Liverpool’s historic Botanical Collection is set to benefit from a funding award of £245,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. A project plan will create a permanent home for the collection located in the walled garden at Croxteth Hall. Once nurtured and developed, Liverpool’s historic Botanical Collection will become a leading visitor attraction in the city, highlighting its cultural significance, dating back to 1803.
The focus is initially on the Peach House, where old glazing will be replaced. The Peach House will become the gateway to the collection with plans to restore a number of greenhouses and brick buildings to cultivate and grow the collection. Plans for the future include creating a dedicated website, allowing access to viewers worldwide. Key collaborations with local botanical organizations and other worldwide collections will be established.
Horticultural training courses resulting from educational partnerships with organisations such as Myerscough College and the Learning Foundry are a priority. The introduction of new education programmes will encourage young people to connect with nature. Liverpool’s Botanical Collection aims to become a centre of horticultural excellence. Collaborations with Kew Gardens, RHS Garden Bridgewater, and the Eden Project North will be the target.
The collection is maintained by a small but dedicated team of gardeners and includes thousands of different plants, including orchids, ferns, begonia, and tropical species. The City Council is working with the botanist team at National Museums Liverpool and will redevelop the orchid collections, with Liverpool being the first city worldwide to successfully propagate orchids over 200 years ago. The Council and Liverpool Botanical Trust aim to preserve, protect and enhance the Botanical gardens in Liverpool.
Councillor Harry Doyle, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet member for Health, Wellbeing, and Culture, said that the botanical collection includes rare plants with medical, educational, scientific and horticultural significance, and as one of the oldest of its kind in the world, it needs to have plans in place to do it justice. This Heritage Fund grant is an essential stepping-stone towards this goal. Thanks to National Lottery players, local people, and visitors worldwide will be able to enjoy the beautiful and rare plants at Croxteth Hall and Walled Gardens for years to come
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