Park

When the three crows climb up the sides of the wind above the hill And are thrown back down by invisible hands Do they feel as though they ride On tricky slipstreams, dissolving sureness, or are they helped by coherent limbs? Why do you ask when you know? Maybe they...

As legend has it, the presence of an Alexander plant means that ancient Romans were once on that very spot. Now, maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration, but we do know that this edible plant and herb was brought over by the Romans and for centuries was common in...

All parts of the dandelion are edible and medicinal - from the leaves, to the flowers, to the roots! The plants have deeply-notched, toothy, spatula-like leaves that are shiny and hairless with hollow stems that are capped by bright yellow flowers - often difficult to...

In abundance in urban parks and gardens - Stoke Village included - plantain weed is often regarded as a garden pest; but did you know that it is not only edible but also extremely useful for medicinal purposes? In fact, plantain weed contains plant compounds that may...

Here you can spot Blockhouse’s elm-tree-flanked promenade. These young trees will likely grow to a height of approximately 30m and can live for up to 100 years. Elm leaves are round to oval, toothed with a rough, hairy surface. They have the characteristic...

This bug hotel was made by everyone who took part in the Stoke Saplings Forest Club, Summer 2022. We built this shelter to help look after all the wonderful bugs in Blockhouse and provide them with a safe home. Take a peek inside to see Blockhouse’s little beasts!

To your right is Blockhouse’s wild cherry tree grove. You can identify a cherry tree by the red dots that sit at the base of their leaves and the lines that run horizontally along their trunks. Can you spot these characteristics?  We believe these are wild cherries -...

Did you know that Blockhouse Park used to have allotments along its northwestern slope? In fact, walking among the cherry trees you can still see evidence of the plot terracing and remaining strawberry plants.  Continuing the tradition of growing fruits and vegetables...

Named after the month in which it blooms, Hawthorn blossoms are often the first to appear in spring, with a burst of white and/or pale pink blossoms in May. Hawthorns are distinguished by its brown-grey, knotted bark, with twigs that are slender and often covered in...

Blockhouse Park is host to over 30 species of grass (!!) and while the grassy patches of the park may appear unkempt or weedy at first glance, they are actually incredibly diverse and play a vital role in Blockhouse Park’s ecosystem. For example, the Canadian...

Meet Blockhouses’s beautiful Ash Tree! The ash tree is easily identified in winter by its distinctive black, knobly leaf buds arranged opposite each other at the tips of its branches. Can you spot them? Ash tree leaves will often move in the direction of the sunlight,...