LIVERPOOL’S Botanical Collections and Walled Gardens

[Kev]

LIVERPOOL’S Botanical Collection, one of the oldest in Britain, is to go on show for the first time in more than 20 years.

Visitors will be able to view a significant part of the collection in the glass houses and walled garden of Croxteth Hall and Country Park from Wednesday.

The collection is to play a starring role in next year’s European Capital of Culture programme as the inspiration behind Liverpool Fragrant, a major artistic project led by international visual artist Jyll Bradley.

Established by William Roscoe in 1802, the complete botanical collection has not been on display since 1984.

Approximately one-third of the plants and flowers will now be available to view, including the once world-famous orchid collection.

The rest of the collection will remain in nurseries for the time being, with the intention of reuniting it in a permanent home at some point in the future.

Cllr Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool City Council and deputy chair of the Liverpool Culture Company, said: “Liver-pool’s Botanical Collection is one of the largest in civic hands, and, over the last 200 years, its fortunes have echoed those of the city itself.”

The Fragrant Project will culminate in an artists’ book, documenting the many stories behind the collection and creating a complete archive of its history for the first time.

The first fruits of the project will be showcased on Wednesday, when poets Eleanor Rees and Dinesh Allirajah will give a reading of work inspired by the collection.

IC Liverpool

[Kev]

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1419/1362041256_16a090217b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/1362041256/)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1198/1361152761_05662ddbde.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/1361152761/)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1042/1361150395_96142e148b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/1361150395/)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1374/1361151405_938b67fb89.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/1361151405/)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1296/1362035782_36029a0bff.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/1362035782/)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1440/1361968054_051b746745_o.jpg (http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1440/1361968054_051b746745_o.jpg)

more here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/sets/72157601958820710/)......

[A.D.W]

The gardens open? Nice pictures, Kev.

:PDT_Piratz_26:

[Kev]

Yep, cheers D

[Kev]

Botanic collection to be 08 star

By Paul Coslett (http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/content/articles/2007/10/22/botanic_collection_video_feature.shtml)

Liverpool’s Botanical Collection, now back on public display at Croxteth Hall, is to have a starring role in 08.

It’s been around for over two hundred years and now back on public display the Liverpool Botanical Collection is to be the subject of an artistic project for 2008.

The collection, which is one of the oldest in the UK, was established in 1802 by one of Liverpool’s most famous sons, William Roscoe.

International visual artist Jyll Bradley is working on ‘Liverpool Fragrant’ which will culminate in an artist’s book telling the stories behind the collection and creating a complete archive of its history.
greenhouse

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1419/1362041256_16a090217b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/1362041256/)
(My pic) On display at Croxteth Hall

The collection will also be exhibited at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2008, the first time since 1962.

Including a stunning orchid section Liverpool Botanical Collection was created at a time when ships from around the world called at Liverpool, bringing plants from tropical countries.

With over 50 different cultivated varieties, Liverpool’s collection, one of the richest in the country, has National Collection status.

Liverpool ship owners like Aigburth’s Richard Harrison imported rare plants which were often unknown to science.

Over the years the collection has expanded through reciprocal trading with other collections around the world.

Some of the plants in the collection are now popular in houses and conservatories but in the days before central heating and global trading they were extremely rare in the UK.

Roscoe, who helped to abolish the slave trade, was a skilled botanist and set up the collection in a Botanic Garden laid out in Olive Street.
plant

The collection was established in 1802

He believed that the collection could help increased Liverpool’s prosperity, as a result many of the plants where acquired to be used as sources of food, fibre and medicine.

The collection was removed from public display in 1984 and for many years was held at nurseries.

A third of the collection is now on display at Croxteth Hall with larger plants in the Sefton Park Palm House.

Eventually it’s hoped to return the entire collection to public display.

[Kev]

LIVERPOOL’S historic botanic collection will have pride of place at the 2008 Chelsea Flower Show. Read (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2007/12/28/liverpool-s-botanic-collection-to-star-at-chelsea-flower-show-100252-20291984/)

[Steven]

You certainly surprise me here Kev. I thought the only botanical collections we had were in the palm house in Sevvy park. It's all good news for Liverpool.

[LPOP project]

You certainly surprise me here Kev. I thought the only botanical collections we had were in the palm house in Sevvy park. It's all good news for Liverpool.

Steven,
Actually Sefton Park Palm House (and the Gladstone conservatory at Stanley Park - donated around the same time) didn't ever house the city's botanic collection. They were intended as additional 'exotic' attractions. THe first Botanic garden was on Myrtle Street and the most recent specially-created botanic gardens are those on Edge Lane. There will soon be a free leaflet available about the history of the Edge Lane Gardens, where there used to be an enormous glasshouse along the lines of the Crystal Palace (a bit smaller though!)
The collection was moved from Edge Lane in the 1950s but there are still carpet beds in their original design. Let's hope that the Wavertree Botanic gardens are revamped again soon!

[shoney]

looks good, wonder who 's been watering them for the last 20 years