Cathcart Cemetery
Wildlife
At first glance, Cathcart Cemetery may seem like a place solely for remembrance. But step inside, and you’ll find it’s also very much a place for life; a sanctuary where nature and history coexist in quiet harmony.
By summer, the cemetery feels almost like a secret garden. Bees feed on the blossoming flowers, and butterflies make their way across sun-dappled clearings. The old paths, now overgrown with ivy, support pollinators and native plants.
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Autumn brings a shift in palette as the leaves turn. The hedgerows fill with berries that sustain local birds. Even as the days grow shorter, the cemetery remains alive with movement and sound of nature preparing itself for winter’s pause.
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(Pictured: Wild dog rose in bloom and a common carder bee)
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In the colder months, winter offers a different kind of beauty. Frost settles on the lichen-covered stones; snow may briefly cover the paths. The landscape becomes spare, skeletal. Even now, the evergreens provide shelter for birds.
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Urban cemeteries like Cathcart are increasingly recognised for their ecological value. Unlike manicured parks, these spaces often escape the pressures of overuse and development. They offer quiet, sheltered places where native plants thrive and wildlife can find refuge. Cathcart Cemetery is a rare blend of sacred ground, local heritage, and living landscape.
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(Pictured: A blackbird standing on a grave at Cathcart Cemetery)
At Friends of Cathcart Cemetery, we are committed to nurturing this balance. Our volunteer-led conservation efforts aim to support both cultural memory and environmental stewardship. We ask that all visitors help us by leaving no trace and staying on marked paths so the delicate ecosystems here can continue to flourish for generations to come.
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If you would like to get involved with nature conservation, we encourage you to help us build an identification record of cemetery wildlife through the iNaturalist app. We are always happy to receive your photos via email at cathcartcemeteryfriends@gmail.com. If you’d like to start volunteering yourself, please get in touch via our volunteer page!
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(Pictured: A bullfinch in a tree at Cathcart Cemetery)
As the seasons turn, the cemetery offers a living record not only of the people buried here but of the changing natural world. This peace vision of the Victorian Garden Cemetery continues today through a growing commitment to nature conservation and rewilding.
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Snowdrops are the first to pierce the cold soil, soon joined by primroses, bluebells and wild garlic. These delicate early bloomers flourish beneath mature trees. Birds return in force: listen for the high call of goldcrests or the busy flit of tits and robins near the woodland edges. Occasionally, you might get a glimpse of birds of prey, foxes or deer.
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(Pictured: Snowdrops in Cathcart Cemetery)
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