The Entertainment Guide

Sheffield Botanical Gardens

Sheffield Botanical Gardens are situated off Ecclesall Road and feature 5,000 species of plants set across 19 acres of land. The gardens were designed by Robert Marnock and first opened in 1836. The most notable feature of the gardens are the Grade II listed glass pavilions, restored and reopened in 2003. Other eye-catching features include the main gateway, the south entrance lodge and a bear pit. The Sheffield Botanical and Horticultural Society was formed in 1833 and by 1834 had obtained £7,500 in funding. The money was raised selling shares, permitting the purchase of 18 acres of south-facing farmland from the estate of local snuff manufacturer Joseph Wilson. 12,000 people visited the gardens on their opening in the Summer of 1836. Sheffield Botanical Gardens were fortunate to have some of the era’s leading experts involved in its creation including the polymath Joseph Paxton of Chatsworth fame and Robert Marnock who went on to become one of the leading landscape gardeners of the 19th century. The gardens hold the national collection of the genus Sarcococca, Weigela and the closely related Diervilla. The gardenesque style of design is one whose main characteristic is that all the trees, shrubs and plants are positioned and managed in such a way that each plant can be displayed to its full potential in scattered planting. The approach involved the creation of small scale landscapes to promote beauty, variety and mystery. Many of the features which distinguished this design style such as winding paths, dotted island beds, expanses of grass, and tree-planted mounds, can still be seen. Today, the restored gardens attract thousands of visitors annually. They are now established as the outdoor cultural venue for Sheffield. Check out the theatre, art and music in the gardens events which attract a further 30,000 visitors annually.

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