The Victorian and Edwardian elegance and architecture of Southport is renowned in the north of England.

Botanic Gardens – photo www.virtualsouthport.co.uk

As one of the area’s most popular seaside resorts it attracts thousands of visitors every year – and rightly so. It has a beautiful Promenade with a miniature railway and ornamental lakes.  Southport Pier is one of the UK’s longest piers overlooking a lot of beach,and even occasionally the sea.

Southport Pier tram

There are top class golf courses, excellent shopping, art galleries, museums and two lovely public parks; Hesketh Park and the Botanic Gardens. And before I sound any more like a tourist brochure for the town, I have to admit a bias.  I was born here and am a 3rd generation Sand Grounder.  (I made sure my son was the 4th!).

Botanic Gardens – photo Visit Southport

My grandparents lived just round the corner from the Botanic Gardens and we played there all the time as children.  In recent times, with local government cutbacks, this charming park had lost a bit of its sparkle (don’t get me started on closing the little Museum) as the floral bedding displays for which it is famous, were no being done as well.  But now a team of local volunteers have taken over this role and the Botanic Gardens are now back in their full floral glory.

Botanic Gardens Fernery

There’s a lot more to see than pretty flowers.  You can wander through the humid warmth of the Fernery, hire a rowing boat on the ornamental lake, listen to a brass band playing on a Sunday, take the kiddies on the little train, play crazy golf, visit the aviary and pets area and have an ice cream or afternoon tea in the cafe. But don’t take a biased Sand Grounder’s word for it – visit Southport and get a dash of flower power in the Botanic Gardens.

Botanic Gardens Flower Beds