Islington is a dense inner-north London borough whose Georgian and Victorian squares, rooftop gardens and canal-side planting support one of the most active urban beekeeping communities in the capital. The lime trees of Barnsbury and Canonbury squares, the Regent's Canal towpath willows and the Victorian churchyard ivy all contribute to a season that runs from the ornamental cherries of March into the November ivy on the borough's endless brick boundary walls.
Islington collectors handle swarms in the square-garden planes and limes of Canonbury and Barnsbury, on rooftop hive perches in converted warehouse buildings near Angel and Hoxton, in Victorian chimney pots across the borough's dense Georgian terraces, and along the Regent's Canal towpath between Islington Tunnel and Broadway Market.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
SE1 7JU· approx. 5 km
Visit websiteN6 4JU· approx. 6 km
Visit websiteN14 5BH· approx. 11 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
The capital opens early on crocus in the parks, then builds on blackthorn, cherry plum and Japanese cherry through March and April. The defining London flow is lime — avenues of common, small-leaved and silver lime line central streets from Regents Park to Bermondsey, producing the distinctively pale, mineral London honey of June. Bramble and rosebay willowherb fill brownfield sites and railway embankments, and a huge secondary ivy flow carries hives deep into autumn on Victorian cemeteries and garden boundaries.
More on beekeeping in Greater LondonReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
