An OnTheWight reader who is passionate about the Ventnor Botanic Garden, has been in touch regarding changes recently made at the lower terrace where the large pond is situated.
They told us,
“With an RHS designer/plantsman visiting VBG this week, it is a complete embarrassment that the lower terrace which was in need of refurbishment has been subject to a complete garden design disaster.
The attention to detail is nil, the lack of mature tree specimens indicative to the Mediterranean is lacking, the grass which offers places to sit with your dog and children has been removed. There is no hard landscaping or paving, the sparse crushed cotswold stone looks dreadful and needs breaking up.
There is no shade, which is what this area has always needed and the pond looks lost and completely out of place now. I would be very interested to find out who is accountable for this and what other people’s thoughts are about this subject.”
Completion of first phase only
Having not seen it ourselves, we got in touch with Chris Kidd, Curator at Ventnor Botanic Garden to find out more about the refurbishment.
He told OnTheWight,
“This new garden is part of the progression westwards and eastwards of our Mediterranean Terrace, in which we show plants growing in association with each other as they would in the wild.
This expansion has a phased programme of planting beginning with the large tree layer, now complete, as can be seen in the Olive Grove planted with fruiting cultivars.
The next phase will be the planting of the shrub layer, followed by the transitional flora sub-layer. On completion we anticipate our guests enjoying al fresco dining immersed within an authentic Mediterranean flora.
These developments resulted from our monthly Design Walks and collaboration with the VBG Friends Society.”
More photos of the changes can be found on the Friends of the Ventnor Botanic Garden Website.
