GARDEN OF THE MONTH

Why not put your garden tools down for a moment (incidentally did you know Tesco sold garden tools, no neither did I), get yourself a cup a of tea and take some time to read the articles and features here about fellow gardeners and their gardens. Other people’s ideas and experiences are always a great help and here at Excuse the Weeds will hopefully give you lots of ideas with problems and ways of improving your garden and gardening. Read on below to see our Garden of the Month.

Previous WinnersVentnor park, Ventnor Isle of WightHillside Camp site Verwood DorsetBeeches,Worsley, ManchesterStream Cottage Cheltenham

Ventnor park, Ventnor Isle of Wight

VENTNOR PARK
PARK AVENUE,
VENTNOR. IOW.

The public park in Park Avenue Ventnor has a distinctly Victorian feel about it with its bandstand, very mature trees and ornamental flower beds. The whole garden is bordered by a steep slope covered in holm oak, this protects the garden from the sea and the hills to the north make it a very sheltered position.

A stream meanders the entire length of the park and is bordered by shrubs to the eastern side of the garden while the western end has rose beds, cannas, reeds, iris and more shrubs. The stream is crossed at one point by stepping stones and further down by a wooden bridge. A pond is beside the stepping stones where the stream widens out and this has three islands each with a gunnera; the ducks and moorhen like to make their nests on these islands. The pond is full of rather large carp who gloop and drift around in the clear water.

Ornamental flower beds of daisies and polyanthus appear in winter the beds are edged with low metal railings, the summer planting is exuberant with begonias and ornamental grasses. The Victorian band stand hosts a series of concerts throughout the year, carols in winter, jazz, rock and brass bands in the summer. There are plenty of seats and an expanse of lawn for sitting on to hear the music or admire the scenery.

At night the park is flood lit with coloured lights that gives the whole place a very magical feel.

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