Chair’s Welcome
I am delighted as Chair of the Friends to welcome you to our website. Bushy Park and Home Park are two wonderful large green oases in the south west corner of London. Feeling wild, they are natural places with ancient histories, fascinating heritage and superb wildlife. Both are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) containing rare species. These are places to be enjoyed and conserved. Which is why the Friends exist, campaigning, supporting and protecting the parks, and enhancing visitors’ enjoyment with information, advice and guidance.
We are always pleased to receive feedback. You can contact us by clicking here.
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News archive
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Joint statement from The Royal Parks and The Royal Parks Foundation
Date posted: Sunday 1st November 2015
The Royal Parks and the charity The Royal Parks Foundation have agreed they should become a new single organisation to fundraise for and manage the capital’s eight Royal Parks.
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Autumn Fruits
Date posted: Wednesday 7th October 2015
This is the season of autumn fruits – conkers, chestnuts, fungi and so on. Fungi are also part of the ecosystem; beetles, flies and fungus gnats all lay eggs in fungi; squirrels, deer, slugs and snails all eat fungi. Conkers and chestnuts form an essential part of the deer’s diet, without which they would not be able to build up fat reserves needed for the cold winter months.
Removal of autumn fruits and seeds is illegal and detrimental to the Park’s wildlife. If you see someone picking fungi, please call 101 the non-emergency police number and report the theft.
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Deer Rut
Date posted: Wednesday 7th October 2015
The deer rut is now near its height and is a spectacular sight. Please note the following advice from TRPs.
Deer are wild animals and can be unpredictable. Bushy Park’s herds of wild deer roaming freely. Deer can feel threatened by people and dogs even over long distances. This is particularly during the rutting which starts in September and continues through October.
We recommend keeping at least 50m from deer and give them the respect they need during the rut.
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Changes to Gardens Charging in 2016
Date posted: Friday 2nd October 2015
In 2016, Historic Royal Palaces will open the Magic Garden at Hampton Court Palace. Following the introduction of this exciting addition to the offer for visitors at Hampton Court, there will be some adjustments to ticketing for the palace gardens.
From Easter 2016: visitors will be able to purchase a Magic Garden/Maze only ticket, and a Palace/Gardens ticket, which will also include the Magic Garden and Maze. There will no longer be a separate gardens ticket.
From Winter 2016: visitors will be asked to show a valid ticket or membership card in order to access the Formal Gardens on the East and South Fronts, a policy which is already in operation for the summer months. Access to the gardens will be with a Palace/Garden ticket via the palace’s main West Front entrance.
Half of the formal gardens will remain free to access, including the Wilderness, the newly restored Kitchen Garden, and the Rose Garden. In addition to this, Home Park, which comprises of 750 acres of historic deer park, will continue to be free to enjoy.
All-year-round pedestrian access to Home Park will continue to be maintained via Ditton Gate, Kingston Gate, Paddock Gate and Surbiton Passage Gate. For the first time, access to the park via Jubilee Gate will also be maintained all year round.
See more at: Changes to Gardens Charging in 2016
For FAQs about garden charging, click here
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Experience Richmond Park by Shire horse-drawn carriage this Halloween!
Date posted: Thursday 24th September 2015
Halloween Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
Experience Richmond Park this Halloween by horse-drawn carriage!
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Friends of Bushy Park Calendar 2016
Date posted: Sunday 20th September 2015
FBHP Calendar 2016
The FBHP Calendar 2016 is now available
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Bushy House open - Sat 19 September
Date posted: Saturday 12th September 2015
Bushy House and gardens will be open (10.00am – 5.00pm) as part of “Open House London 2015”
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Deer Rut
Date posted: Thursday 10th September 2015
A reminder that deer can feel threatened by people and dogs even over long distances and particularly close to.
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Vote for your favourite park!
Date posted: Thursday 10th September 2015
The Green Flag Awards has launched its People’s Choice 2015. This competition aims to encourage members of the public to vote for their favourite Green Flag area from over 1,500 green spaces across the UK.
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Hampton Wick Festival
Date posted: Wednesday 5th August 2015
A lively contingent from the volunteers represented the Friends in the parade at the Hampton Wick Festival on Sunday 2nd August which took place in the High Street.
Why we need more Friends
With more members our voice is stronger when we campaign to protect the Parks, and with more subscription income we can do more to provide information and education about the Parks, their wildlife and their history.
Join us today!
News archive
Walks & Talks
Forthcoming event
Talk by Ian Jones-Healy “Dr John Langdon Down and the history of Normansfield“.
Latest report
We had a very interesting talk last Thursday on bees by Kate Canning, who highlighted the problem of the Asian Hornet.
Full report...Information Point
The Information Point next to the Pheasantry Welcome Centre café is where our volunteers help visitors find out more about the parks and where visitors can purchase souvenirs of your visit to support our work.
Click this panel to visit our Information Point section and also to find out how you can get involved as a volunteer.