Our volunteers have been gardening with us through much of the winter months, the light is dwindling, the temperature is lowering but getting together and gardening keeps our spirits high. Our much loved Shipwreck Play Area has seen better days – we are starting to work on improving it to enhance the natural play experience. Watch our short film ‘Restoring the play area, part I’ here, to see volunteers at work this month:

If you’re planning to visit Martineau Gardens with children when we re-open – ‍it would be best to prepare younger visitors for what to expect since changes in the play area are taking place and certain areas may not be accessible when you visit.  We are restoring the popular Wheelhouse, relocating the sandpit and furnishing the area with eco-friendly play equipment – the refurbishment will be in keeping with our commitment to consider the environment and wildlife in all we do.

Our Stick Man self-guided trail is running however –  (pick up a pack on arrival, £2.50 donation welcomed). 

We need your help …

Please consider becoming a Friend or making a donation at your next visit, to ensure that Martineau Gardens continues to be a safe and welcoming place for all. Whilst our Therapeutic Horticulture Project has been well supported, the ‘behind the scenes costs’ that keep Martineau Gardens looking beautiful still need to be met. We need your help to keep the hot water running, the toilets flushing, the tools repaired, the seed box replenished, the lawnmowers serviced and a myriad of bills that keep coming in. These essential costs are normally met through our public engagement activities such as the Garden Party, plus venue hire, plant and produce sales. Since March 2020 all these income streams have been lost in the year we faced Covid-19 together. This is where we ask you, our community, to support us by donating so we can continue to care for these beautiful gardens, and keep them open for all to enjoy. 

Find out more about how we garden together during the pandemic here.

Information about visiting the Gardens in 2021

Planning to visit the Gardens in Spring 2021? Please read these links to help you know what to expect.

Covid-19 statement – for latest position around access to the Gardens

Visiting the Gardens in Spring 2021 – what to expect