Botanic Gardens - Southport

Tash M.

Lovely park, the play area isn't as good as it used to be but during warmer weather the crazy golf is open and good fun. There are birds in the Aviary you can feed there too and of course the ducks. There's a small cafe too where you can get food drinks etc but I've never used it as we usually take a picnic.

Luke W.

Churchtown's Botanic Gardens are well worth a visit, especially the fernery and around the lake. The nearby village is nice but very busy with traffic.

I would say it's nice in the context of a park, however sadly I feel that Sefton Council really have let the gardens deteriorate, and the old cafe and museum have became derelict. The area outside the fernery which used to have a small fountain and a variety of flowers has all been filled in with stone and the remaining soil has weeds growing in it.

I am grateful that the volunteers have been keeping the Aviary going (currently closed due to an outbreak of avian influenza) and the flowers near the entrance.

The paint on the historic bridges have started to flake off and rust is quickly spreading along them. It's a shame to see they haven't been treated well especially given their historic value.

Similar can be said for the benches that used to overlook the lake, untreated and uncared for it seems.

The new Café is a bit tacky and out of place in my opinion. The staff are friendly but the eat-in area is filled with kids toys and waterpistols and beach balls on sale, a bit odd considering food and alcohol is sold in there with tables and chairs next to it all. It seems a cross between a beach shop and a cafe, not exactly something you'd expect in a Botanical Garden.

Still worth a visit, however compared to about 15 years ago, the gardens are only an echo of their former glory, needing major investment from Sefton Council.

Pauline C.

Lovely area for a quiet sit or leisurely stroll... Gardens, lake, bowling green, aviary (currently closed due to risk of bird flu) cafe and shop. It's just a shame our country allows beautiful buildings to become "tatty". The volunteers are obviously doing a fabulous job trying to preserve things but government red tape/health and safety therefore cost, possibly stops them doing a lot

Heather J.

Nice place for a walk. But god help you if you need a rest as you walk round. For some reason all the benches have been moved to outside the cafe and fernery. Very few, or none on most routes round, which renders it difficult if you have mobility issues. Sure they have their reasons for this policy but it spoiled it for me.

Sarah M.

It was a sunny Sunday and the gardens did not dissapoint. We sat by the lake and had a lovely walk around.

Judy C.

There were plenty of staff and volunteers getting ready to plant new flowers by the main entrance, a new bird table was added to the new display. The conservatory was wonderful and full of exotic plants. The children's play area and the lake was nicely maintained. They had lots of plants for sale and very reasonably priced. The aviary is a fantastic, lots of colourful and exotic birds. The bird keeper spent time talking to us about the different species, who his favourites were and how the birds / pets were donated to the avairy. He mentioned that the park was about to celebrate their 150th anniversary in June.

Matthew C.

Well taken care of park and gardens, has an Avery with some very vocal but adorable birds, lake filled with wildlife and cafe with friendly staff and very nice drinks. The park has an outdoor gym in the playing fields on the northern side close to the road.

R. S.

The Southport botanic gardens are extremely beautiful and a nice place to be when the sun's shining. There are various different trees and flowers planted all around the area and said area and fairly large. The best days to visit the weekends, in my opinion, as the gardens provide a better experience when there's a lot of people there. I recommend taking your kids or family here as a nice day out.

There is a bird's enclosure near the entrance of the park, but it's always closed due to bird flu. I go there every few months with my mother, we've been many times and the bird enclosure has only been open twice. It's currently closed and it was only late last year it was reopened.