Queen's Park is an absolute gem very close to the centre of Swindon. Aware that I had visited mainly to walk through, and look at the Secret Garden, I recently had a proper walk round, and discovered it's more extensive than one might think, so I thought I'd share the photos I took and look up a bit more about it. As a parish councillor, I know the maintenance and running of Queen's Park, along with GWR Park and Old Town Gardens has been taken over by South Swindon Parish Council.
This is what they say on their website:
'The Parish Council has a lease for the Town Gardens, Queens Park and GWR Park. Since becoming responsible for managing the parks we have undergone a program of investment to improve them.
In Queens Park we continue to make improvements to the Secret Garden, are in the process of establishing a VE/VJ Day War Memorial and we are looking into the redevelopment of the Queens Park Hothouse area'.There's a lot more about the history of this well loved park here, I have included the first paragraph from that reference, but there's a lot more information about the park if you click on the link:
'The disused claypit and Brick and Tile Works in Swindon New Town was identified as a possible site for a park, and the site was bought by the Borough shortly after World War 2. The Borough Architect, J Loring-Morgan and Parks Superintendent, Maurice J Williams were asked to make plans for the new park which was to include a Garden of Remembrance. The latter was opened on 15 November 1950 by Princess Elizabeth and commemorates those men and women who were killed in the Second World War. The rest of the park was formally opened on 30 May 1953 by Sir Noel Arkell.' There's also an entry about it from Historic England.
The park covers 5.5 hectares, and has been carefully constructed to make it seem bigger.
Last year it was entered for RHS's Britain and Bloom and proudly gained a silver pennant, sadly this year judges will not be coming round to assess gardens, but I think videos will be made with gardeners and residents talking about the park.
And so to the photographs which are always for me the best bit. Which one best depicts the park? I was conflicted here, should it be the formal welcoming bed, or the wonderful winding path drawing the visitor in from Drove Road? Although it was taken in dappled shade, I chose the bed with Toby Robson's great Queen's Park sign in the middle of it.
Displays along that path are splendid, I was lucky to visit when these flowers were at their peak
and further down, bear's breeches were also flowering their socks off.
Entrances are always important, and with this in mind, on the right hand side of the path in dappled shade, there are some geraniums giving a splash of colour.
From there I was drawn to the pond in front of the former Show House, a glasshouse designed in 1960-63 by J Loring-Morgan, now demolished and a challenge to replace.
The pond is covered in pond weed, making it look like a pale sort of grass. There's a sign warning parents not to let their children near it for that reason.
Above there's a lovely water feature feeding water into the pond which I can't find out anything about. Although the fountain in the lake was fixed last year.
This formal bed above is looking glorious, it's by the York Road entrance by the toilets which since Covid-19 have been reopened with an attendant who cleans them after every use.
The Hydrangeas are looking fabulous this year
This photo was taken looking left as I walked over the bridge to the other side of the lake, a stunning array of shades and shapes of greenery.
This part of the park is very natural and a surprise in the middle of Swindon.
Below looking at the back of the lake
Further along, the Canada geese had congregated
A close up of the geese below
The gorilla sculpture is well loved, and often needing repair.
The park also plays host to a huge number of bees which have colonised places like walkways people have used between paths. The holes they have made can just about be seen in the photo below, it's worth looking out for them when you are there.
And finally a photograph of the lake with a pair of swans and 6 cygnets swimming across.
With thanks to all those who make this park such a fabulous place, particularly the gardeners who work so hard to achieve this excellent standard in the park.
This is what they say on their website:
'The Parish Council has a lease for the Town Gardens, Queens Park and GWR Park. Since becoming responsible for managing the parks we have undergone a program of investment to improve them.
In Queens Park we continue to make improvements to the Secret Garden, are in the process of establishing a VE/VJ Day War Memorial and we are looking into the redevelopment of the Queens Park Hothouse area'.There's a lot more about the history of this well loved park here, I have included the first paragraph from that reference, but there's a lot more information about the park if you click on the link:
'The disused claypit and Brick and Tile Works in Swindon New Town was identified as a possible site for a park, and the site was bought by the Borough shortly after World War 2. The Borough Architect, J Loring-Morgan and Parks Superintendent, Maurice J Williams were asked to make plans for the new park which was to include a Garden of Remembrance. The latter was opened on 15 November 1950 by Princess Elizabeth and commemorates those men and women who were killed in the Second World War. The rest of the park was formally opened on 30 May 1953 by Sir Noel Arkell.' There's also an entry about it from Historic England.
The park covers 5.5 hectares, and has been carefully constructed to make it seem bigger.
Last year it was entered for RHS's Britain and Bloom and proudly gained a silver pennant, sadly this year judges will not be coming round to assess gardens, but I think videos will be made with gardeners and residents talking about the park.
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