Interesting features
Ruskin Park has been a Grade II listed park on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens since 1988.
Bandstand
The wooden bandstand in the centre of the park hosts events such as the summer fete and concerts. It was restored in 2006 with help from the Friends and Lambeth Council, and has had further repairs and repainting since.
Ornamental Pond and Wildlife Pond
The ornamental pond, with its small island, is an original park feature. Two ponds were created in 2010 to form a wetland habitat.
Community garden
A separate group runs the Ruskin Park Community Garden, which teaches vegetable growing and promotes urban gardening. Regular dig days are open to anyone, and the produce is shared among participants.
Lambeth’s Arboretum
The park has over 870 trees, including horse chestnuts, common ashes, limes and rarer species. A volunteer tree group promotes it as “Lambeth’s Arboretum”, and a tree trail helps visitors find the rare trees.
Portico
The Portico is the surviving part of 170 Denmark Hill, moved and turned to face the opposite direction when the house was demolished. It is separately Grade II listed and has recently been restored.
Stables
Hidden in the corner of the park at the Ferndene Road and Denmark Hill junction, the former estate stables have fallen into disrepair. Work continues to bring the building back into community use.
Labyrinth Garden (former Bowling Green)
Ruskin Bowling Club was formed in 1905, two years before the park opened. The green declined and closed, and was later planted with wildflowers. A labyrinth-themed garden, funded in 2010, is now maintained by volunteers with guidance from Urban Canopy.
Pergola
The pergola is part of the park’s original 1907 design by Lt-Col JJ Sexby. Brick pillars and wooden beams support climbing plants, including wisteria, roses, clematis, honeysuckle and Virginia creeper, which turns vivid in autumn.
Mendelssohn Sundial
The sundial commemorates the composer Felix Mendelssohn’s visit to relatives at Dane House, 168 Denmark Hill. After falling into disrepair, it was restored from 2021 with funding from the Heritage of London Trust and Lambeth Council, and moved to the Labyrinth Garden.
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