Lovers of Bath’s Sydney Gardens will get a chance to have a say in developing a new look for this historic remnant of a Georgian ‘Vauxhall’ or pleasure garden.
The Sydney gardens Steering Group have been working hard with a design team to develop new plans for the landscape in the park – to both help protect this nationally important public garden and provide a public space fit for the 21st century.
On Thursday, June 2nd you will be able to go along to the Gardener’s Lodge – between 1 and 6pm – to see the plans and make your own comments.
Saturday, July 16th will be the final chance to see the new designs that have been formulated before they are submitted – as a funding bid – to the Heritage Lottery’s Parks for People programme.
Meanwhile – if your love for Sydney Gardens extends as far as actually getting involved in making the area even prettier – you may like to know that on Sunday – May 22nd – between 10 am and 3pm – you are invited to come along and help the Friends of Sydney Gardens and B&NES brighten up the gardens by planting hundreds of sunflowers.
The gardens were developed – at the east end of Great Pulteney Street – and entered through the Sydney Hotel. That’s now the Holburne Museum. Covering some 6 hectares they were designed by Charles Harcourt Masters (1795) and featured waterfalls, thatched pavilions, alcoves, adult swings, a grotto and labyrinth.
All this was ringed by a carriage ride now fragmented by walls, fences and houses.
Very little remains of the pleasure gardens which – in their heyday – attracted 4,000 a day.
