Around Ealing Spring 2014 | Page 17

Part of the new play area gardening and was even a member of the ‘Committee of Taste’, an exclusive group which advised on fashionable recipes of the day. Many of these recipes were based on produce found within the park and were often served at the Manor house dining table. Along with new pathways, repaired brickwork and re-cultivated soil, the restoration work in the walled kitchen garden included replanting many heritage varieties of fruit and vegetables. The new garden will be maintained under the guidance of the park manager by horticulture students, volunteers and community groups. friendly building also houses a cafe, public toilet facilities, as well as a courtyard, a room for volunteers, an office and storage space. The building features a clever system that collects and reuses rainwater in the toilets, as well as a flat roof that has been planted with sedum and wild flowers to provide a habitat for bees and other insects. WALPOLE PARK WHAT IS NEXT? Most areas of the park will reopen in the summer, but a few small areas will remain closed-off for a little longer to make sure the new grass and plants have the chance to grow and establish. In autumn, once this year’s Ealing Summer Festivals have concluded, the southern grassed areas of the wider parkland will be renovated and over-seeded. The project has been made possible thanks to a £2.4million Parks for People grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, as well as £2.7million from Ealing Cou