Preston Park Rock Gardens

What a fantastic spot Shirley! What is that incredible 'curly' tree?

Well, how quick off the mark are you, Lil? ... I believe it to be an Acer, what type I've no idea! ... Somebody on here will know ... watch this space! . . . . .

I enjoyed that Shirley, interesting blog. Bet your legs ached next day ! Lovely place, shame people don't know about it.

Great place to visit Shirley,good job you didnt slip in the pond whilst taking pics..lol.i love the twisted trees too.i also like Michaels green "perm" lol..

You're so right about the aching legs, Cinders .... :o) . . .. .

Joan, Michael knows I hate walking over water, I don't even like getting on to boats ... he just walked on ahead ... I'm sure he was chuckling ... grrr! . . . . .

What a lovely place for a wander or climb, smashing photo`s Shirley, the trees are lovely as are all the crocus, I really must get some, a lovely sight planted en-masse like that, I think you are very brave crossing the water, lol.
Thanks for sharing your visit....

lol..:o)

That is a lovely blog,Shirley,and great pics..I really enjoyed this lovely place..Nice pic of you..were you looking to see if it would make a suitable cutting,Shirley ?
Lol..Love Michaels new look..very Jimi Hendrix..only green :o))) glad you had a lovely day..

Lovely day out tanks for sharing it with us:)

amazing views - the twisty tree was so cool to see - and I spotted lovely gunnera - lots of interest and brill dragonflies - so pretty. those stairs looked a task :D

Lovely blog :)))

Lincs, no children around, hardly surprising given the terrain! ... I have a few Colchicum but they aren't showing yet ... they just pop up before the foliage appears ... :o) . . . . .

Sandra, I think I was looking at a variegated Pittosporum ... it had a beautiful leaf ... and you should be ashamed to think I'd take a cutting! ... lol! . . . . .

Thanks for viewing and glad you liked it, Sue ...

Paul, I hope somebody can name that tree, which I thought was an Acer, not so sure now ... and those steps were great coming back down ... lol! . . . . .

A little oasis there, beautiful, and that twisted tree just fab. Nice to see your face Shirley, arent those Colchicum a little too early? or are they trying to tell us something! I am still in August holiday mode its too early for autumn!

I thought Acer too - I always worry about falling going down :D

Shirley what a beautiful place to visit, loved the walk round with you, beautiful photos as well as the blog, dont know about autumn crocus just been to one of my daughters this morning and her back garden gate opens into a small park, and there was loads of fallen leaves on the ground.

Gm, I don't appear too often in blogs, nice to see a face to an avatar sometimes! ... I haven't seen a sign of my Colchicums so far . . . . .

Paul, I wouldn't care to walk around there on a wet day, way too slippery! . . . . .

It's funny how it's right by such a busy road Carol, yet once you're up high enough, not a sound of traffic! ... I notice the leaves are falling off neighbour's cherry tree already ... always fall into my garden ... not theirs! ... The red berries are out on the Pyracanthas too ... what is going on this year? ... :o(((

so are mine,Shirley..I was going to take a pic..very early aren't they ?

Lovely walk Shirley - or should I say climb? Thanks for all the pics, and love the habit of the curly tree . . . pretty leaves. And nice to see you too!

Sandra, there are masses of them ... last year they weren' out until the end of September ... strange goings-on indeed! ... :o)))

Nice to see you, to see you nice, came to mind, Sheila! ... I hope I get a reply re. that tree as it's frustrating not knowing it's name ... :o)

I agree with you Shirley.......want to know about that tree! Have never seen one quite like it. Stunning!

Lovely blog Shirley and brilliant pictures and that tree!!!!!

Very nice love the picture number 22 of the fantastic tree,

Very nice blog glad you enjoyed it:)))

What a lovely twisty tree that was, and an unusual place alltogether.
Your husband walks like my Grampa used to do - with hands behind his back.

Still waiting for the I.D. on that lovely tree, Nana d .....

Thanks, Mark, I'm still smiling at your handiwork made for Terra, brilliant! ... :o)))

Ooh, hello Hywel, good to hear from you again! ... Yes, it's a lovely place ... more foliage than flower colour but lovely all the same ... OH does that a lot ... must be the "contemplative walk"! ... lol! :o)))

We call that the 'perp' walk over here Shirley :)

or his impression of Prince Philip?? :o)

Shirley can I suggest you post the pic. of the tree on the question page, someone is then bound to I.D. it !

Been there, done that, Gm! ... Not a good enough close up of the leaves for a positive I.D. though ... :o( ... Hoping Brighton Corporation will reply to my query ... eventually! ... :o)))

That's a good idea,Shirley...:o)

its a lovely park Shirly I've visited with my 'seagull' friends, am I right its near Preston Manor where the schoolchildren go dressed up for talks about the 'olden days'.....

Really enjoyed the tour Shirley - and looking forward to finding out what the tree is!

I do get the occasional good idea, Sandra! ... lol! . . . . .

Pam, you are right about the location ... both our children went there when they were in Junior School ... in fact I still have the photos of them! ... The Rose gardens across the road , past the tennis courts and by The Rotunda were looking great ... Btw, the meal at The Amex was superb last Friday evening ... and apparently tables can now be reserved in one of the Lounges for a 2 or 3-course meal ... :o))

Steragram, I'm so pleased you enjoyed the tour, bit of a climb up to the top, much easier descending! . . . . .

pleased about that Shirley, I hear the first match with all the flags was stunning.... very happy seagulls....:o))

Indeed it was, Pam ... and there's one of those flags in a cupboard here ... not really sure why OH chose to bring it home though ... lol!!

I think that they were all given one as a souvenier---you never know they might need it again one day!

Another win yesterday ... top of the table now ... :o)))

A real eye-opener Shirleyt! Will look out for this on our travels. I think I prefer the upward journey..less likely to fall far..going down will take me ages! Still Im game for anything lol!
I loved the tree too, and the roses sound a bonus after a hard climb and probly a cuppa wont go amiss!

Always visit on a dry day, Tet, not so slippery then ... and then cross over the road ... past the tennis courts to the cafe ... wonderful morning out for you! ... :o)

Gotcha! On my favs!

Best to check there's not an outdoor event happening across the road at Preston Park though ... not a hope of parking or tranquility! .. :o)))

Will give the site a google before we visit. Thanks.

Really enjoyed this blog Shirley. :-))

Oh, hello Muddy! ... Pleased you liked the blog ... how are the leg muscles after the climb? ... lol!

I received a reply about the 'twisty/curly tree' featured in this blog ... It is an Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Atropurpureum' ... which I'm sure we all knew! lol .....
Apparently it was used at one of the Brighton Borough Council flower shows which used to take place annually in the Corn Exchange. It was subsequently planted in the Rockery, probably during the mid to late 1970's.

Hi Shirley (and everyone else), I am the garden manager at the rockery and privileged to be responsible for the day to day running of the garden.

Im not sure if you're been in or past the garden since this blog was started but the lower section from the bridge down, is almost unrecognisable to what it was back in August.

With the help of up to 5 lovely volunteers and community payback, we have stripped out the entire area to the left of the bridge. This has opened it up and you can now have uninterupted views of virtually the entire lower section of the garden. This has also revealed the wonderful rockwork.

I have spent some of the summer going up and down to RHS Wisley in order to see their superb herbaceous borders and to let me see what plants are in flower and when. As a result, this huge section will very shortly be planted up with large drifts and swathes of early to late flowering herbaceous perennials. Mix in a few medium sized shrubs, some grasses and dwarf conifers and next summer, the garden will be ablaze with colour.

This will also happen on the other bed to the right of the bridge. However, this bed has had approx 1,200 species tulips (12 varieties, 100 of each variety) planted in clumps.

The pump house is now fixed with a new roof and floor. We are just in the process of getting a suitable electric supply into the pump house and then, the waterfall will hopefully be up and running for the first time in nearly 5 years.

The overgrown bank under the massive beech trees near the southern end of the garden has had 12" of the top soil removed and replaced with chalk. This has been planted up today with a good variety of chalkland plants such as ragged robin, small scabious and birds foot trefoil. This will hopefully encourage a wider range of butterfly and other wildlife into the garden.

We have some new steps to the immediate right of the chalet. This eliminates the old, grubby dirt path and creates a super walkway.

Apart from all this going on, we've also planted 200 cyclamen corms at the north entrance, 1,000 yellow and white crocus at the north entrance, about 1200 narcissus throughout the garden, 500 dutch iris and 400 muscari.

So very exciting times ahead and i know for sure that this spring and summer is going to be an absolute riot of colour.

If anyone comes in and sees me there (im the one in green city park uniform), please come over and have a chat.

Andy Jeavons

Hi Andy-- welcome to Goy
how very kind to contact us Shirleytulip will be thrilled

when I next visit my friends in Hove I'll suggest a visit

Thankyou so much for telling us about the work in progress, Andy, sounds as though the gardens will be very colourful in the Spring ... Crocus to me herald the start of another gardening year. Looking forward to seeing the working waterfall ... and climbing the steps rather than the dirt path!

Well done to you and your team ... we shall certainly be visiting again ... possibly later in the month as a friend will be down from Scotland ... but definitely in the Spring.

Do you work there on a daily basis? ... Only asking as would hate to visit on your day off! ... :o)))