City of Steel…has a Softer Side

Sheffield Botanical Gardens…

A City famous for centuries as the heart of Steel making and of course Cutlery still conjures up memories of dark skies, smoke, dirt and noise.  Surprisingly the City has a number of Public Parks, indeed some of the first in the U.K.

But without any doubt it is the Botanical Gardens that are the Floral jewel in the Cities Crown.  Created in 1836 they occupy a sloping site that allowed Robert Marnock a Victorian Horticulturalist to make the most of his landscaping flair.

But as was the fashion of the time the ‘Star’ attraction was an enormous Glass Pavilion. This enabled exotic plants and Palms for far off lands to be cultivated and displayed together.  At the time these were plants that had not been seen by many outside their home countries….but even today we can marvel at the floral wonders of the world.

The Gardens are maze of twist and turns each will take you to a different theme as the seasons progress. Currently it is the higher slopes that are packed with Spring Bedding, a mass of stimulating colours to break the shadow and green hues of the many mature trees coming into leaf….

We were just in time to admire the Magnolia displays….perhaps just a little past their best as the petals were starting to add a white carpet to the lawns….

We even had a taster of more of the splendours to come with our first Rhododendrons, Azalea, Camellia, Peony and Japonica plus lots of Alpines pushing upwards into the warm Spring light.

AND if all that is not enough…then ‘rest awhile’ in the little Restaurant that overlooks the Gardens and enjoy something tasty from their Bistro menu…..maybe Goats Cheese and Wild Mushrooms on a Tampinard Tartlet with a oil dressed Salad….not a bad way to spend a sunny Spring day in a City.

23rd April

(C) David Oakes 2015