April 2016

THEKensingtonMAGAZINE

WILDLIFE IN KENSINGTON

ISSN 2058-2226

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Hidden Kensington: Foxes in Kensington 6Parakeets in the Park: 8Flamingos on the Roof Gardens : 10Kensington News: 12/13, 18/19Editor’s Review: The Gore Hotel, 190 Queensgate 14Landscape and Horticulture: Flowering Waves 20Kensington Crossword: 22Wines from Australia: 24Get Well Spoon: Bulletproof Coffee Tiramisu 25Science Bites: Wildlife in Kensington 26What’s On in and around Kensington in April: 28/29

Lucy Elliott, Editor (Hair by Toby of Hairspace)

CONTENTS

PUBLISHER: The Kensington Magazine Ltd EdITOR & PHOTOGRAPHy: Lucy M Elliott editor@thekensingtonmagazine.com

Jenny davis-Peccoud, Sarah Goldsmith, Aletta Richie, Victoria O Neil, Maria Perry, Charles yorke, Benedict Bull, dr Alex Anderson, dave Saunders, Trevor Langley and Brenda Newman

WEBSITE: www.thekensingtonmagazine.com | www.lucyelliottphotography.com

Read by 34,500 residents and businesses each month. The magazine is also available at WholeFoods, Sainsbury’s Local, RBKC Library, Waitrose, Waterstones, Virgin, Marks & Spencers, St Mary Abbots, St George’s Church, The Royal Garden Hotel, The Milestone Hotel, Peter Jones in Sloane Square and many other smaller outlets in W8.

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Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor the editor, not its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. All artwork is accepted on the strict condition that permission has been given for us in this publication. The Kensington Magazine Ltd does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, without prior permission of The Kensington Magazine Ltd.

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Front Cover: ‘Red Fox’ (Image source: www.guardianwolf.wikia.com)

t: KensingtonMag

Kensington is a rather unlikely place to find wildlife, but wildlife we did - in all sorts of unexpected places. Jenny examines the lives of foxes in Kensington; Maria goes in search of parakeets in Kensington Gardens and Sarah goes up high to find flamingos on the Roof Gardens. A couple of years ago a resident sent in a photograph of two geese waltzing up Kensington Church St. and St Mary Abbots Church currently has a rather large tabby cat parading with grandeur, through the Ressurection Chapel during services. Did you know bats can be found on Dell Bridge in Hyde Park and also close to the Serpentine Bridge.

This month saw an important planning decision being made. We would like to congratulate RBKC Planning Committee Members for overturning the planning application to turn Newcombe House on the corner of Kensington Church St and Notting Hill Gate with a new tower nearly 55% taller in its place, i.e. 72m as opposed to existing tower of 46.5m. Of the 883 people who signed an on-line petition against this development, a high number of them expressed concern with the height and architecture.

Lucy

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Foxes started moving into cities in the 1930s. Today there are about 33,000 urban foxes in Britain, 10,000 of them in London.

The urban fox looks for gardens, parks and scrubland where they dig dens under sheds or in dense vegetation. The territory for a typical urban fox can include up to 80 city gardens. Life is typically short for the urban fox; 80% of city cubs never reach 2 years old.

People generally complain about three things with regard to foxes:

Complaint No 1: They make a mess of the rubbish. This is certainly true. Foxes eat birds, worms, small mammals, insects and fruit. In cities, though, discarded food can make up more than half a fox's daily diet. Foxes aren't the only ones ripping open your rubbish bags; cats and dogs (far more numerous) are more often the perpetrator.

Complaint No 2: They make a lot of noise. True, again, especially during mating season when their carnal screams wake up the neighbourhood. This usually lasts for three to four weeks starting in January. Young cubs also screech and chatter at play.

Complaint No 3: They attack our moggies. This is (mostly) false. A typical fox territory can be occupied by up to 100 cats, where the animals usually ignore each other. A 3-year study of vet records shows that only 14 in 10,000 cats suffered fox injuries, whereas 541 in 10,000 came in with cat bites and scratches.

Kensington has a few funny fox stories. Peter Frost, a journalist who worked at the Soviet News Agency in Kensington during the Cold War, recounts one. He invited one Russian journalist for an early excursion. Arriving at the Russian Embassy at 6:30am, Peter was told by the man's wife that Andrei was "hunting little foxes in Kensington Gardens". Andrei returned shortly, exclaiming, "What's wrong with you English?

Your Royal Parks are full of delicious edible mushrooms including the best tasting of all, what we Russians call 'Little Foxes', yet no one gets out to pick them."

In 2002 at the height of the hunting ban debate, the Finnish ambassador sheltered a family of foxes in his garden, saying "This is Finnish territory and these are Finnish foxes so nobody in a red coat or hounds is allowed on my premises." His foxes would steal tennis balls from the neighbouring Russian embassy, though this didn't escalate tensions between the missions.

Kensington Palace resident Princess Margaret revealed she "unashamedly hates" foxes for eating her prized bantam hens. She said, "I sometimes see them sitting on the drive, and I shout, "tally ho!" very loudly. But they pay me no attention." Lucky for us, as in my own view our neighbourhood is only enhanced by these red reminders of life's wilder side.

Foxes in KensingtonNothing says “wildlife” more than the sight of a fox. But when that fox is spied

trotting down the street or snoozing on top of a car? Kensington resident Jenny Davis-Peccoud explores the facts and fictions of foxes.

Red Fox seen in Holland Park (Image by kind courtesy: Mike Martyn-Johns)

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When the Editor decreed 'Wildlife in Kensington' as the theme for this month's magazine, myillustrator and I decided to focus on foxes. He had recently seen through his window a fox strolling on top of a parapet. I, Cheshire-born and with a Quorn Hunt Aunt, also hold strong, politically-incorrect views on the subject. Charles instantly drew a beautiful fox, while I hastened to inform Lucy of our choice. Jenny, alas, beat us to it by eight minutes. So, dear Reader, you are spared! We decided instead on Parakeets, but only to find these vociferous little creatures excite huge controversy among ornithologists.

I first heard of them in the early seventies. Hugh de Wett, the sculptor in Kensington Church Street told me a pair had escaped and were breeding in Holland Park. Hugh died in 1975 and since then Parakeets, once considered exotic, have been officially declared a British breed, having lived more than twenty years in these islands. Professionals in the Bird World argue fiercely about who let the first pair out of a cage. In 2014 The Daily Telegraph claimed Jimmie Hendrix was the culprit. Eight years earlier the same newspaper had lyrically defended the species, when one of its Assistant Editors announced '20,000 parakeets have taken up residence in the U.K.' She had seen a flock 'rise like a green mist against the incongruous

backdrop of the Royal Naval College' and reported that scientists were worried about the effect 'the interlopers' might have on the native species, while fruit-farmers complained they were 'gobbling up the berries.'

From time to time there are suggestions that a cull should be made, but The Telegraph pointedout that there is something 'essentially cheering about the sight of the emerald-feathered, red-beaked creatures.' If a bird in a cage symboliseded oppression and doom, argued the writer, what was the symbolism of a bird that had 'fled its captors and thrived?' Thriving they certainly are in W8. Overwhelmed by the data on the internet, we took a walk to see for ourselves. The native species are doing fine, thank you. Ducks, swans and moor-hens sailing about the Round Pond. Geese swooping across the sky and Little Owls snug in their nests. Nice well-behaved British birds. But the Parakeets hold an afternoon conference in the trees. They are vociferous. My theory is they are scrutinising the Kensingtonians, invading their territory!

A lone Australian Black Swan survives. Anyone who wants to know about his love life can consult the kensingtongardensandhydeparkbirds.blog@co.uk Birds however have rights under British law. If I knew swan language, I'd advise him to complain about invasion of privacy!

Parakeets in the ParkBy Maria Perry and illustration by Charles Yorke

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Flamingos on the Kensington Roof GardensBy Sarah Goldsmith

There are several wildlife oases in Kensington where you can sit secluded and watch species in their natural habitat. Many a birdwatcher can be found in Kensington Gardens or Holland Park both of which offers several wooded areas and quiet spots. Even the St. Mary Abbot Church gardens offer a respite from the heavily traveled High Street. But perhaps the most unusual urban oasis in Kensington with its own wildlife “refuge” is the Kensington Roof Gardens, home to four flamingos: Bill, Ben, Splosh and Pecks. The Roof Gardens are open to the public and found on the roof of the old Derry and Toms department store on the corner of High Street Kensington and Derry Street, with the entrance on Derry Street.

The flamingos make their home in the English woodland garden of the Roof Gardens. Bill and Ben are the two original flamingos, bought in 1978 by The Roof Gardens’s predecessor Regine’s, a restaurant and nightclub. The Roof Gardens themselves date back to the 1930’s, and were landscaped by Ralph Hancock, who also landscaped the roof gardens at Rockefeller Center in New York.

The Gardens were laid out, and remain to this day, to include three distinct gardens: a Spanish one, a Tudor-style one and an English woodlands. After Derry and Toms, Biba moved in until 1975, which was then replaced by Regine’s. Sir Richard Branson bought Regine’s in 1981, renaming it The Roof Gardens, and the flamingos and the Gardens remained. In 2008, Splosh and Pecks joined Bill and Ben to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of The Gardens.

Bill, Ben, Spolsh and Pecks are all Greater Flamingos and came from a certified breeder based in Germany, though the breed is originally found in Africa, the Middle East, and India. Head Gardener Pilar Medrano-Dell is responsible for their day-to-day care, while they also receive regular visits from the vet as well as Paul Rose, a Zoo Biologist from Exeter University. The flamingos have a varied diet sourced from the Roof Gardens pond, consisting mostly of larva,

small insects and algae, while also being fed a dry food mixture with a composition similar to that found in foods from their natural environment.

The flamingos seem quite content on the roof, and no escapes have been recorded. They have been pinioned inline with EU and Zoo standards so they cannot fly, which also ensures their safety. With at least one foot firmly on The Roof, they have all they need in the habitat created in the Gardens.

With special thanks to The Roof Gardens and Head Gardener Pilar Medrano-Dell for taking the time to answer my questions.

Bill, Ben, Splosh and Pecks, the Greater Flamingos residing at the Roof Gardens

(Image by kind courtesy The Roof Gardens)

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Kensington News I

New Businesses in the area

Romulo Cafe is rather a misnoma since it is actually a restaurant showcasing Philipino food inspired from a fusion of American, Spanish and Asian culture. There are three Romulo Cafe’s in the Philipines (consistently voted by food critics as the best food in Manila) but this is the first international ‘outpost’. In charge is Rowena Romulo, the third-generation of restauranteurs (although originally a banker in London). The restaurant operates a licence to midnight and the meals prepared are mostly taken from traditional recipes handed down through the family. The restaurant extends downstairs for either cosy dining or private party for up to 20. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner served. Sure to be a favorite, especially amongst our Filipino residents. 343 Kensington High Street, 020 3141 6390 www.romulocafe.co.uk

Brand new restaurant, Raj of Kensington, brings the best of Indian regional cuisine to Abingdon Road. The menu features a range of clay oven delicacies, chef specialities and classic Indian accompaniments, highlighting favourites from many different regions of India with a nod to the days of the British Raj. The restaurant also offers a great drinks selection, specialising in creative cocktails featuring Indian-inspired gins.Raj of Kensington is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, and takeaway is available.For more information and reservations, visit www.rajofkensington.co.uk or call 020 7937 6182.

In addition to Romulo Cafe and Raj of Kensington is Chakra which has just opened at 33c Holland St. Chakra provides Indian food in an intimate dining room complete with leather walls and Regency styled furniture. 020 7229 2115 www.chakralondon.com On Kensington Church St. with a beautiful traditional bow fronted is Kensington Coffee - selling delicious gluton free cakes and arabic coffee.

If you are looking for a Spring glow, The Tanning Shop at 4 Campden Hill Road has undergone a refurbishment and now provides five different

types of sun tan machines, with discounts on offer for a variety of packages. The machines available are the V600, Magasun 6900, Matrix, Sun Angel and Versa Pro. For more information please visit or call 020 7 938 1932

Based in the heart of South Kensington, Gazelli House is a beautiful environment dedicated to health and happiness. Split over three floors, the House is a place for specialist skin and body treatments and one-to-one consultations with intuitive and highly skilled practitioners. Or you can simply relax with a cup of tea and a book. Gazelli House helps guests make positive, long-term changes in a way that fit into their life: tiny tweaks to emotional and physical wellbeing that feel “...at once natural and powerful”. Gazelli House, 174 Walton Street, SW3 2JL

La Cremerie Gabriel is a new online cheese shop based in Chelsea. Gabriel previously worked as Head Chef in a restaurant in central London, but his family have a history of cheese based in Dijon (Burgundy) and where Gabriel opened Le Palais Du Fromage. After working in London’s finest Deli’s, last year he decided to open La Cremerie with its exclusive range of 38 different cheeses. Gabriel only buys the best for his clients, thus personally ensuring the standard is very high. For more information please contact Gabriel on 07952 966535 or email lacremeriegabriel.gmail.com

Healthy & Delicious is a new local business creating fresh, authentic Italian dishes, delivered to your door. It’s all gluten and vegetarian free so perfect for everyone to enjoy together, whatever the occasion: whether it’s dinner for two, a family lunch for eight, a party for two hundred or you’re looking to sell gluten-free dishes in your store, Healthy & Delicious can help. They have a wide range of delicate canapés, hearty pasta dishes and beautiful desserts. Visit www.healthyandelicious.co.uk for full details on our menu and services, and let them do the rest.

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General News

The 20 winning images in this year’s Wellcome Image Awards are now on display at the Science Museum. This inspiring collection of images captures the breathtaking beauty of scientific discovery and features the best in contemporary science image-making. The winning images include pathways of nerve fibres in the brain, delicate golden scales on a Madagascan sunset moth, and a digitally reconstructed skeleton showing advances in stroke treatment.

The Ivy Kensington Brasserie International Women’s Day & Terrace Launch Party saw a host of female business and social leaders gather together to celebrate International Women’s Day and the launch of The Ivy Kensington Brasserie’s new terrace. Situated in the heart of Kensington, The Ivy Kensington Brasserie revealed its hidden terrace for the very first time to an intimate group of guests, including Amber Le Bon, Sarah Ann Macklin and Martha Fiennes. The terrace features a retractable roof, perfect for those summer months, a beautiful array of plants and foliage and access to the restaurant’s all-day dining and cocktail menus. Useful to know is that both the Restaurant and The terrace hold back tables for ‘walk-in’s. 96 Kensington High Street. www.theivykensingtonbrasserie.com

As part of the celebrations for Her Majesty, The Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebrations, The Online Book Company based in Cornwall are inviting readers of The Kensington Magazine to write their own message of congratulations to the Queen, via www.thequeensbirthdaybook.com The website is very comprehensive and easy to complete. Those who have already written messages include Dame Vera Lyn, Alan Titmarsh, Jenny Bond, Simon Pegg and Ian Botham. A perfect opportunity to extend your birthday wishes to one of the best monarchs in British History!

Local resident Nina Parker inspired readers with her homage to the food of St Tropez, and now she has set her sights on the spectacular coastline

of Capri. After university, Nina joined the team at L’Anima, London as a commis chef and fell in love with their style of pastry and cooking using fresh Italian ingredients with a rustic touch. In her new cookbook ‘Nina: Capri’ she draws on this passion for Italian cuisine presenting over 100 original recipes. With many gluten-free and dairy-free options, Nina offers a lighter, healthier approach in her cooking.

HRH The Duchess of Cornwall returned to Queen’s Gate School in February to celebrate their 125th Anniversary and officially open the new Science Laboratories. The Duchess took part in experiments and met girls taking part in the BBC Radio 2 500 Words competition. The Duchess remarked ‘I can’t believe Queen’s Gate has been going for 125 years, it feels like 125 years ago that I was here…’ The Duchess of Cornwall is not the only notable alumnae of Queen’s Gate, with Vanessa and Lynn Redgrave, Tilda Swinton, Lulu Guinness, Nigella Lawson and Kelly Hoppen all on the list of Old Girls.

Balans Soho Society on Kensington High Street has re-opened after a refurbishment, ready to welcome the local community. A café, restaurant, bar and definitely a place where rules are made to be broken – Balans Soho Society is the place to indulge and escape the mundane everyday. Enjoy breakfast, long weekend brunches, lunch and dinner from the seasonally-changing menu, shining a light on the best local produce from the likes of Ginger Pig and H. Forman & Sons, whilst sipping on morale-boosting cocktails with added panache daily, from classics like the Elderflower Collins through to fresh, young-spirited sups such as the Slap on the Rum.

Charity/Residents’ Groups/Societies’ News

To mark the Six Nations and to celebrate the wonderful game of Rugby, drinkers visiting South Kensington pub The Duke of Clarence in March had their pints poured by ex-England rugby star, Lee Mears, before he answered their questions in a relaxed Q&A. Mears’ appearance was part of Young’s and Geronimo pubs’ partnership with

Kensington News II

cont page 18

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Top: The Restaurant at The Gore Hotel, 190 Queensgate Below: Bar 190

(Image by kind courtesy Starhotels Collezione)

Editor’s Review: The Gore Hotel & RestaurantBy Lucy Elliott

The Gore and its sister hotel, The Pelham are part of Starhotels Collezione Italian brand. At 190 Queensgate, The Gore is an elegant four-storey Georgian townhouse providing 50 bedrooms and offering private rooms for a variety of functions.

The interior is traditional with original paintings, Victorian flagstones and tiles and stained glass windows. All the bedrooms are individually furnished with period pictures, antique furniture and ornate feature beds. Varying in size, The Tudor Room is the largest suite complete with 15th Century Minstrel’s Gallery, high oak beamed ceiling, wooden panelling, large oak four poster bed, candelabra, Portland stone fireplace, and even an original copper and brass shower surround.

The Bar area, known as ‘Bar 190’ is very cosy, complete with a roaring fire and is famed for hosting numerous celebrities including the Rolling Stones who celebrated their first gold disk here. Food is served in Bar 190, but if you prefer a less intimate environment, the Dining Room is larger and has just been refurbished in rich colours. 190 Queens Gate offers modern British cuisine with up-and coming chef Kim Sjobakk. The dining room overlooks Queensgate it has a central chandelier, gold gilt mirrors and provides hotel or non-residents with breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner. Worth noting is that children are able to select dishes from the Children’s Menu.

Although the menu is small with five choices for each starter and main course it does provide options for carnivores, fish eaters and vegetarians alike. Truffle and oil accompanies quite a few dishes: the roasted scallops with tiny heads of cauliflower and truffle was delicious as was the in-house cured salmon with salsa verde, apple and raddish salad. For the main courses we can recommend The Roasted Atlantic Cod with broccoli, watercress and parsley marsh and particularly the roast salt marsh cannon of lamb with baby beets, confit potatoe olives and shallot puree.

The Gore has a good selection of private rooms which would suit either anything from a formal business meeting, cocktail party to a wedding reception. The hotel is also licenced for civil ceremonies.

Due to its aesthetic charm, combining 19th Century elegance with 21st facilities, it provides the perfect backdrop for filming (television, drama, commercials, interviews, events or photoshoot locations (by arrangement only).

For reservations please call 020 7584 6601The Gore Hotel, 190 Queen’s Gate

London SW7 5EXreservations@thegore@storehotels.com

www.gorehotel.com

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A British classic is back.

A recently restyled 190 Queen’s Gate returns the frisson that made dining at The Gore an unmissable experience. Chef Kim Sjobakk and his team have created a modern,

eclectic British menu with a strong base in the seasons and an accent on fresh, local produce.

For reservations please call 020 7584 6601

The Gore Hotel190 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5EXreservations.thegore@starhotels.com

www.gorehotel.com

LONDON

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At the ORANGERYHolland Park

Kensington High Street London W8

Admission FreeSaturday 16th April 1.00pm - 12.30pm

24th April 10.30pm - 6.00pmIn Association with the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea

Car Park Entrance: Abbotsbury Road, W14Charity No: 281 348 Illustration By

Mao Wen Biao

The AnnualArt 2016Exhibition

The Friends of Holland Park

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Wooden Spoon (the children’s charity of rugby) to host a series of events to fundraise during the 2016 Six Nations competition. www.youngs.co.uk www.woodenspoon.org.uk

kcwc (formerly the Kensington & Chelsea Women’s Club) is an organisation of international and British women who enjoy everything London has to offer. Established for over 30 years and with hundreds of members from over 40 countries, kcwc is an activity based Club where members can attend events organised by fellow members who follow their passion and use their skills to organise over 30 activities including history, art/design, day trips, sports, languages, hobbies, book clubs, etc. Evening activities include theatre, music/opera appreciation, lifestyling, book club, dining out and wine society. Members receive regular informative newsletters and attend General Meetings with prestigious speakers. The monthly Happy Hours and Coffee Mornings are a good way to meet like-minded women in W8. To join visit www.kcwc.org.uk or email potential@kcwc.org.uk

Joan Pollock, long-time Kensington resident, hosts the launch of ‘Saving Spiti’ a documentary film at the Royal Geographical Society on 12th April in aid of Spiti Projects, the charity she founded, to improve the living conditions of the Tibetan people of Spiti Valley in the Himalayas. Producer BAFTA winner Hugh Purcell, and photographer Zena Merton, highlight some of the charity’s considerable achievements. Tickets £20, under-sixteen £10. Contact Suraya at Indus Experiences 020-8901 7320 Email: Suraya@indusexperiences.co.uk. www.indusexperiences.co.uk Doors open 6pm. Film commences at 7pm. www.spiti.org. There will also be an exhibition of photographs by Joan in the Pavilion at the RGS.

For over thirty years The Friends of Holland Park have held an art exhibition in the Orangery every spring. This tradition was begun by Sir Hugh Casson, when he was president of the Friends, and has become one of the most anticipated events in the Holland Park calendar. As well as the traditional exhibition of paintings, sculptures,

cards and craft items, each year the FHP feature work of one of their artists. This year’s Feature Artist is Mao Wen Biao, creator of the wonderful mural along the arcade facing the Dahlia garden.The exhibition will take place in The Orangery, Holland Park on Saturday 16th April 1-6pm and Sunday 17th–Sunday 24th April 10.30am -6pm. Admission is free

On Sunday 12 June 12.30 - 15.30 there will be a Tea for the Queen event at the Town Hall Kensington to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th birthday. The event, (conceived by Victoria Borwick, MP for Kensington & Chelsea), is being organised by a group of volunteers in conjunction with the voluntary organisation Youth Organisations in Uniform (YOU), who runs Cadet groups for the under 18s including Air Cadets, Volunteer Police Cadets and the Girls Brigade which benefit tens of thousands of London’s young people. This is a voluntary community event relying on many willing hands and support, - as such the organisers are hoping to find: 1. willing volunteers2. donations for the event 3. local shops to donate food and tea4. assistance with older guests to get them to and from Kensington Town Hall – possibly volunteer drivers. If you are able to help in any way, or require further information please contact Zara Ghods on 0207 352 1336 or email kensingtonandchelseaforum@hotmail.co.uk

In July The Royal Parks will be hosting its very first Horticulture Show when Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park (BST Hyde Park). Working with partners AEG Live, The Royal Parks Guild and The Royal Parks Foundation they are calling for entries from budding horticulturalists, bakers, jam makers and photographers. The aim of the horticulture show is to build relationships, share knowledge and increase understanding of the work that takes place in The Royal Parks, reaching out to a wide and diverse audience. It is an opportunity for the ‘One Team’ of The Royal Parks to illustrate horticulture techniques and provides a chance to share your baking and jam making skills,

Kensington News III

19

Kensington News IV

photograph your best spots in the parks and show how good you are at gardening. Entries now open for the inaugural Horticulture Show! Closing date Thursday 21st April 2016 The categories are: flowers, vegetables, fruit, children’s mini gardens, photography, baking, preserves, potted house plant. To receive entry forms, please email Edcomeng@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk

The long awaited move to Kensington by the Design Museum takes place later this year on 24th November. Following the $120 million pound project, led by designer John Pawson to transform the landmark building of the former Commonwealth Institute, the first exhibition from the museum’s Chief Curator, Justin McGuirk, is Fear and Love: Reactions to a Complex World. Featuring a series of newly commissioned installations, Fear and Love is an insight into our hopes and doubts about the pace and impact of change. The flagship Designs of the Year Show will return for its ninth outing. Sir Terence Conran said at the launch: “If you forced me to pick the single most rewarding achievement in my long design career then I would not hesitate to say founding the Design Museum in London. It was a hugely important moment for design in the UK at the time and for me personally. Since 1989 the museum has always led the way and been the first to show some of the work and inspirations of many of the most important designers and architects on the planet. Today, we are about to move from Shad Thames to new, bigger premises in Kensington, where all our dreams and ambitions to create the best and most important design museum in the world will become a step closer to reality. It will make my long lifetime in design absolutely worthwhile.”

Dave Walker of Kensington & Chelsea Library’s Local Studies Department gave an excellent tour to members of The Kensington Society of the archives in the basement of the library. A little known fact is that during the war the basement was used as an air raid shelter. In addition to books and periodicals, the library also has an extensive collection of artwork (watercolours and oils), of some note, housed in the basement. It

was interesting to see publications from as early as the 1600s - one being the Earls’ Court Manor Roll comprising information from 1554-1856 (“with gaps”) and the St Mary Abbots Manor Roll from 1575 - 1932, together with early bound copies of the Kensington News Magazine! (Not to be confused with this title). A fascinating evening.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Holly Smith, founder and editor of Garden Square News which has just celebrated its 20th anniversary. Holly, a newspaper journalist whose flat overlooks two Kensington communal garden squares, recognised the need for imparting useful information and news to other garden residents. The result is a twice-yearly publication containing information on a wide range of subjects, including bee keeping, neighbourhood disputes and fox control. It has received civic service awards from both the Mayor of London and the Mayor of Kensington & Chelsea. The magazine covers Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster. Its website www.gardensquarenews.com also contains links to other garden squares’ websites and to service providers. Copies dating back to 1996 can be found in bound volumes in the Local Studies Department at the Library in Hornton St.

Pupils from Royal Borough schools recorded the second best GCSE results in the Capital and were ranked 11th nationally according to figures released by the Department for Education in January. The figures show that 67 per cent of pupils in Kensington and Chelsea schools achieved five or more GCSEs at Grades A* to C (including English and mathematics), well above the national average of 54 per cent and also above the inner London average of 60 per cent. Cllr Emma Will, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “Once again the borough’s GCSE results are amongst the best in the country. This is the result of a lot of hard work by pupils and their teachers and reflects very positively on the high quality of education on offer in our schools.”

Kensington News IV

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Horticulture and LandscapeFlowering Waves: Prunus cerasifera and Narcissus jonquilla

By Benedict Bull

The Prunus cerasifera and Narcissus jonquilla are both out at the same time, the black cherry plum of Southern Europe and Western Asia and especially in the Balkans, and the rush daffodil of the Mediterranean basin.

The pink flowers of the cherry and the bright yellow of the jonquil - I do not recall seeing them out together at their height at the beginning of the third week in March before. In fact the two of these colours side by side is very surprising.

The wonderful lightness and pervasive quality of the tree's pinkness draws the eye as it adorns and alights many gardens and squares in the borough.These is a great line on Shirland Road and Warlock Road near Chippenham Road in W10 in the recently revamped public garden there.

The richness and brightness of the jonquil yellow is remarkable however in its studded intensity not is its pervasiveness, it is more like a star inthe firmament than a cloud on the sky and it is this quality of flowering that I am looking at today, as the theme is wildlife and wild flowering and I am making two observations that I think are helpful.

Both plants are naturalised here and that means they are hardy and can propagate themselves. This is good if the plants provide flowers for insects at dearth times of the year. And early flowerers in March are good for bees and other insects and so are flowerers in June.

I am informed by my friend Mark a wonderful gardener that the insect population and the bee population in London in particular is growing so much now that there is a shortage of flowering plants for them in June especially.

So in line with this information straight from the bee keeper's mouths, I am urging you please to address this is you can by planting some June flowering plants in your gardens.

The bee populations in particular are struggling in this era and our city gardens are proving an important habitat. And like not feeding birds nuts when they have fledglings is correct and kind, so providing flowering plants for bees and other insects in June is most helpful and not at all harmful. Such is the nature of our understanding now and the role of our garden habitats that more informed actions and a wider responsibility in line with our understanding is required if we are to really help our wildlife here.

For more information on bees and wildflowers please email ben@smartlandscapes.com and in the meantime, some good starter lists can befound in the following links:

www.bbka.org.uk/learn/gardening_for_beeswww.lbka.org.uk/pollinator_friendly_plants.htmlwww.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/goulsonlab/resources/flowers

Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’ (Image source: www.rhs.org.uk)

Narcissus jonquilla (Image source: www.rhs.org.uk)

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The Kensington CrosswordCompiled by Dave Saunders

Across1) Lady Iris ________, actress and model born in Kensington Palace in 1920 (11)2) _____ Mews, thoroughfare between Holland St and Phillimore Walk, W8 (7)3) Ben de ___, fashion designers at Elizabeth St, SW1 (4)4) _____ Woolf, theorist, author and publisher born in Kensington in 1880 (7)5) Francis _____, cricketer and WW2 soldier, born in Kensington in 1897 (7)6) Shoe outlet at 13 Kensington Church St (3)7) ______ College London, public research university in Kensington; founded 1907 (8)8) Lebanese restaurant at 23 Kensington Church St (5)9) Colin _____, director of the Royal College of Music (6)

Down

1) Upright MRI centre at 114a Cromwell Road (9)7) ___ Blatchford, current director of the Science Museum (3)10) ___ of India, restaurant at 154 Old Brompton Road (4)11) Dave ____, Irish comedian who died in Kensington in 2005 (5)12) Frederick _____, soldier and pioneer of airborne operations, born in Kensington in 1896 (8)13) ___ Capital Partners, legal firm at 5 Young Street, W8 (4)14) My ___ Dutch, pancake eatery at 16 Kensington Church St (3)15) Kensington ____, salon at 44A Kensington Church St (5)16) Hugh _______, Labour party politician born in Kensington in 1906 (9)

Pit your wits against our Kensington-centric crossword. Answers on Page 29

23

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Australia has several climates, due to the size of the country. Located in the Southern Hemisphere, Australia’s seasons are the reverse of ours. The north of Australia has a tropical climate and the temperate south of the country has warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. A very diverse landscape is found in Australia, with beautiful beaches, very busy cities and coral reefs. Several superb grape varieties are grown in the wine areas and wonderful wines can be located, from Australia, which has more than 60 wine regions. With crisp, fresh, elegant and rich, plus sparkling and sweet wines, I found many excellent ranges, from really great wineries. There are wonderful qualities in the wines from Australia, with some of the wineries having several generations of families working in the trade, for many years.

The Leeuwin Estate, situated in the Margaret River region of the South West of Western Australia, has an outstanding vineyard, producing superb quality grapes, and winery. Their Art Series, Chardonnay, has been hailed as Australia’s finest example, and the Prelude Vineyards Chardonnay is another superb production from Leeuwin Estate, which has large plantings of vines. The cool climate, gravel soils, knowledge and expertise, all coming to fruition in really remarkable wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc are further varietals used to produce a really wonderful range of wines from an outstanding company. www.leeuwinestate.com.au

De Bortoli Wines, established in 1928, has a philosophy that ‘great wine begins in the vineyard and sustainable vineyard practices will deliver exceptional fruit quality, as well as real environmental benefits’. De Bortoli has something for everyone and every occasion. Superb Chardonnays, Shiraz, Merlots and Moscato, can be found amongst their range, plus the renowned Botrytis Semillon, Noble One. The sites and seasons showing through in their productions of some very appealing styles of wines. www.debortoli.com.au

Yalumba, founded in 1849, is reputed to be Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, and also has a commitment to quality. Producing full-bodied reds, superb whites and dessert wines, that most definitely will not disappoint, from varietals such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Viognier and Cabernet Sauvignon, to name just some, this company has an environmental management plan which looks ahead ensuring a sustainable business. www.yalumba.com

Australian wines are widely available, with many excellent wineries exporting from Australia to the UK and worldwide. I found the regional wine styles very interesting and some of the wineries’ stories, fascinating. www.wineaustralia.com

Wine ReviewWines from Australia

By Trevor Langley

Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family-owned winery (Images: www.yalumba.com)

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From the birds singing serenading us in the morning, to the squirrels roaming in Kensington Gardens, we are surrounded by wildlife. Our environment and climate are changing, so what impact is this having on the composition of species in the UK?

Last year researchers from the University of Reading and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology carried out the biggest analysis to date of British wildlife, and examined 4,424 species during the period from 1970 to 20091. This showed that groups involved in pollination, and natural pest control have shown declines of 16, and 27% of species, respectively. Groups affected include certain moths, birds and hedgehogs.

London is the most species diverse region of the UK according to the London Wildlife Trust, with more than more than 13,000 species, including 1,500 flowering plants, and 300 birds. Some of

these species can be observed in Kensington, where local surveys have shown that its parks are home to several species of mouse, field voles, red foxes, grey squirrels, muntjac deer, bats and brown rats. For visitors interested in seeing more species, The Natural History Museum’s wildlife garden is now open and home to more than 2,600 species of British flora and fauna.

1 doi:10.1038/ncomms10122

Science Bites: Wildlife in KensingtonBy Dr Alex Anderson

Old World Fruit Bat (Image: www.inaturalist.org)

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Whats On in and around W8 - I

ART OF THE GARDEN6 April for children aged 4+ 10.30 - Noon or 13.00 - 14.30 hrs at Chelsea Physic GardenCreate art and craft inspired by the Garden. See vampire plants, spiky cacti, tropical treasures, medicines, worms, tadpoles, birds, vegetables, seeds and ferns. Help will be on hand to develop artistic skills. Try printing painting, sketching and model and mobile making using natural and recycled materials. Please bring a shoe box with lid with you. For more information see www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk

ANARCHY IN THE UK: #PUNKLONDON atRICHARD YOUNG GALLERY11 April - 31 MayRichard Young Gallery is proud to present an exhibition of punk rock photography showcasing both famously classic and never-before-seen images selected from the archives, in celebration of ‘Punk.London - 40 Years of Subversive Culture.’ The exhibition will feature limited edition photographs in a wide range of sizes with prices starting at £60. 4 Holland Street W8 www.richardyounggallery.co.uk 020 7937 8991

SPITI, A HIMALAYAN STORY: AN EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHY 11 April - 6 May (Monday - Sat 10 - 5 pm) FreeJoan Pollock, acclaimed photographer, has captured the most intimate and illuminating photographs of the people and life in the Spiti Valley, India. Venue: The Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, SW7 2ARwww.spiti.org

THE INTERNATIONAL OPERA AWARDS & OPERA PRELUDE YOUNG SINGER’S MASTERCLASS LED BY DAME ANNE EVANS12 April 10.30 – 12.30 Tickets £30 payable in advance onlyDame Anne Evans will kindly lead this morning’s event with three emerging young singers. The Cadogan Hall 07908 894333, operaprelude@gmail.comwww.operaprelude.com

‘INSCAPE’ VIVIENNE WILLIAMS12 - 29 AprilWelsh Artist Vivienne Williams creates contemplative still lifes of texture & colour on layered paper. Venue: THACKERAY GALLERY Est 1968 020 7937 5883 @thackeraygallwww.thackeraygallery.com

ST JAMES’S PELICANS13 April 13.15 - 14.40 hrs in St James’s ParkOrganised by The Royal Parks, stroll through one of their oldest parks, uncovering the hidden history of some of London’s iconic locations including The Mall and Horse Guards Parade. End the tour just in time to see the resident pelican’s daily feed, followed by the chance to talk to the Royal Parks’ expert wildlife officer, keeper of the pelicans for over 35 years. Booking essential. Please call 020 7036 8040 or go to www.SupportTheRoyalParks.org/experiences

FOX TALBOT: DAWN OF THE PHOTOGRAPH at THE SCIENCE MUSEUM14 April - 11 September £8/£7/£6A significant London exhibition exploring the life and career of the ‘father’ of photography giving an opportunity to see some of the rarest objects of William Henry Fox Talbot’s work in photography for the first time. The exhibition is sited within its industrial and social context of the time and reveals Talbot’s remarkable experiments as the figurehead of a new and influential medium that changed the way people saw themselves and the world. Tickets and info 0333 241 4000 www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/foxtalbot

THE FRIENDS OF HOLLAND PARK ART EXHIBITION 201616-24 April, 10am-6pm FREE ENTRYAnnual exhibition of paintings, sculpture and craft items by The Friends of Holland ParkThe Orangery, Holland Parkwww.thefriendsofhollandpark.org

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO A VERY SPECIAL LADY - 90 TODAY!21 April - All dayOfficial Celebrations in May and June

What’s On in and around Kensington - I

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CHELSEA ART FAIR CELEBRATES ITS 21ST BIRTHDAY IN 2016 21 - 24 AprilThe Fair will take place at the Chelsea Old Town Hall and will be a celebration of mainly British or UK-based Modern and Contemporary artists. There will be about 40 leading art dealers exhibiting works from £500 to £50,000. The aim is to bring quality works of art, to the Kings Road and the boutique style Fair tends to show more three dimensional art than any other art fair in London. www.chelseartfair.org

BRUCKNER ORCHESTRA LINZ WITH MELVYN TAN & INGOLF WUNDER21 and 22 April 7:30pm from £18Pianist Melvyn Tan joins the Bruckner Orchestra Linz for a performance of Mozart’s popular Piano Concerto No. 23 on Thursday whilst Ingolf Wunder performs Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 on Friday. Venue: Cadogan Hall, off Sloane Square 020 7730 4500www.cadoganhall.com

NCT NEARLY NEW SALE23 April 10-12 NCT Members 10:15 - Midday Doors open to the public £2 donation at door The NCT Kensington & Chelsea Branch semi-annual Nearly New Sale. Items for sale include baby/children’s clothing, toys, books, maternity wear, baby and maternity equipment. The first 100 people though the door get a goody bag. Cash sales only. Venue: Westbourne Grove Church, W11 2RW. For info email rosiebain@hotmail.co.uk or see www.nct.org.uk/branches/kensington-chelsea/nearly-new-sales

SPRING OPEN MORNING: WYCHWOOD SCHOOL, OXFORD 23 April 10am – 1pmThinking of sending your child to a weekly boarding school close to London? Wychwood is a unique, friendly day and boarding school for girls aged 11-18, with excellent academic grades and outstanding pastoral care. Situated in the heart of Oxford and described by the Good Schools Guide 2014 as a ‘charming pint-sized powerhouse’, the school offers an exceptional education for pupils of all abilities through

its small class sizes which allow for extensive individual attention without intense pressure. The Open Morning gives you the chance to meet the Headmistress, see the school in action, join in with activities and talk to staff and girls. Interested? Please contact Nicola Jones on admissions@wychwoodschool.org or 01865 517103. 74 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6JR www.wychwoodschool.org

RUSSIAN VIRTUOSI OF EUROPE CONCERT 23 April 7.30 pm £15 Natalia Lomeiko violin, Yuri Zhislin violin & viola & Jan-Erik Gustafsson cello. To include Goldberg Variations. Venue: The Orangery, Holland Park. Tickets £15 including wine & light refreshments from Rhoddy Wood 020 7602 0304 or rhoddy.wood@virgin.net

SWING INTO SPRING at MAXIMSEvery Thursday in April Join them in the bar from 8pm and enjoy a fun and relaxing evening with live swing, rhythm and blues music. Featuring the Acoustik Duo, Jazz Dynamos and more. Kensington Magazine readers will receive a complimentary drink on arrival. Venue: Maxims Casino Club, 1a Palace Gate, W8 5LS www.maximsclub.com

Whats On in and around W8 - IWhat’s On in and around Kensington - II

Answers to the Crossword on Page 22

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