Patcham Peace Garden
Patcham U3A and Patcham Peace Garden
Our Current Involvement
Meeting every 2nd & 3rd Tuesday from 9.30 -12.00 in the Peace Gardens from February to November. Good practical experience of mostly light gardening. NO heavy digging. This is a U3A project in the community and should be supported. Weather permitting. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. We would love to see new people. Bring your own tools and gloves to help make this garden a lovely attractive space for all. A great way to get your daily exercise outside!
It is now 8 years since Patcham U3A took on the challenge to restore the sadly neglected Peace Gardens. Under the supervision of City Parks staff, a stalwart team of members have now managed to clear and prune trees and shrubs to bring order to the original attractive garden design. Many lorry loads of plant materials have been cleared away so the ground can be prepared for planting trees, shrubs, bulbs and new areas of lawn.
We meet to work alongside City Park staff to maintain the quality of this vital open space for the community. All are welcome to come and join in with this venture, and do as much or as little as you are able.
A brief history
Patcham Peace Gardens cover an area of 3.12 acres of land which was purchased from the Abergavenny estate in June 1928, largely due to the efforts of Herbert Carden. The garden is in two halves, and the southern half was laid out as a sunken rose garden with a small Doric temple and a Tuscan pergola. Both of these were purchased from the 1924 Wembley exhibition.
Patcham U3A has been linked with the Peace Garden for many years. Back in 1998 our Gardening Group decided to mark the Millennium by planting a tree. Details were obtained about Brighton & Hove Council's Tree Donation scheme. Discussions took place and we decided to try to raise the £80 needed to plant a tree. The Council's experts advised us that the most appropriate species would be a Whitebeam (Sorbus aria). All sorts of money raising activities followed and enough money was raised to buy two trees. These were planted on a wet Monday 6th December 1999 and the ceremony was attended by Councillors Geoffrey and Mrs Carol Theobold, the Rev. CLive Redknap (Minister of All Saints Church) and members of the Gardening Group. The silver spade was wielded by Pauline. (Contributed by Pauline & Michael)
Patcham Peace Garden - a U3A project
More recently a small group of U3A members have been working in the Peace Gardens since May 2012 to improve the overgrown area of the south end of the formal garden, under the guidance of Alan and Ivan from Brighton & Hove City Parks Department.
We have suffered a number of setbacks as a result of vandalism and our original trees have been replaced a number of times. Unfortunately it has now been decided that we cannot afford to keep replacing them and sadly only 4 of the 9 trees still exist.
Our efforts to restore the garden have been noted by many local people who appreciate the changes and ask about our future plans.
We have received financial help from Patcham Community Association and the Police, and our latest offer of funds has been the result of collaboration with another local organisation, the Patcham Flower Arrangers.
11th November 2018 - 100 years since World War 1 ended
A new plaque commemorating the end of World War 1 was placed in the garden near the pergola and the Patcham Memorial Hall committee gave us a rose to plant to complement the ones planted outside the hall itself. The 'Pax' rose was planted by two of our members under the supervision of Ivan from the City Parks Department.