Two little gardens by the promenade
Following on from last week and the secret garden I found in London, this week I was ambling along on The Wirral Peninsula when I came across two public gardens tucked away behind the promenade at West Kirby.
The first green space is Coronation Gardens, a sprawling lawn that seemed popular with picnickers and a group that looked to be a children's party, playing summer sports and having a great time. A bistro stand in the middle surrounded by beds of towering foxgloves and iris, with pretty pots of geraniums leading up to the entrance. Lucky customers have a choice of looking out over the waters of West Kirby Marine Lake and the Welsh hills or the gardens in bloom and buzzing in laughter.
The garden was built in 1938 to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and was restored in 2003 after a period of neglect in the 70's. The gardens are certainly thriving today and host art events through the year. It's a great place to stop for a bite to eat after walking around the Marine Lake. 
Further along the promenade, past pretty coloured houses and so many benches - all very nostalgic looking, is a wall with a small gap and steps down into a well tended little paradise. Quieter than the previous, Victoria Gardens has a bowling green and some lovely planting schemes around its walls.
Sweet william (a white variety was used in Kate Middleton's wedding bouquet), Hebe (great for attracting butterflies), red valerian (originally a Mediterranean plant), Bellis perennis (literally everlasting prettiness) , sea campion (folklore says be wary of picking for it invites death), lavender (used as a plague antidote with bunches of it tied to people's wrists), roses (likely that they originally came from Persia) ....
So many benches! At the height of summer this must have been a very popular location, I wonder how much they are occupied these days?
Yellow senecio poking cheery yellow heads through the bench slats.
Both parks experienced the devastation of the 2013 storm surges, so it is great that both have friends groups that volunteer their own time to keep them looking so lovely.
Following on from last week and the secret garden I found in London, this week I was ambling along on The Wirral Peninsula when I came across two public gardens tucked away behind the promenade at West Kirby. 
The first green space is Coronation Gardens, a sprawling lawn that seemed popular with picnickers and a group that looked to be a children's party, playing summer sports and having a great time. A bistro stand in the middle surrounded by beds of towering foxgloves and iris, with pretty pots of geraniums leading up to the entrance. Lucky customers have a choice of looking out over the waters of West Kirby Marine Lake and the Welsh hills or the gardens in bloom and buzzing in laughter.
The garden was built in 1938 to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and was restored in 2003 after a period of neglect in the 70's. The gardens are certainly thriving today and host art events through the year. It's a great place to stop for a bite to eat after walking around the Marine Lake. 
Further along the promenade, past pretty coloured houses and so many benches - all very nostalgic looking, is a wall with a small gap and steps down into a well tended little paradise. Quieter than the previous, Victoria Gardens has a bowling green and some lovely planting schemes around its walls.
Sweet william (a white variety was used in Kate Middleton's wedding bouquet), Hebe (great for attracting butterflies), red valerian (originally a Mediterranean plant), Bellis perennis (literally everlasting prettiness) , sea campion (folklore says be wary of picking for it invites death), lavender (used as a plague antidote with bunches of it tied to people's wrists), roses (likely that they originally came from Persia) ....
So many benches! At the height of summer this must have been a very popular location, I wonder how much they are occupied these days?
Yellow senecio poking cheery yellow heads through the bench slats.
Both parks experienced the devastation of the 2013 storm surges, so it is great that both have friends groups that volunteer their own time to keep them looking so lovely.
6 comments:
Wonderful variety of plants. Is it all done by volunteers? Next village along from us has volunteers that have developed areas that were just scrubby. Made a huge difference to the village, so I know that the power of gardening volunteers can move mountains (not literally, although I wouldn't put it passed them!) #hdygg
Such prettiness, flowers really lifts an area up and makes it feel nicer to live in and visit doesn't it? Seeing as I have what looks like a chest infection at the moment and a lot of lavender in the garden I'll go and pick some off to tie to my wrists!
Pinky yellowy roses have to be the best colour combination ever (and slightly remind me of old skool rhubarb and custard boiled sweets).
Thanks for joining in again lovely x
What great public gardens to discover, the fact that volunteer groups make places like this look beautiful just for the love of it gives me such a great warm feeling. I also love the fact that however 'modern' we've all become, people still use these places in the same way they always have - picnics, parties and just sitting admiring the view :)
Oooh - sweet williams - I love those but it'd too late now to sow them. I must remember to sow them next year!
Wow- I'm impressed with your knowledge of the floral names! Great photos and a stroll around a pretty garden is a lovely way to spend a Summer's day.
Oh wow what some wonderful hidden gems - it is amazing these things you find. x
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