The best cure for melancholy is a walk in the parks so, in September 2014, I left behind all the might have beens and crossed the road to the enchanted park. If there’s one thing guaranteed to cheer me up this is it. They were mowing the grass and clearing up the debris when I got there. A man was whizzing around on a big mower and there were piles of fallen petals and leaves on tarpaulins spread out on either side of the path.
5 September 2014
There’ll be a lot more leaves to clear up soon for sure. The first of them was sitting atop one of the azaleas speckled with dew or maybe rain from last night. With all the working going on there wasn’t much chance to explore and, as I was only there a couple of days ago, I walked through and crossed the road to East Park.
The rose garden on the edge of New Road was, frankly, well past its best. Most of the blooms have finished now but one or two remain amongst the shrivelled petals and swelling hips. A bright red one caught my eye, petals like velvet covered in shimmering jewel droplets. When I bent my head to smell I was disappointed to find it didn’t have much scent at all.
Feeling a little cheated I carried on to the pergola. In truth I didn’t have high hopes because the wisteria has been over for some time and even the second blooming has long finished. Still, even without flowers, the pergola is pleasant to walk through, a tunnel of green. To my surprise there were still one or two flowers and, being wisteria, they smelled heavenly even if some were quite ragged. An abandoned step ladder told me the parksmen have been working hard to prune back wayward tendrils but I’m glad they haven’t cut the flowers.
The trees on the path to the Richard Andrews memorial statute were also a green tunnel. East Park is often called Andrews park in honour of Richard Andrews who not only owned a coach building business in Above bar but was also mayor of the city five times. The statue, designed by Philip Brannon, has been standing since 1861 although the original plinth was replaced in 2000. Even so, I decided to turn in the opposite direction. This was mostly because I cannot resist walking through the 1930’s built rock garden. Set out with Japanese style bridges and two ponds, one with ornamental fish, it is one of my favourite parts of the park. Most of the alpines are finished now but I could see the bright orange carp through the water and a trio of ducks seem to have taken up residence.
I did find a few scabious still in flower and I kept an eye open for dragonflies. Last time I came this way one dragonfly posed nicely for me on a leaf, this time I didn’t see a single one. On the second pond the lily flowers have just begun to open. Sadly none were near enough the path for me to get a decent photo without risking falling in. That would have been difficult to explain to the park keepers.
The sound of tinkling water drew me to the Queen’s Peace Fountain, opened in 2001. It’s a lovely sight on a sunny day and the sun was certainly shining at this point. Even with my padded jacket tied around my waist I was boiling. It was hard to think I’d been so cold earlier I’d thought about wearing a hat and gloves. For a while I knelt by the edge of the fountain watching the water. It was mesmerising.
Eventually I moved off towards the park exit on Cumberland Place by the Busy Charlotte Place roundabout. On my way I discovered some bright dahlias. The vivid reds and oranges seemed like a last gasp of summer.
Much as I’d have liked to stay in the parks all day I was supposed to be walking so, with one last look behind me, I left. Next stop, The Common…
Please see my copyright information before you copy or use any of the above words or pictures.