Bispham Rock Gardens

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Bispham Rock Gardens, also known as Devonshire Road Rock Gardens is a municipal park located in Bispham, Blackpool on the Fylde coast in Lancashire, England. The gardens is an important wildlife resource and contains a number of rare species.[1]

The main entrance to the gardens is at the top of Knowle Hill on Devonshire Road. The gardens run downhill toward Inver Road. Views from the top of the gardens can be seen toward Pendle Hill, Beacon Fell and the Bowland fells.

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[edit] History

Bispham Rock Gardens
Bispham Rock Gardens

The gardens were founded in the early 1900s, and were opened to the public in 1925. Over the years the gardens fell into disrepair, was vandalised and was used less and less by local residents. In 2002 the Friends of the Rock Gardens was formed to improve community access and use of the park; and to restore the park's ameneties.[2][3]

The park has been regularly used for many years as a setting for wedding photography.[2]

[edit] Gardens renovation

The Friends group has held fund raising events such as an Easter Extravagansa[4] and a Teddy Bears' Picnic Fun Day, the first of which was held on 31 July 2007 and attratced about 300 people with Guests of Honour being the Mayor of Blackpool, Robert Wynne, and the areas MP, Joan Humble.[5]

The Heritage Lottery Fund gave a grant of £20,000 in May 2006 to help restore the gardens which received a major revamp with the creation of an educational woodland walk and butterfly habitat. The Friends group forged links with local schools who use the park for outdoor projects such as mini-beast and pond studies. Also the Lancashire Wildlife Trust is monitoring the rare White-letter Hairstreak butterfly which lives in the gardens.[6] The Woodland Walk is designed to include a story telling ring, disabled friendly winding paths, a sculpture display area and mosaics.[1][7]

In November 2007 contractors started a project to completely relay the gardens paths. The project cost £57,000 with funding coming from various sources, including Blackpool Council, the Local Area Forum and local firms. The project also received a £39,000 grant from the The Veolia Environmental Trust under the Landfill Communities Fund. The work is expected to be completed by Spring 2008.[2] The work on the paths makes them disabled friendly. Also included in the project is a new enclosed "hilly" landscape to provide runners with a challenging workout and grassed paths for light walks.[3]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Heritage Lottery Fund - Blackpool booklet (PDF). Heritage Lottery Fund (March 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
  2. ^ a b c "Blackpool rock garden project gets rolling", Veolia Environmental Trust, 2007-11-08. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. 
  3. ^ a b Butler, Heather. "Top athlete backs park access plans", Blackpool Gazette, 2007-11-13. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. 
  4. ^ Butler, Heather. "Easter fun for all at rock gardens", Blackpool Gazette, 2007-03-23. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. 
  5. ^ Robinson, Joe. "Teddy bears go down to woods", Blackpool Gazette, 2007-08-02. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. 
  6. ^ "Wildlife haven set to flourish", Blackpool Gazette, 2006-05-13. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. 
  7. ^ "Woods fun's a walk in the park", Blackpool Gazette, 2007-07-24. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. 

[edit] External links