Plants & Invertebrates in Fulham Cemetery

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Plants and insects form the foundation of a healthy ecosystem, which faces significant challenges in urban settings. Noticing these often-overlooked creatures is the first step toward caring for our natural world.

🌼 New: 4 insect boxes have been installed in December 2024! Photo gallery

Bulbs

Spring flowering bulbs are an important source of food for pollinators like bumblebees in early spring.

Year 5 schoolchildren from St John's Walham Green planting bluebells and snowdrops in Oct 2024.

Photos: Francois Jordaan and Kelly Henderson

Bluebells

Lots along the lime avenue, running south from the principal avenue. Also some along the avenue to Munster Road, and on many graves around the cemetery.

Chionodoxa

Also called glory-of-the-snow. One patch north of the cemetery, along Fulham Palace Road.

🌼 New snowdrops and bluebells: 150 snowdrops and 150 bluebell bulbs were planted by the Friends St John's Walham Green school along the south side of the Munster Road avenue in Oct 2024.

Crocus

One patch in the northeast of the cemetery, near the WWII war plot, another patch along the north border next to Lillie Rec, and a few other small patches.

Daffodils

Several small patches, to the north and south of the principal avenue, and on some graves.

🌼 New: The Friends planted 150 daffodil bulbs in winter 2024.

Wood anemone

🌼 New: The Friends will be planted 200 wood anemones in winter 2024.

Bees and bumblebees

Bee and insect box

In Britain we have around 270 species of bee and of them, 24 are species of bumblebee. Bumblebees are vitally important for pollinating hundreds of plant species, but they are under threat due to pressures such as development and climate change. Green spaces like the cemetery provide them with vital habitat.

Helping bees and bumblebees:

The council leaves areas unmowed over summer to increase plant species for insects.
Fulham Cemetery Friends are planting native spring flowering bulbs to provide more food for bumblebees early in the year.
In December 2024, Fulham Cemetery Friends installed 2 bee & insect boxes, thanks to the Veolia Sustainability Fund

Find out more:

How to identify bumblebees [London Wildlife Trust]

Butterflies, moths, and caterpillars

Butterfly and bee box

Recording the presence of butterflies in gardens, parks and greenspaces provides valuable information about their status and the health of the environment. Butterflies and moths are good indicators of environmental change and the quality of our countryside and urban landscape.

We had a sobering report from the 2024 Big Butterfly Count. Sadly, the count shows a marked and hugely concerning decline in butterfly numbers. This underscores the important of providing habitat.

Helping butterflies:

The council leaves areas unmowed over summer to provide habitat for butterflies and caterpillars.
The council does not use neonicotinoid pesticides. Please avoid their use in your own garden.
In December 2024, Fulham Cemetery Friends installed 2 butterfly boxes, thanks to the Veolia Sustainability Fund
The Friends are planning to participate in the Big Butterfly Count in 2025.
The Friends are planning an event for learning how to identify butterflies in 2025.
The Friends are planning a moth count event in 2025.