Chester Zoo Demise of Chester Zoo Gardens

[Zooplantman]

There Is A New Type Of Gardening Now A Days, Gardening That Suits The Young, Teenagers Do Not Want To See Flowers, They Want To See Something Exotic And Educational, Anyway, Chester Zoo Is Amazing, ]

So Dont Diss Lol

Many zoos have found that attractive, colorful gardens help them attract a population that does not frequent zoos: older people. They only come once a year with grandchildren. Surveys or the public suggest that this generation might come more often if a zoo is also a garden (this may be more of an issue in the US where zoos stopped being gardens 75 years ago).

More or fewer flower beds don't seem, in my view, to have any effect on whether teens visit. A chance to run around with friends or flirt won't be affected by flower beds.

It's not as though the flower beds at Chester are being replaced by Giant Pandas

 

[Martin J.]

There Is A New Type Of Gardening Now A Days, Gardening That Suits The Young, Teenagers Do Not Want To See Flowers...

You mean gardening that doesn't involve any work and is bland and boring, like the acres of newly planted grass? Just because teenagers are dumbing down, doesn't mean zoos have to, and grass is hardly educational. As Zooplantman so rightly says, there are a large number of mature visitors, a number that is increasing year-on-year and for them the gardens are a significant attraction.

This week, the garden (now gone) won the North West In Bloom competition yet again. This has significant marketing value, but ironically can no longer be applied in the zoo's literature for fear of false advertising.

For what it's worth, I know that many of the zoo's staff are also dismayed at the loss of the flowers.

 

[CZJimmy]

There Is A New Type Of Gardening Now A Days, Gardening That Suits The Young, Teenagers Do Not Want To See Flowers, They Want To See Something Exotic And Educational, Anyway, Chester Zoo Is Amazing, ]

So Dont Diss Lol

Teenagers aren't a lucrative market for zoos to market themselves to (families are however and therefore "picnic lawns" make good business sense) and if people don't find animals (and the subsequent signage) educational then I seriously doubt they will find plants educational. A tree is "just a tree" to most people whether it is exotic or not.

 

[Martin J.]

I don't want a game of football, or crazy golf, in the zoo thank you

You won't be much of a fan of some of the natural vision plans then! You're right of course, don't get me started on the golf.

I always thought of Bristol as the zoo with too much space devoted to lawns, in such a small total area. I am glad they are being used more now. I think the older part of Chester will look good with extended lawns, although I will miss the old Oakfield aviaries in particular.

Couldn't agree more - I was shocked when I first went to Bristol, not so much by the amount of space taken by paths, lawns and borders, but by the huge lake. Fine if like Chester you have oodles of space to begin with, but not when the animals are in cramped enclosures around the walls.

By the way, the name Mare's Nest probably came about because it's a pretty useless space. No animals have been kept there since I have been visiting the zoo. The old bear enclosures were a little further along, you can still see some remnants in the shrubbery opposite the snowy owls; the smaller mammals were opposite, where now there is planting against the stone wall of the walkway around the Europe aviary (previously polar bear enclosure).

There were two bear enclosures roughly where the snowy owls are, right opposite the sea lion pool and just about as long. Going towards the aquarium on the right hand side of the path there were brown bears, polar bears and then the raccoons, which puts them just about where the sunken garden is now. When the polar bear enclosure was built opposite, the polar bears were moved and the second bear pit used for more brown bears (or could have been a difference species).

 

[taun]

You mean gardening that doesn't involve any work and is bland and boring, like the acres of newly planted grass? Just because teenagers are dumbing down, doesn't mean zoos have to, and grass is hardly educational. As Zooplantman so rightly says, there are a large number of mature visitors, a number that is increasing year-on-year and for them the gardens are a significant attraction.

This week, the garden (now gone) won the North West In Bloom competition yet again. This has significant marketing value, but ironically can no longer be applied in the zoo's literature for fear of false advertising.

For what it's worth, I know that many of the zoo's staff are also dismayed at the loss of the flowers.

Have you not seen Chester Zoo - Glorious Grasses at Chester zoo?

I don't think teenagers are dumbing down, just they have not been educated very well about the plant world. This is partly the failings of the school system and parents but then not all people are going to enjoy plants.

Other than that I agree,

 

[Martin J.]

Have you not seen Chester Zoo - Glorious Grasses at Chester zoo?

Oh yes, sorry for not being clearer, that is quite different because it's varied, landscaped and attempts to be educational, although the mini tennis court always makes me laugh. What I meant was the new grass isn't educational.

I don't think teenagers are dumbing down, just they have not been educated very well...

You could have stopped that sentence right there!

 

[taun]

You could have stopped that sentence right there!

Oops! What I meant is that if there are not being educated we can not blame them for their ignorance. Not many hobbies and loves are born within; some outside influence usually sparks it off.

 

[SMR]

By the way, the name Mare's Nest probably came about because it's a pretty useless space.

For what it's worth, the sunken garden used to be quite beautiful and on all but the busiest days a relaxing place to have a picnic. There were azaleas and other flowering bushes, acers, cascading rock plants, hostas and if memory serves camellias, with the whole area sheltered by privet hedges. The style was reminiscent of The Dell at Bodnant, complete with cascades. It's now another casualty of the zoo's ongoing policy to reduce the maintenance burden of the grounds to the absolute minimum, which is why it looks so dull and uncared for.

Of course the sculpture is famous and quite possibly the most valuable thing in the zoo's grounds. I'm sure that if they could find another home for it, the sunken garden would be lost and replaced by either an enclosure or another lawn.

Thinking about it, the sculpture would make a memorable and striking feature as a centrepiece in the new entrance development... although I would prefer that some love and attention was given to its current home.

 

[SMR]

...or the Mare's Nest, which has always been a bit of an eyesore.

For what it's worth I've been researching this area a little - official known as the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Garden, opened 11th June 1977 - and it's actually known colloquially as the 'Donkey's Nest', not the 'Mare's Nest'. I found a number of photographs in my own collection and it was beautiful at one time, not an eyesore by any means, although comments about it being uncared for at the moment still apply.

 

[gentle lemur]

For what it's worth I've been researching this area a little - official known as the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Garden, opened 11th June 1977 - and it's actually known colloquially as the 'Donkey's Nest', not the 'Mare's Nest'. I found a number of photographs in my own collection and it was beautiful at one time, not an eyesore by any means, although comments about it being uncared for at the moment still apply.

My apologies to one and all, my memory seems to have switched equids at some stage during the past 32 years
Anyway before that, I remember it as much the same shape, but just scrubby woodland. They tidied it up with a path, retaining walls and shrubs to make it into a garden, presumably for 1977. It was certainly improved, but I thought it a little dull. Mr Noah arrived later again, I don't think he really suits the situation - but I'm not sure that there is anywhere else at the Zoo which would suit him. I think I may be coming perilously close to saying that I don't know much about sculpture, but I know what I like - and it's not Mr Noah

Alan

 

[bongorob]

The garden was created over the winter of 1972/73.

The upper level had flowering shrubs, Clematis, Wisteria, Jasminum nidiflorum, Russian Vine (Polygoanum baldschuanicum) and several varieties of ivy.

The lower level had beds of Rhodendron (23 varieties), Azalea Ghent (11 varieties), Azalea Exbury and Knaphill (11 varieties) and two beds ofJapanese Azalea (8 varieties).

The total plants came to 132 rhododendron and 210 azalea.

Flowering shrubs were planted on each side of, and behind, the waterfall. Also here were Chamaecyparis lawsoniana and C.stewartii, with seven Sorbus trees.

Around the pool were astilbies (144 plants), primula (240 plants), Acanthus spinosa (6 plants) and Gunnera (3 plants).

Six varieties of Hosta, H.undulata, H.albo marginata, H.fortunei, H.sieboldi, H.Thos Hogg andH.fortunei aurea maculata were interplanted with the Japanese Azaleas, and lilies between the other azaleas.
Other plants were Magnolia parviflora (1), Eucryphia nymandsii (1), Hydrangea paniculata (3), Rhus cotinus (2), Piers forrestii (3) and Yucca filamentosa (3).

A hedge of Berberis wilsonii was planted on the zoo side of the garden and a hedge of Cupressocyparis leylandii on the Caughall Road side of the garden. The Berberis was to act as a deterrent to stop children running down the steep slope towards the pool.

Plant names are as listed in Chester Zoo News March 1973.

 

[SMR]

The garden was created over the winter of 1972/73.

Excellent detail, thank you. I wasn't too far off on some of the plants, but that was an impressive list that demonstrates what can be created with time, effort and skill.



One from the collection. Best guess is from approximately 1990, but corrections are welcome. I think that was quite beautiful.

 

[Midlan]

I remember sitting underneath the gunnera's in that garden (when i was very little) and now ill be able to sit under them in my garden!