Inspired by the Clerkenwell Pollinator Path starting in St John’s Garden and continuing north up St John’s Street and on into Northampton Square and Myddleton Square, the Friends Group is building the Angel Pollinator Path through Duncan Terrace & Colebrooke Row Gardens!
Increasing the number and range of plants will increase wildlife diversity and support pollinator species by providing them with nectar-rich food throughout the year, and suitable spaces for habitat; intending to provide a pollinator food plant every 100 meters so that pollinators can roam more widely and thrive!
What is already part of the Angel Pollinator Path?
Duncan Terrace Gardens & Colebrooke Row Gardens already have many, many pollinator-friendly plants, such as hollyhocks, roses, hebes, St John’s Wort, and even Alkanet, to name a few. A highlight in Duncan Terrace Gardens, are the wildflower meadows, created in partnership with Youngwilders: you can see the species list here.
What will happen in Autumn 2026?
Planting
Do you remember the lawn at your grandparents, which probably had many lovely small flowers in it?
Parts of the Colebrooke grass area are being enhanced to create a walkable carpet of hardy wildflowers, which we are naming the Medieval Meads. These will bring scent for us and a rich food source and habitat for pollinators. Around the back edges of the carpet, and in the borders, around the rocks and by the railings will be taller pollinator-friendly wildflowers, as well as flowering bulbs – to provide colour and add to the 365 Day Buffet for pollinating insects. This is an informal landscape and the emphasis has very much been on the use of native species. In general, all the species are perennials, or happily self-seed!
The lawns – Medieval Meads – will remain an open space for us all to use (although we ask you to be gentle and aware that we will water regularly while the new plants are establishing).
The walkable carpet includes Small-Leaved White Clover, Lady’s Bedstraw, Common Daisy, Lawn Camomile and Creeping Buttercup. The borders include Black Medic, Red Clover, and Common Knapweed. We have also added Grape Hyacinth (muscari), wild daffodils and Spring Crocus to other parts of the Gardens.
We will also be creating an Ivy Haven at the north end of Colebrooke Row Gardens, which will consist of a range of different species of ivy (much loved by pollinators) planted on new ivy posts and a new hibernaculum (a habitat made of logs).
Pollinator Habitat
As well as planting, we will be helping the pollinators to find spaces to live, which include reviewing our shrubs & trees, the addition of a bee bank, and also more insect and bee posts. Wildlife needs water, so we have added water baths and are considering micro-ponds to support them.
What will happen later?
This is an experiment! So we will be monitoring how successful we are with increasing the number of pollinators in the gardens. Depending on the results we may adjust the planting in the future.
In addition, we will seek to continue the Pollinator Path, both joining up with the Clerkenwell Pollinator Path – finding support for tree pits, identifying and enhancing other green spaces, and also planting further along the open banks of Colebrooke Row. All of it matters and you can add pollinator plants in your garden or on your balcony or wherever you have space for a pot plant!
If you would like to know more you can connect with the Community Group via https://duncanterraceandcolebrookerowgardens.com/ or @duncanterracegardens.
