Ness Botanic Gardens in Liverpool

A brief history of Ness Botanic Gardens

Arthur Kilpin Bulley was a merchant who traded cotton and who decided to invest some of his profits in land. For his job, he had to travel and during those trips, he developed an interest in unusual plants. Therefore, it was a logical step to create a plant nursery in his hometown. As a result, there are many plants from South America, Asia and Africa in this pioneering garden.

Bulley didn’t work alone. Acclaimed plant specialists helped Bulley to collect exotic species from around the world. For instance, George Forrest was a Scottish botanist who worked at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden. He brought back rhododendrons from Yunnan in China and donated them to the garden. Augustine Henry and Frank Kingdon-Ward, who were frequent visitors to Asia, often sent seeds and plants from the region.

Gardens such as this weren’t as common as they are now. It was no surprise that Ness attracted plenty of interest. As was often the case at the time, Bulley had certain plants named after him. The candelabra primrose, Primula bulleyana, and an orchid, Bulleyia yunnanensis, are a lasting reminder of the man’s commitment and success.

What are the highlights and features of Ness Botanic Gardens?

Today, there are about 15,000 plants in the Ness Botanic Gardens. It contains many beautiful rhododendrons and colourful azaleas. A striking rock garden adds a touch of the wow factor. There’s a laburnum arch amid architectural bones provided by mature shrubs and trees. Show-stopping displays of seasonal perennials create a gorgeous herbaceous border. It is at its best during the spring and summer months. From the garden, you can enjoy uninterrupted views across the River Dee to North Wales.

In 2009, the Ness Botanic Gardens hired British designer Chris Beardshaw to create a garden, which he called Ness Botanische. The clever design mimicked the structure of a flower stem as seen under a microscope. The award-winning garden featured Bulley’s namesake primrose as its centrepiece. Afterwards, a team of gardeners moved it back to Liverpool where it became a popular attraction at Ness.

In recent years, the garden has won a couple more prestigious awards. The 2014 Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards and the 2017 Wirral Tourism Awards each recognised it with a Sustainable Tourism Award. Guided tours help visitors enjoy the garden, while accessible paths ensure wheelchairs can move freely among the displays. Outdoor concerts occasionally take place at the Ness Botanic Gardens.

If a visit inspires you to want to learn how to be a better gardener, there are plenty of opportunities to tap into all that expertise. Staff members host regular gardening workshops and woodcarving classes. Those seriously considering a career in the field of gardening can study for the Royal Horticultural Society’s Principles of Horticulture qualifications under expert tuition.

Good to know about Ness Botanic Gardens

The Ness Botanic Gardens is on the Wirral peninsula, about 19 miles southwest of Liverpool city centre. Getting to the gardens by car is easy thanks to the Queensway tunnel. You’ll also find ample parking on the premises. 

Even so, you might prefer hopping on a ferry that inspired the Gerry and The Pacemakers hit song, Ferry Cross the Mersey. These famous boats depart from Liverpool’s Pier Head, in front of the iconic Liver Building. In Birkenhead, the ferry connects with local bus services to deliver visitors to the gardens.