Cutting back topiary in Heaton Park, Manchester

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Cutting back topiary in Heaton Park, Manchester

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It is reported in the Manchester Evening News that the Horticultural Centre at Heaton Park, Manchester, is in a state of neglect because, a council spokesman is reported as saying: ‘… the greenhouse operation had been discontinued due to "excessive cost".'

When I took these photographs, in July last year, a member of the Centre staff was very busy keeping the topiary sports figures, created at the time of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, in trim.

Our parks and gardens are very important places to remind us of the reality of life, places to sit in the freedom of space, away from the confines of office or gardenless homes. The colour and miracle of flowers inspire our minds and cheer our inner spirit. The living need living plants, trees and flowers are part of our natural world.

The Victorians knew the value of parks for workers’ recreation and every community in urban areas needs to escape to the peace of parks. It is so very sad that many local parks have been neglected and destroyed to become simply areas for footballers, who usually arrive in cars or vans, and other noisy games. Indeed, many people have had good reason to object to Manchester permitting a school to be built on part of Heaton Park.

As Heaton Park is said to be one of the largest municipal parks in Europe, more than 640 acres, it is a sorry state when the City of Manchester seems to be unable to continue to manage the Horticultural Centre for the benefit of the people of Greater Manchester, especially when we are informed that it forms 25% of the green space in Manchester.