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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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.

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.

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

Experience Richmond Park this Halloween by horse-drawn carriage!

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The FBHP Calendar 2016 is now available

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Bushy House and gardens will be open (10.00am – 5.00pm) as part of “Open House London 2015”

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A reminder that deer can feel threatened by people and dogs even over long distances and particularly close to.

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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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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.

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