Newton Farm Ecology Park is a small area of wood and grassland lying between Alexandra Avenue and Rayner’s Lane in the south of the borough. Although small it contains a wide variety of habitats including wet and dry grassy meadows, woodland, steams and a pond. The wooded areas contain many varieties of apple as well as ash, birch, cherry, dogwood, field maple, hawthorn, hornbeam, oak, black and white poplars and rowan
In very early spring (February onward) a hedge of blackthorn along the northern edge of the wet meadow bears attractive white blossom on bare branches. Later the small plums called sloes form. These are very bitter but are often steeped in gin to flavour the spirit.
