We start our tour of the Park from the side entrance on the corner of Boston Gardens and Boston Manor Road, next to the lake.
When is a pond a lake? If you know the answer, please contact us by emailing
info@fobm.org.uk or replying on our
Reply Form.
On most of the maps (historical and modern) this piece of water is marked as the 'lake' but we're not sure why. One FoBM member
believes it is related to the depth of the water but as no lake nor pond appears on one very early map of the area, it seems unlikely that the
lake is particularly deep.
We have now had one response to the above question from a reader in America, as follows: "The main difference between a lake and a pond is the size.
A lake is usually defined as a body of water large enough to have at least one wind-swept beach; ponds are not large enough for winds to blow across the water and create waves
to wash away the plants that may be trying to take root. A lake is too deep for rooted plants to grow except near the shore."
Our tour continues with the Nature Trail. Click on the image to continue with the nature trail tour, which will open in a
new window. Close that window when you have finished in order to resume your tour here.
On leaving the Nature Trail and canal, we return over the bridge to the lower meadow. This area provides a large, green space
which would be ideal for picnics, outdoor parties, games, jogging and many other pursuits.
As part of a programme of improvements, FOBM worked with CIP and a variety of local volunteers to plant a wild flower section in this lower meadow.
As the area was prone to flooding near to the canal, particular wetland flowers were chosen. More detailed information can be found regarding wildflower meadows
in the "Parks, People and Nature" report at http://www.london.gov.uk/gla/publications/environment/parks_people_and_nature.pdf.
The report features Boston Manor Park wildflower meadow and includes a photograph, on page 21, taken by one of our FOBM committee members, Don Bowie, showing the meadow
as it is now since the wild flower planting.
The park is often filled with runners and walkers - which leads us on to ....
The upper meadow is now home to
Spartans Youth Football Club who maintain and use the pitches for junior coaching and football matches on Saturday and Sunday morning during the
football season and on Wednesday nights when the light permits. Casual football matches may still be played here provided Spartans are allowed their allocated times
without interference and the pitches are not damaged by excessive use. There is a possibility that
this may also become the home for the fitness trail and perhaps the skate park, but... that is all very much in the future.
Our route now brings us to the
basketball court,
car park, shelter and water fountain ,
bowling green, tennis courts, and, finally,
the herbaceous border, all of which are described
elsewhere on this website. Visit each in more detail by clicking on the links, then return here. At the end of the herbaceous border we reach
the gate to the secret garden.
Past the
potting sheds and flower beds, we reach the back lawn and the magnificent cedar of lebanon,
last recorded on The Tree Register as measuring 8.83 m around the multi-stemmed base, making it the largest of this type in
Greater London. The tree possibly dates back to the early 1700s.
We complete our tour now with a view of Boston Manor House from the back lawn, close to the picnic tables and adjacent to the lake.
Please click on the image for more information about the House.