Benhill Road Nature Garden

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Benhill Road Nature Garden

Benhill Road Nature Garden is a designated Local Site Of Importance For Nature Conservation in Camberwell. Follow for info about volunteering days

A designated Local Site Of Importance For Nature Conservation in Camberwell, Southwark, Benhill Nature Garden is open to all. This special space will flourish with the help of its neighbours and friends. Please look out for information about Friends volunteer work days which will be posted on this page. HISTORY

Previously hosting small Victorian terraced houses, the site was cleared during the post-war period and became home to prefabs until the 1960s and the completion of the Elmington Estate (begun in 1956). A nature garden was established here in 1982 by Southwark Council, Friends of the Earth and the London Wildlife Trust however the ensuing years saw it fall into neglect and disrepair. Happily, in autumn 2014, Southwark Council, in partnership with The Conservation Volunteers, began work to re-establish it in order to provide access for the community and an opportunity for wildlife education for local schools. Valuable contributions in the planning and building stages came from the Elmington Resident Steering Group and Brunswick Park School. The London Wildlife Trust designed the landscaping which The Conservation Volunteers implemented. Froglife installed the pond and dipping platform

The Official opening of the garden was on 16th June 2015. ECOLOGY

The garden contains a number of habitat areas including: a pond with dipping platform, native hedgerow (hawthorn, blackthorn), a wildflower “meadow”, a mini beast zone (stag beetle loggery), a 'dry' garden ornamental bed, a sensory cockleshell path, composting area and a natural play area. The garden supports many species including birds, frogs, bats and a wide range of pollinators and other vital insects. Mature trees include apple, birch and hazel. The garden is a chemical free zone, native species are carefully sourced and compost bins enable the recycling of the garden’s own green waste to produce compost. The PIED PIER MURAL by Willi Soukop
Robert Browning, the author of the poem ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ was born in Camberwell in 1812. The mural was first erected in 1956 on the Elmington Estate. It was reinstalled on the side of Brunswick Park School overlooking Benhill Nature Garden when the Estate was demolished. Further info: Southwark Council Press Release 10 June 2015:
http://www.southwark.gov.uk/news/article/1978/benhill_road_nature_garden_to_reopen

27/06/2025

Start preserving moss, and stop ripping it out.

Moss, often overlooked as mere ground cover (or even worse, attacked as a pest), plays a surprisingly powerful role in climate mitigation and urban cooling.

Research shows that moss can absorb up to four times more carbon dioxide than trees, making it a compact yet highly efficient carbon sink.

Unlike traditional plants, moss does not require soil to grow, allowing it to thrive on surfaces like rooftops, walls, and pavements—making it ideal for dense urban environments.

Beyond carbon capture, moss also cools its surroundings by retaining moisture and reducing surface temperatures, effectively acting as a natural air conditioner in cities. Despite its benefits, moss is frequently removed or ignored in landscaping and urban planning. As cities face increasing heat and climate challenges, preserving and integrating moss into green infrastructure could be a low-maintenance, high-impact solution.

27/06/2025

Help wildlife in hot weather! 🚨☀️

Please take care of yourselves in this warm weather, and lend a helping hand to wildlife too. Keep your watering stations topped up with water, and let some of your garden grow wild to provide shade for the animals 👇

19/06/2025

Dear friends,

Around this time of year we usually get messages from concerned people about the pond and its drying up with people being especially worried about the effect on the frogs 🐸

What you might not realise is that the pond is a natural rain filled pond. It is normal for it to dry out at certain times of year, and then when it rains, it is restored and the cycle continues.

The frogs and froglets have already left the pond and can be found living in the damp compost heaps and under logs and stones in the shaded areas of the garden. They are fine.

Of course, there will be some losses, but that is natural. The frogs only need water to breed. The rest of the time they live in damp shady spots.

In addition, filling the pond with tap water would detrimentally alter the balance of nutrients in the pond so we don't do that.

Please rest assured that the volunteers keep a close eye on this.

18/03/2025

Really important advice here. Please don't move spawn between ponds. You may unwittingly spread disease. Nature will always find a way! 🐸

As tempting as it might be to move spawn from one place to another, such as your own garden pond, this can have a really negative impact on amphibian populations.

Human intervention is a major cause of the spread of amphibian diseases such as red leg or the chytrid fungus.

Never move spawn or animals from one site to another, and always disinfect tools and clothing (wellies, gloves, etc) if you are visiting multiple ponds.

If frogs and toads haven’t naturally colonised your pond within a couple of years, look at making amphibian-friendly improvements, such as creating better access (like gaps in fences and pond ramps!), or adding more native pond plants.

Remember: it’s best to let nature take it’s course.

12/03/2025

We have frogspawn! Our frogs have emerged after their winter hibernation and have been very busy!

12/03/2025

We had some fallen bird boxes, inside were last year's nests. Now safely rehung ready for this year's brood!🐣

Address

90 Benhill Road
London
SE57QU

Website

http://www.facebook.com/benhillroadnaturegarden

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