Pocket Park Walks (1)

Pop-up Park, near The Barbican

On a hot day I set out to meet fellow walkers in London to learn about some of its pocket parks and the flowers, shrubs and trees in them. I'm a hopeless gardener and know little about names of plants and trees. My grandparents were the gardeners of the family. I'm a fair weather gardener - I go mad  planting things and then think they can fend for themselves while I soak up the sun with a good book!

Maybe I will learn something! Anyway, we were a small group (a few cancelled due to the hot weather) and I recognised a few people from the course I took with Walk London With Us last year. We met at Moorgate tube station and set off around the Barbican. Although I've been here before I have never seen this part. The architecture is what is known as Brutalist. The Barbican is privately owned with public spaces, much like Canary Wharf. Occupiers of the apartments are encouraged to grow Geraniums in their window boxes (supplied) to offset the concrete. The walkways provided a cool and shady walk yesterday. The breeze (a constant feature) makes this a difficult area to grow things. Admittedly this time of year the planting has almost flowered itself out, but other spaces had grasses growing and there were tempting pools. There are benches to relax upon to admire the scenery.

Some very temping water (Barbican)

Across the Barbican

The Barbican was created after the area was bombed. Hardly anything remains of what was there before. The whole area was devastated. There is a wall from medieval times along with some Roman remains and that's about it. I should mention the hot houses. They are open on Sundays to the public, apparently. We had a look through the windows - it reminded me of Kew Gardens. If you know a resident who has a key to the private spaces you are in luck! (I did have the accidental pleasure one time when I visited - a guy who lives there offered to show my brother and I around some of the private areas, which we took him up on).

After our walk around the Barbican we headed towards the river passing what is called The Barbers' Physic Garden. The Barbers Guild back in its day were the only ones allowed to shave heads, so the Monks visited them. They also grew plants and herbs for remedies. What is left is small area planted with all sorts of things. The infamous Mandrake Root grows there. It is said that when you pull the Mandrake it screams, so people used dogs tied to the plant and made to run and pull up the roots! Poor dogs. This reminded me of the screaming plants in Harry Potter. However, I have heard of it before. It is an hallucinogenic. Also in the garden is St John's Wort - good for depression and helping you to sleep.

St John's Wort, The Barbers' Physic Garden

As we headed towards the Temple we walked past Temple Church which I have visited before. It became quite a tourist attraction after the book The Da Vinci Code was published. We then walked down numerous alleys and into the area I remember from my days working in law firms. Here are the Chambers of Barristers and the names of the courts were a blast from the past - Hare Court, Paper Buildings, Dr Johnson Buildings. Back in the day I used to go up to London with a Brief to Counsel or Advice to Counsel and deliver them to the Clerks of the Chambers. What a fascinating world - all those Briefs in pink ribbon everywhere! It was a little like a scene from Dickens. I bet technology has even caught up with them now!

The vegetable plot, Temple Gardens

'Justice', Temple gardens

There wasn't time to stay in all the gardens, but most are open during weekday lunchtimes and definitely worth going back to. We ended up at the oldest fountain in London surrounded by Mulberry Trees dating back to the time of Charles I. We disbanded here and I sat for a time by the fountain before making my way home.

The oldest fountain in London with it's Mulberry Trees

The height of day isn't the best time photogenically - too much searing light, but I did my best with my shots. Did I learn anything about trees and plants? Well, I do know now that the ice age finished off much of our trees and plants and that we have only four native trees in England - Ash, Beech, Oak and Lime. Only a couple of plants survived and most of what we have now was introduced by the Romans and from Europe. We heard about the specialists who went to the continents to bring back trees, plants and seeds, often coming home with something other than they went for (a bit like me when I go to the supermarket!) and their trials during these adventures (plague, malaria etc). Amazing people.

A tiny park on route to the Temple

I'm amazed I remembered all this information! There is hope for me yet. Next week we off on another walk, though I believe we start from a similar location. I know it will be fascinating. If you enjoyed this do come back here next week to hear about where I have been.