What’s new in the Gardens
Historic it may be, but Sheffield Botanical Gardens are always moving forwards. In the last year alone, we have updated our website with fresh branding and installed a new contactless giving point in the iconic Pavilions, making it even easier for our visitors to support our important work to keep the Gardens looking beautiful.
Regular visitors will have noticed the huge refurbishment project which saw the Pavilions repainted as well as the replacement of rotting timber and some of the huge sliding doors. At the same time, the four-tier fountain facing these glasshouses was refurbished thanks to generous sponsorship from Sheffield Assay Office.
Sheffield Botanical Gardens Trust held a special event to celebrate both refurbishments in May and to thank all our generous sponsors. We were delighted to welcome as guest of honour our new Patron to the Trust, Professor Dame Hilary Chapman, who is HM Lord-Lieutenant for South Yorkshire. Dame Hilary had visited the gardens earlier in the year to plant a special sapling oak as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy project.
Our event was sponsored by the Sheffield Assay Office, which celebrates its 250th anniversary this year. The Office were happy to help us as they had sponsored the fabrication of the fountain to the original Victorian style back in 2004 following a major restoration of the Gardens.
Visitors may also notice 16 new metal slatted benches have been installed throughout the Gardens as part of a rolling programme to renew all wooden benches. There are also plans afoot to renew signage and information boards and replace the extensive pathways which are showing signs of wear and tear due to the huge number of visitors who flock to this special green space.
Sheffield Botanical Gardens Trust has received a generous donation from the Friends of Botanical Gardens Sheffield (FOBS) and we continue to work very closely with Council staff and gardeners to identify projects in the Gardens which need financial support. Thanks also to our visitors who have helped ensure such projects can go ahead to ensure a heritage site which can serve today’s community.
Refurbished Fountain (Image by Andrew Phillips)