Are green spaces in Croydon getting wilder or being neglected?
Traditionally, municipal parks have featured neat, well-trimmed green lawns and carefully planned flowerbeds. Long grass and unplanned plants are considered by many to be signs of neglect. The photos above show a neat flowerbed at Waddon Ponds in March 2020 and wildflowers at South Norwood Lake in June 2026. I have recently seen posts in a group where people talk about memories of Croydon bemoaning the lack of flowers at Waddon Ponds, with the poster saying they won't go back there again. I was quite shocked as it's a peaceful oasis behind Purley Way and a great place to see waterbirds. I had barely noticed the loss of the ornamental flowers. A neat flowerbed in Park Hill Park, April 2020 In Croydon, the council has gone bust several times in the last six years, and spending on parks is minimal. Even before the pandemic, spending was being cut and much of the upkeep of parks was left to friends’ groups. Parks tend to get improvements where there is a specific grant, but otherw...