Saturday, 12th September, 2026
Celebrating Cannizaro Park’s Unique Tree Heritage
Not many people know that Cannizaro is notable among London parks for its trees.
The quality and variety of this tree collection means Cannizaro Park can be considered an arboretum: a place where trees are cultivated for educational and ornamental purposes. Cannizaro Park holds over 1,200 individual trees from 300 different species. As well as native and much-loved trees like oak and beech, Cannizaro Park also holds a large number of unusual specimens, such as giant redwood and tulip trees. Moreover, Cannizaro’s ancient history as a parkland means there are several veteran trees which are hundreds of years old.
To celebrate Cannizaro Park’s unique tree heritage, the Friends is developing an exciting new project planned for the site of the fallen cedar tree. The proposed Cedar Space is intended to excite and engage park visitors about the wonders of trees and invite further exploration of the amazing trees within the park. Among encouraging early news, the project has received partial funding from Merton Council through the Legacy fund.
The Friends is thrilled to be working with three outstanding partners on this project:
- Neighbourhood Studio architects have a personal connection to Cannizaro Park, with a lead architect growing up nearby.
- Landscape architects Davies White live only a short distance away, in Kingston; they bring a wealth of expertise from landscapes developed for the National Trust and English Heritage, as well as a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) garden created with HRH the Princess of Wales.
- Strategic creative agency Agenda Design will be advising on interpretative materials and overall project messaging. They, too, have a pedigree of outstanding work, including work with the Eden Project and the RHS.
The Friends looks forward to sharing the plans as they develop in late summer 2026!
The Pond and the Bog Garden
Thanks to the Natural Flood Management Programme funded by the Environment Agency, works at the Pond and at the Bog Garden have been completed with the key natural flood management objective to slow and hold water. In the event of heavy rainfall, this means that water will travel less quickly downstream to the Beverley Brook, and thence to the Thames.
As a result of these measures and new planting across the whole bog garden, this watery area becomes an even greater attraction for wildlife. These might include insects such as dragonflies, amphibians such as toads and frogs, and smaller creatures which contribute to the aquatic food web by serving as food sources for birds.
As part of the Natural Flood Management programme, a swale cascade at the side of the main lawn and a series of basins beside the Italian Garden have been created.
Those areas have been identified as the ones which would benefit most from natural flood management measures together with appropriate planting for watery conditions and wildlife.
Support the Friends
We always welcome new members and volunteers to help The Friends of Cannizaro Park.
THE FRIENDS
The Friends of Cannizaro Park (FoCP) is a registered charity, working for the maintenance and improvement of the Park for the benefit of the community. We’re a small committee of trustees and many dedicated volunteers who give up their time to ensure that the park remains a jewel in Wimbledon’s crown, a haven for wildlife and an attraction for all its many visitors.
CANNIZARO PARK
Cannizaro Park is sited on prehistoric swamplands, which when they dried out, left the park with its gravel topsoil and acid subsoil. In the early 1700s, what became known as the Cannizaro estate extended out towards Kingston, covering a much larger area than the current 35 acres.
Projects
Jubilee Walk
Planned to coincide with the Platinum Jubilee year of HM Queen Elizabeth II, the existing cherry planting has been extended with new specimen trees to create an avenue of spring colour, underplanted with bulbs.
Hotel Flowering Border
In September 2023, The Friends took on redesigning and maintaining the long flower bed by Hotel du Vin, creating a vibrant, insect-friendly display through spring, summer, and autumn with drought-resistant, low-maintenance plants.
Valley Path
The Friends have been successful in applying for Civic Pride funds to facilitate the renovation of the Valley Path, including improved drainage and resurfacing to address accessibility and health and safety concerns in this area. This has been undertaken and will be completed in late Spring 2024.