Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

Many of the trees at Petersham Lodge Wood date from the period of the former landscaped garden, and include perhaps the largest Oriental plane in Britain. The spring flooding of the wood has led to the development of a lush ground flora. This includes meadowsweet, meadow crane's-bill, cuckooflower, hemlock water-dropwort and goldilocks buttercup, the latter rare in London and usually associated with ancient woods.Wet woodland continues to the west of the nature reserve. Dominated by willows, it also contains other wetland plants, including marsh ragwort, pendulous sedge and wild angelica.To the west of the wood is a horse-grazed field. The northern end of this floods occasionally, allowing a diverse wetland vegetation to spread out into the field. Wetland plants include marsh ragwort, Indian balsam, hemlock water-dropwort and common fleabane.The meadow in front of Ham House is also periodically flooded. Among the wild flowers found here are meadow saxifrage and the nationally scarce yellow vetchling.

Facilities

Car parking. Ham House offers information (education room); toilets with baby changing; cafe. The London Thames cycle route passes through the site.