Liverpool garden and greenhouse attraction restored

17:53 25th September 2009

LFollowing the recent upgrade of Stanley Park, in which the Victorian glasshouse known as Gladstone Conservatory was reconstructed, another Liverpool horticultural site is due for renovation.

Thanks to a multi-million pound grant from the North West Development Agency the space, which was used to host the International Garden Festival, will be restored to its former glory.

The £2 million funding will allow the gardens to be rebuilt just as they were in its their heyday of 1984.

Included in the plans are Chinese and Japanese ornamental gardens, complete with pagodas.

A number of ornamental water features will also be included in the 26-acre display area.

Meanwhile, a further 40 acres will be set aside for recreational use and natural parkland.

During the 1980s, the site used to host gardening shows from May until October, although it fell into disrepair after the deeds changed hands numerous times.

"It's in a fantastic location. Once the new park is open to the public and the community is engaged in its management the site will evolve into a real community asset." Land Restoration Trust spokesperson David Evans told the Royal Horticultural Society.

Meanwhile, the Natural History Museum in London is offering garden and greenhouse enthusiasts the chance to watch its horticultural scientists at work.