the paths. There are also several ditches which fill up with rainwater in the winter and a small ephemeral pond in an area of the wood which remains wet throughout winter and harbours a good collection of native ferns, mainly Hart’s-tongue.
There are two meadows at Grove Farm. The main one is easily accessible and dotted with many Yellow meadow ant hills. They are keystone species that create structures used by a wide range of other species. The ant hills create micro-habitats in the grassland, being warmer than the areas without ant hills, increasing soil moisture and diversity, and creating bare patches of soil which can allow different species to flourish in a meadow. The ant hills are a good source of food for Green Woodpeckers which can often be seen flying down for a nibble. There are often Red Kites circling above the fields and sometimes you can spot a Kestrel.
In summer, you can see Birdsfoot Trefoil, Knapweed, Yarrow, and many butterflies – particularly skippers and Marble Whites. The edge of the meadow is covered in scrub that provides ideal conditions for Slow Worms. If you wait until after dusk in warm weather, you can see Pipistrelle Bats coming out to feed over the meadow.
Grove Farm is open to the public to visit any time of day or year. It has been appreciated by locals as a site of recreation and natural beauty for over a century. Like a lot of Ealing, Grove Farm used to be a farm until the beginning of the 20th century. Indeed, occasionally, you can still find an ear of corn in the meadow.
After farming stopped, Grove Farm was bought by John Spendan Lewis, who created the John Lewis partnership. He appreciated the natural beauty of Grove Farm from 1909-1919, opening up the site to John Lewis employees for recreation. He also planted some unusual non-native trees such as the Cappadocian Maple which can still be seen today in the northern parts of the site.
When John Spendan Lewis was forced to sell Grove Farm, the land was bought by John Lyons Co. for the recreation of their employees, finally passing into the ownership of Ealing Council for all to enjoy. Parts of the site are currently leased by the gym chain David Lloyd.
Grove Farm can be difficult to find as it is mostly hidden behind houses. If you take the Piccadilly line to Sudbury Hill, turn right as you exit the station and then after the bridge turn right again. At this point, under the David Lloyd arch, you will find a lane. After a short walk, passing the Busy Bees nursery, you will find the main meadow of Grove Farm on your left. Turn in and explore! Alternatively, you can approach via the entrance on Whitton Avenue West in North Greenford.
Friends of Grove Farm is a local community group who are supported by Ealing Parks and David Lloyd in looking after the site. They hold monthly conservation events every 4th Saturday of the month and often hold different nature-based activities.
To find out about our events, join our mailing list from our website or join our Facebook group. You can also email us at friendsofgrovefarm@gmail.com.
We have many exciting events planned this year including surveying Slow Worms, identifying grasses and pollinators, and learning how to assess the condition of woodland.
Anna Rebmann
Secretary and Trustee, Friends of Grove Farm
