Folkestone Gardens ⁸⁷⁴⁵

Brief Description

On undulating ground, the park has grass, woodland areas, a belt of Lombardy poplars along the edge, and a group of sycamores in the centre. In the north-west is a large pond with an island with weeping willow. When it was restored in 1994, some of the pond-side plants were taken from the surplus at Hare and Billet Pond on Blackheath. The park supports a surprising diversity of plants and animals considering its size and location.

History

Folkestone Gardens were created in the 1970s on the site of war-damaged housing, and is overlooked and completely surrounded by railway lines. The Grand Surrey Canal used to run past the northern end of the park from Camberwell to the Surrey Docks; it was filled in in 1972, having closed the previous year.

Visitor Facilities