Havering Parks & Open Spaces

🌼 Meadows in Bloom at Havering Country Park

While Havering Country Park is best known for its ancient woodland and avenue of Wellingtonias, the park’s meadows are currently putting on a lovely early summer floral display.

Colourful wildflowers including Vetches, Bird’s-foot Trefoil and Agrimony are brightening the grassland areas, supported by the variety of grass species including Crested Dogs Tail, Sweet Vernal Grass and more. These meadows provide important habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.

This balanced management, allowing areas to grow longer while maintaining open grassland, helps support biodiversity across the park.

🌸 Vibrant Flowerbeds at Raphael Park
The flowerbeds at Raphael Park are looking beautiful at the start of summer, with a wonderful display of colour.

Visitors can currently enjoy bright pink rock roses attracting busy bumblebees, striking red and yellow red-hot pokers (Kniphofia), and fragrant lavender. These colourful beds create an attractive welcome as you walk through this popular Green Flag Award winning park.

Our maintenance teams work hard to maintain these displays that providing nectar and pollen sources for pollinators while enhancing the park’s natural beauty.

🌼 Conservation Grasslands at Harold Wood Park
The conservation grassland areas at Harold Wood Park are developing well this spring.

These specially managed meadows are being allowed to grow longer, encouraging a rich variety of wildflowers to establish. While the areas are not yet in full bloom, bright yellow buttercups and white Cow Parsley are already appearing and we expect the meadows to be full of colour in the coming weeks.

The taller vegetation provides important habitat and food sources for insects, bees, butterflies and birds. You can clearly see the contrast with the regularly mown areas — this balanced approach supports biodiversity while keeping the park enjoyable for everyone.

These conservation areas form an important part of our long-term commitment to protecting and enhancing biodiversity across Havering’s parks.

🌳 Lowe Wood at Lawns Park is thriving following the completion of planting in 2025.

Planting was funded by Defra’s Coronation Living Heritage Fund to celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. The Project was delivered in partnership with the Thames Chase Trust and Friends of the Earth.

This woodland is already establishing well and providing valuable new habitat. Today the woodland compartments were alive with activity, full of starlings and house sparrows flitting through the young trees.

Lowe Wood forms part of the wider green corridor connecting Lawns Park with other local parks and open spaces. It’s a wonderful addition to Havering’s natural landscape and will continue to mature and support local wildlife for years to come.
Why not take a walk through Lawns Park and see the new planting for yourself?

🌿 English Bluebells in Bloom – Havering Country Park

We are pleased to share that the native English bluebells are currently flowering beautifully across the woodlands of Havering Country Park.

This seasonal display creates a striking carpet of colour and is one of the highlights of spring in our parks.

To help protect these delicate wildflowers, please remain on the designated paths and refrain from picking or trampling them.
Thank you for helping us preserve Havering’s natural heritage.

ADVANCE NOTICE - Upminster Hall Playing Fields

Maintenance works on Upminster Hall Playing Fields car park are taking place between Monday 30th March and Thursday 2nd of April. During this time, it will be necessary to close the car park from 8pm Sunday 29th March.

ADVANCED NOTICE - HACTON PARKWAY
Our colleagues in the Highways Department have informed us that due to resurfacing works Hacton Lane, from Derby Avenue to Little Gaynes Lane, will be closed to traffic between 09:30 and 15:00 on the 12 March. This will mean there is no access to the Hacton Parkway car park, If you park here earlier that morning please ensure your car is removed by 09.30.