Restoring Fulham Cemetery's historic crabapple tree avenues

Fulham Cemetery Friends would like to restore Fulham Cemetery's historic ornamental fruit tree avenues which are at risk of disappearance.

Fulham Cemetery was created in 1865 on an area of fertile farmland known as Fulham Fields and "the garden of London". Perhaps in homage to the area's history, the gardeners who transformed the cemetery after the Second World War into a "garden of rest" lined the paths with ornamental fruit trees: cherries, crabapples, plums, and medlars. For over 70 years they have covered the paths in blossoms every springtime, beloved by generations of local residents.

Sadly, today they are disappearing. There were originally over 40 crabapple trees lining the southern paths, of which only 6 remain. Only a single medlar tree remains.

Today: a picture of decline

Of more than 40 trees, only 7 remain today, approaching the end of their natural lives. We estimate all will be gone by 2030. Without succession planting, the legacy of the visionary gardeners who created Fulham Cemetery's blossoming avenues, will end.

2020 – Two European crabapples in blossom.

2024 – One has fallen. 2025 – Both trees are gone today.

2020 – European crabapple broken. The one opposite fell the same year.

2025 – One of the last 2 remaining European crabapples, leaning dangerously.

A legacy from the 1700s to the 1950s

The cemetery is part of the Crabtree Conservation Area. The crabapple tree gave its name to many features in the neighbourhood, including the Crabtree Inn, Crabtree Wharf, Crabtree Lane, the Crabtree Farm and Crabtree cottages, along the Thames just to the west of the cemetery. The Crabtree Inn is described in Féret's Fulham Old and New (1900, Volume 3, pages 84-93), and has been known by that name since at least 1763. The Crabtree remains a popular riverside pub to this day. Crabtree Farm was the last of Fulham Meadows' farms to close, in 1912.

In Old and New London: Volume 6, (1878) Edward Walford writes in 'Fulham: Introduction':

Continuing our course westward a short distance farther, we come to a house known as the "Crab Tree," which has long been familiar to all Thames oarsmen, amateurs and professionals alike. The crab is the indigenous apple-tree of this country, and its abundance in this neighbourhood formerly gave its name to the adjoining part of the parish.

Aerial photo taken on 23 July 1966, with the crabapples highlighted. © HES • Licenced for non-commercial use on the web.

1966 aerial photo

During the 1950s the cemetery was transformed into a 'garden of rest', with most headstones removed or grassed over. A programme of ornamental tree planting transformed the cemetery into a park, with flowering avenues of Japanese cherries, crabapples, and medlars.

At least 40 crabapples and 8 medlars were planted along 3 paths in the cemetery's south. They were planted in pairs on opposite sides of the path, making them look like a single tree in the photo.

Of these, only 6 crabapples and 1 medlar survive today.

Crabapple trees

Malus sylvestris / Malus halliana / Malus toringo / Malus floribunda

3 blossom examples: European crabapple, Hall crabapple, Scarlet crabapple

Also called the European wild apple, the scientific name Malus sylvestris means "forest apple". They were long thought to be the progenitor of the cultivated apple, but this has been shown to be primarily from the central Asian species. While not edible off the tree, crabapples are edible when cooked and rich in pectin, so are often made into jellies.

The south path, south central path, and south eastern path were lined with crabapple trees, of 3 different species. At least 40 were planted at the same time as the Japanese cherries in the 1950s, although most have been lost over the past 20 years and only 6 trees remain.

The largest are the 3 along the south central path. They appear to be Malus halliana, Hall crabapple, an East Asian species. Native to China, they were introduced to Japan in the Edo period (1603-1868). Their pink-tinged white blossoms create a beautiful display in spring, and in late summer their tiny fruit turn dark red. In autumn their leaves create an orange carpet on the ground.

The 2 crabapples along the south path are Malus sylvestris, the European crabapple (with slightly larger blossom and fruit), the only remnants of an avenue of 12.

Along the south eastern path, a single scarlet crabapple remains. A pink-flowering, dark-leaved cultivar of Malus toringo / sieboldii, commonly called Siebold's crab, after the German botanist and physician Philipp Franz von Siebold. At least 8 of these showy trees lined this path, interspersed with at least 5 medlar trees, of which only one remains.

North of the chapel grew a beautiful lone Japanese crabapple, Malus floribunda, a bright beacon in spring with white blossoms forming from crimson buds. It sadly blew down in 2024.

Find out more:

Medlar tree

Mespilus germanica

The fruit of this tree has been cultivated since Roman times, but are a novelty in this day and age. Very popular in the Victorian period and before, being referred to in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

There were at least 5 medlar trees along the south path and southeast path (best seen in the 1992 photo). Only 1 tree remains today. Like the other flowering trees, they were planted in the 1950s.

Medlars can get quite old, but remain fairly small trees. There are not many medlar trees in London! Medlar fruit

Find out more:

Benefits of crabapple and medlar trees

The European crabapple, Malus sylvestris, is a native species, which blossoms and fruits abundantly.

The medlar, Mespilus germanica, has been cultivated in Britain since Roman times and is mentioned in Shakespeare.

Biodiversity

Usually grown for their fruit or blossoms, It is often overlooked just how valuable fruit trees can be in supporting biodiversity. In an increasingly urbanised society, these trees help establish green corridors for wildlife, offer vital habitats for pollinators, and contribute to the overall ecological health of local environments. By understanding their role and by planting, tending, and maintaining fruit trees responsibly, gardeners can cultivate spaces that serve both their own needs and the greater natural world.

Pollinator partnerships

One of the most important roles that fruit trees play in a biodiverse setting is their relationship with pollinators. By providing abundant pollen and nectar, flowering fruit trees help sustain populations of bees, hoverflies, bumblebees, butterflies, and moths.

Early spring blossoms of fruiting varieties often coincide with the emergence of bees, offering them a much-needed energy source after winter. The synergy between fruit trees and pollinators is a foundational relationship that underpins the success of many garden ecosystems.

Creating habitats

Beyond pollination, one of the most striking advantages of fruit trees lies in the microhabitats they establish. The bark, canopy, and root systems of these trees can host a range of organisms, from lichen and mosses that cling to trunks, to beetles, birds, and bats that may nest or feed in the canopy. When fallen leaves accumulate at the base, they form a layer of organic matter that fosters decomposers such as worms, woodlice, and fungi. These organisms contribute to soil fertility, thereby ensuring that the trees remain healthy and continue to sustain wildlife in a never-ending cycle.

Birds often find fruit trees particularly attractive because of their structure and resources. The branches can serve as nesting sites, while flowers and fruit attract insects that in turn feed the birds. Later in the season, fallen or ripened fruit provides an additional food source. Tits, thrushes, finches, and other avian species may all become regular visitors.

Small mammals like hedgehogs may also be drawn to fruit trees if hedges or other forms of cover are nearby, offering them a safe route of travel. Hedges and ground covers create transitional habitats, enabling wildlife to move from one shelter to another without venturing into exposed areas. This concept of connectivity is crucial for sustaining populations of many creatures, especially in landscapes that have been fragmented by roads and buildings. A well-planned orchard or park can function as both a source of food and a stepping stone for wildlife, forging continuity in otherwise broken habitats.

A first step: 16 new trees

This Google Map shows 22 potential locations for planting the new trees (blue markers). Red markers show the remaining original trees.

We are currently seeking funds to plant 16 new trees along the original avenues. We have identified 22 potential locations, and have received approval from the site owner, Hammersmith & Fulham Council, for the following species:

8 x Malus sylvestris (native European crabapple)
2 x Malus halliana
2 x Malus toringo ‘Scarlet’
2 x Malus floribunda
2 x Mespilus germanica (medlar)

Heritage and public outreach

Part of the 1746 John Rocque map showing Fulham Field

John Rocque's London 10 Miles Round Map (1746)

Heritage

Fulham Cemetery was created in 1865 on an area of fertile farmland known as Fulham Fields. The native crabapple tree, which grew here in abundance, gave its name to many local features and the Crabtree Conservation Area, in which the cemetery is located.

Perhaps in homage to the area's history, the gardeners who transformed the cemetery after WW2 into a "garden of rest" chose ornamental fruit trees to line the paths, including at least 40 crabapples. This has been a familiar feature of the cemetery for generations of local residents. We wish to honour this legacy and continue it for the benefit of future generations, linking the cemetery's present with Fulham's past.

Public outreach and education

Since our formation, Fulham Cemetery Friends have strived to increase public knowledge and appreciation for the cemetery's history and biodiversity.

We regularly publish articles on our website, including notable graves and tree highlights, as well as downloadable history and nature trails and activities. We also do so via social media. We have affixed identification labels to 18 trees so far and are planning more. We have regular guided public walks, covering both the cemetery's history and its trees and landscape.

Restoring the historic crabapple tree avenues will be a compelling conservation story in the years ahead, when talking to people about the history of Fulham and the cemetery.