Grounds Maintenance
Our grounds maintenance programme has been developed in consultation with Surrey Wildlife Trust and with local ecologists.
Our grounds maintenance programme has been modified in recent years to reflect the better understanding of the local ecology and in recognition of the importance of conserving plants on the site which are rare, unusual or have conservation status.
This programme may vary slightly from year to year dependant upon weather conditions and growth rates of vegetation but essentially the wider open cemetery areas where burials have taken place are cut between one and three times a year.
Clippings are collected at the time of cutting as this is an important part of maintaining the low soil fertility which is a contributing factor to the unique vegetation mix at Brookwood Cemetery.
Areas cut once a year
- Plot 134 on the North Cemetery adjacent to Long Avenue
- Plots 106 -117 on the North Cemetery adjacent to Eastern Avenue
- Plots 70-90 on the South Cemetery
- Plots 55, 56 and 57 on the South Cemetery
All of these plots, which are in the more remote and less frequently visited parts of the cemetery receive one cut a year in either July or August, which also tends to be the best time for controlling bracken, an invasive species which is prevalent on most of these plots.
Areas cut twice a year
- Plots 100, 103, 105, 119 and plots 123 to 126 on the North Cemetery
- Wooded areas of the Glades of Remembrance on the South Cemetery including North Walk andareas adjacent to Birch Glade and Pine Glade
- Plots 12 to 54 on the South Cemetery; this includes plots alongside St George’s and St Chad’sAvenue (The Ring) and St Philip’s Avenue
- Plots 19 to 47 on the South Cemetery include some of the most important areas ecologically.
Areas cut three times a year
- Plots 118,128,130,131 and plots M1-M4 on the North Cemetery adjacent to Pine Avenue
- Plots 2-11 adjacent to St Cyprian’s Avenue and plots 76 and 85 adjacent to St Andrew’s Avenue on the South Cemetery
- Plots 42 and 43 (part of Woking Ground) on the South Cemetery
- Verges along St Marks Avenue, The Woodland Burial Area and Brookwood Hospital Plot on the South Cemetery.
All of these plots are in prominent locations or are within some of the most visited parts of the cemetery with burials still taking place. The aim is to cut these plots in Spring, early Summer and then early in the Autumn. Monitoring of growth of Devil’s Bit Scabious on plots 2-11 is carried out to ensure the summer cut is carried out early enough to avoid the flowering period.
Ornamental Lawns
Ornamental lawns within the cemetery can be found around Glades House, around the pond, at the main entrances, community mausoleums and plot 121 near Brookwood Railway Station. In order to maintain a high quality appearance these lawns are cut fortnightly during the growing season.
Meadow Areas
There are a number of open meadows within the Cemetery which are classified as neutral grassland and which form an important part of the overall diversity of the site. These are cut once or twice a year; in early Spring and Autumn in order to maintain this diversity.
Controlling bracken
Bracken is an invasive species prevalent across many of our plots. Bracken tends to smother more ecologically important plants and makes access to graves difficult.
Over time, the aim is to reduce its presence in frequently visited areas of the cemetery and increase the cover of more valuable species such as heather.
However, bracken provides important habitat for reptiles and deer, so it is essential to retain some plants, particularly within and adjacent to wooded parts of the site.
