Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden |
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The rock garden, Fletcher Moss
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| Type | Park with alpine rock garden and nature reserve |
| Location | Didsbury, Manchester, UK |
| Area | 90 acres (36 ha) |
| Created | 1919 |
| Operated by | Manchester City Council |
| Public transit access | East Didsbury railway station (10-minute walk) East Didsbury Metrolink station (15-minute walk) |
| Website | Manchester parks department website |
Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden is a beautiful park in Didsbury, Manchester, England. People often call it simply Fletcher Moss. It sits between the River Mersey and Stenner Woods.
This special park is named after a local leader, Alderman Fletcher Moss. He gave the park to the city of Manchester in 1915. It's a mix of a botanical garden, which means it has many different plants, and a place where wildlife can live freely. The park also has fun things to do, like tennis courts, rugby and football fields. There's even a family-run café called The Alpine Tea Rooms. Every Saturday morning, you can join a free timed run called parkrun here.
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History of the Park
The main part of the gardens has a special walled rock garden. A plant expert named Robert Wood Williamson designed this garden on a sunny slope. In 1912, Williamson sold the gardens and his house, called The Croft, to Alderman Fletcher Moss.
Fletcher Moss was born in 1843. He was a kind person who helped with many public projects in Manchester. For example, in 1915, he convinced a rich helper named Andrew Carnegie to pay for a public library in Didsbury. In 1919, Fletcher Moss gave the gardens to the people of Manchester. He wanted everyone to enjoy this lovely space.
Robert Williamson's old house, The Croft, is also famous. It was the meeting place for a group that later became the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). In 1889, Emily Williamson, Robert's wife, started a group called the "Plumage League." They protested against using bird feathers in women's hats, which was very popular then. Her group grew and joined with another group to form the RSPB. This organization still works to protect birds today.
What You Can See at Fletcher Moss
The main rock gardens are built on a sunny slope. This spot is protected from strong winds, creating a special "micro-climate" (a very small area with different weather). This allows many plants that usually can't grow in the UK to thrive here. Small waterfalls flow down the rock gardens into a pond. Around the pond, you'll see plants like royal ferns, marsh marigolds, and giant Gunnera plants, which look like huge rhubarb.
The gardens have many beautiful trees and shrubs. Some examples include Chusan palms, tulip trees, mulberry trees, and dawn redwoods. You can also find swamp cypress, Chinese dogwood, and different small conifer trees.
West of the rock gardens, across Stenner Lane, are the gardens of the Old Parsonage. The entrance has a cool stone archway with a sculpture of an eagle on top. This eagle used to be on a hotel in Manchester that Fletcher Moss owned. When the hotel was taken down in 1902, he moved the eagle to his gate.
The Parsonage gardens have very old and large yew and cedar of Lebanon trees. Under one of the yew trees, you can find the graves of Alderman Moss's beloved dogs. People also say his favorite horse is buried there. The Old Parsonage house is now a community center and art gallery. It hosts many classes, events, and exhibitions. Local volunteers, called the Friends of Fletcher Moss Park and Parsonage Gardens, help take care of these gardens.
To the south and west of the park, there are water meadows. These are fields that sometimes flood. You'll also find Stenner Woods, which is a forest area, and Millgate Fields. These areas are great for seeing nature and are also used for the weekly parkrun event.
Awards for the Park
Fletcher Moss has won the Green Flag Award every year since 2000. This award is a national standard for excellent parks and green spaces in England. It shows that the park is well-managed and a high-quality place for everyone to enjoy.
Where to Find the Park
Fletcher Moss Gardens are located near the River Mersey and Stenner Woods. You can find them at the southern end of Wilmslow Road, close to the Old Cock Inn and Parrs Wood. It's easy to get to the gardens by public transport. Many buses run along the Wilmslow Road bus corridor, and it's close to East Didsbury railway station.
Musical Connection
In October 2012, a jazz musician from Manchester named Matthew Halsall released his fourth album. He named it Fletcher Moss Park.
See also
In Spanish: Jardín botánico Fletcher Moss para niños
