Southport Botanic Gardens

[FrazerHenderson]

When attending the Southport AGS show why not wander along to the Southport Botanic Gardens. They are only a 15 minute walk from the show hall and provide an ideal diversion for an hour or so whilst judging takes place. In fact with sunshine, an ice-cream, followed by a short mid morning siesta one hour can easily melt into two.

A bit of history...

The Southport Botanic Gardens and Museum Company was founded in 1874 by private individuals. With typical Victorian application they quickly raised £18,000 to create the gardens, construct a conservatory and a museum, and establish tea rooms. The gardens' lake was was formed by expanding Otter Pool. Within one year the gardens were opened with admission set at 4d. As one might imagine the gardens proved extremely popular with local and the many visitors who travelled to this upmarket resort. The gardens flourished right through until the hardships of the early 1930s when the company was made bankrupt and the extensive museum collection had to be sold to service debts. The gardens reopened in 1937 before briefly closing during the war. The gardens and musuem are now in the ownership of Sefton Council.

The Botanic Gardens Museum houses a number of fascinating collections:
- a pictorial history of Southport;
- a complete Victorian parlour showing how a well to do middle class family would have lived;
- a display of Victorian toys and object d'art;
- an excellent natural history room with a very fine collection of birds; and
- or those of a certain generation, memorabilia associated with Southport's own Dan Dare.

For more details of the museum see www.seftonarts.co.uk and its temporary exhibitions.

The gardens still contain a small aviary with various species of pheasants, parrakeets and parrots as well as two basic tea rooms and tacky gift shops.

Enough history...now the pictures

1. The imposing entrance
2. The gardener's cottage
3. Victorian poster
4. Painting

 

[FrazerHenderson]

The gardens are open 0800hrs to 30 minutes before dusk every day. The museum opens Tuesday - Sunday 1200-1600hrs. There is free admission to both facilities and free car parking is available. For those with SatNav the postcode is PR9 7NB.

Some garden pictures

[FrazerHenderson]

and more pictures

1. The gardens entrance
2. The gardener's cottage front door
3-5. Tulips and bedding..and tulips and bedding... and more tulips and bedding

[FrazerHenderson]

and the fernery

Sadly the ferns are unlabelled, though there are many common ferns there are also some that are genuinely interesting and must relate to the Victorian collecting boom.

1-3 fernery
4+ general

[FrazerHenderson]

and the beautiful nursery gates with wonderful wrought iron daffodilia

[FrazerHenderson]

an a final picture of how it would have looked at the turn of the century

I hope that I have at least given you an impression of the Botanic Gardens.

[Maggi Young]

What a great place.... and still with free entry.... which is even better.

Mind you, if the butterflies are THAT BIG, how big are the slugs and snails, I wonder..........

[Colin]

Thank you Frazer for your reports, of which this is but one,which i've noted are always informative and educational indeed like so many of those placed by forum members.