Bournemouth Lower Gardens

The Lower Gardens are immediately to the landward side of Bournemouth Pier. They are extremely well manicured and boast a profusion of beautiful and well ordered floral displays. The Lower Gardens are well used and often rival the beach for popularity. Setting out a picnic or simply relaxing on the short cut turf is a very popular activity. There is also a bandstand that is regularly used by mainly brass bands who play for free, often drawing an audience of several hundred. Several ice cream booths nestle to the sides of the tarmac'd paths ensuring the visitors do not overheat.

At the top of the Lower Gardens is one of Bournemouths new icons, the pleasure balloon. A tethered helium filled balloon take about 10 people aloft on each trip. The balloon ascends to a height of about 200 meters (600 feet) allowing its passengers a breathtaking view of Bournemouth and the coast. On a clear day you can see beyond Poole to the west and up to Hurst spit (opposite the Isle of Wight) to the East. To the town side of the Lower Gardens is an aviary (free access) which has many exotic and rare bird species on public display. The garden ends at Bournemouth Square with an underpass into Debenhams department store and easy access to the rest of town. Near the seaward end of the lower Gardens is Bournemouth Pavilion and a large rockery.

The Lower Gardens were originally set out to a design by a Mr P.H. Tree in 1871. Mr Tree had won a design competition sponsored by Bournemouth Council. Bournemouth Council sponsored a competition for the design of the Lower Gardens after they had acquired the lease to the area ten years earlier from Meyrick Estate. Work started to Mr Tree's design later the same year and most of the Victorian splendour of the garden remains today. If you come to Bournemouth you will almost certainly enjoy the Lower Gardens, but do not forget that there are two other beautiful gardens close by!