Bramley Gardens
Where is it?
Bramley Gardens is located in Northfields, adjacent to the Northfields Library and the Log Cabin Children’s Centre on Northfields Avenue.
Getting there
Bus: E3 and E2 (Northfields Avenue) bus stop outside the park entrance.
Tube: Northfields (Piccadilly line). Turn left out of the station and it is 50m down Northfields Avenue on the left.
Parking: There are two off-road disabled car parking spaces and a minibus drop-off space between the gardens and buildings. There is no public parking on site but there is free parking on the surrounding roads.
Bike/on foot: Step free access at main entrance on Northfields Avenue and another entrance can be found on Bramley Road. There are a row of bicycle stands to secure bikes on site.
Bramley Gardens is free to access 24 hours a day. There are no public rights of way over the site, but the council grants permissive access to the entire area.
Facilities
- Library and Log Cabin (both buildings are maintained independently of the parks service)
- Natural play area
- Seating
- Grass area
About the park
Bramley Gardens is a well visited, compact yet diverse site. The park was re-opened in 2012 following renovation and now features a central area of grass under-planted with seasonal bulbs, several landscaped formal beds with mature trees and a natural play area which compliments the facilities offered by the Cabin Children’s Centre. The wider site also benefits from an adjacent nature strip consisting of several habitats including scrub and mature trees, offering visitors a rare glimpse of wildlife in this highly urban area.
Brief history of site
The site was created on top of Victorian landfill, the date of which is subject to some speculation. The area surrounding Bramley Gardens was originally traditional orchards, hence the name of the site.
The previous Log Cabin was built around 1978 at which point it was the only building on the site. At this time many trees were planted, which were supplied by Kew Gardens.
Following the local elections in 2006 the three election members for the Northfields Ward created a vision for the site. At the time children’s services were seeking a location for a new centre and in 2011 consultation began for the regeneration of the whole site. The majority of the £2.25m funding was provided by children’s services, along with a SureStart grant and supplementary funding from the Northfields Ward Forum matched by the parks service. The new site and buildings were officially opened in June 2012.
Wildlife value
Areas of exposed soil on the south facing bank in the Gardens are perfect for certain insect species of solitary bees. The large trees bordering the site offer some scope for nesting boxes.
The adjacent nature strip, offers a selection of habitat for wildlife, including scrub and trees, which could be developed in terms of both aesthetic and biodiversity value.