It was back in April 2014 when after a lot of hard work behind the scenes by members of Friends of Astley Park that the physical work started on rejuvenating the Sensory Garden. It was officially opened on 23rd July 2014.
Since then the Friends have worked tirelessly to maintain and develop the garden in to the beautiful and tranquil place that it is today.
Jan Sanderson looks at how the garden has matured over the past six years.
Hello all, our roving reporter Jan has been out to visit the Sensory Garden during one of her exercise walks during lockdown and taken some lovely pictures of a number of the plant species growing there for you all to enjoy.
AJUGA repens ‘Mahogany’ (at the front of the Central Raised Bed)
AJUGA repens ‘Mahogany’
Each plant has dozens of bright blue flowers on vertical stems, which contrast with the nut brown foliage. They form good ground cover and the leaves are semi evergreen.
BERGINIA cordifolia ‘Purpurea’ (on the left of the first terrace)
BERGINIA cordifolia ‘Purpurea’
Commonly known as Elephant Ears. This is a good ground cover plant, which has shiny leathery leaves. They have clusters of deep pink flowers.
VIBURNUM plicatum mariesii (behind the first seat on the left)
VIBURNUM plicatum mariesii
A medium/large shrub with tiered branches covered at this time of year with white flowers. It will also have lovely autumn colour.
ROSEMARY (near the Mole sculpture)
ROSEMARY
This is now known as Salvia rosmarinus. An aromatic herb with upright stems and pale blue flowers.
PRUNUS ‘Snow Showers’ (in the centre of the Central Raised Bed)
PRUNUS ‘Snow Showers’
This weeping cherry is the latest addition to the Sensory Garden. It has weeping branches and white flowers tinged with pink during April to May. It will have beautiful autumn colour.
Thank you Jan for taking the time to share this with us.
We will try and keep information coming out to you all whilst abiding by the Government rules so please keep checking back. Alternatively you can follow this blog by entering your email address on the ‘Follow this Blog’section of the Home Page to receive notifications of new posts by email.
Please follow the UK Government guidelines, stay safe and we’ll post more soon.
In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown it is easy to not even know about the newly reinstated path on the north side of Astley Park.
CLICK HERE to read all about this almost finished project.
We will try and keep information coming out to you all whilst abiding by the Government rules so please keep checking back. Alternatively you can follow this blog by entering your email address on the ‘Follow this Blog’section of the Home Page to receive notifications of new posts by email.
Please follow the UK Government guidelines, stay safe and we’ll post more soon.
Hi everyone, we hope you are keeping well and safe during lockdown.
Trying to keep our promise to bring Astley Park to you if you can’t get down here at the moment, earlier this week (Thursday) I went for my exercise walk through the park and much to my delight the Bluebells have started coming out.
With the lovely sunny weather we have had this past week everything is looking a lot greener all of a sudden.
Bluebells towards Park Road
Bluebells along the banks of the River Chor
Astley Hall in all its splendour
Bluebells near Ackhurst Lodge
Another reason for the walk was to go and have a look at the work done on the renovated perimeter path, more of that to come in a future post.
We will try and keep information coming out to you all whilst abiding by the Government rules so please keep checking back. Alternatively you can follow this blog by entering your email address on the ‘Follow this Blog’section of the Home Page to receive notifications of new posts by email.
Please follow the UK Government guidelines, stay safe and we’ll post more soon.
Just a quick post to wish you all a very happy, if unusual Easter Sunday.
We hope you are all safe and well in the lockdown and managing to keep yourselves occupied.
One of our members managed to snap this picture of the lake next to Astley Hall with the swans enjoying the spring sunshine.
The Lake near Astley Hall, April 2020
We will try and keep information coming out to you all whilst abiding by the Government rules so please keep checking back. Alternatively you can follow this blog by entering your email address on the ‘Follow this Blog’section of the Home Page to receive notifications of new posts by email.
Please follow the UK Government guidelines, stay safe and we’ll post more soon.
Hello all again, following on from yesterdays post, it has been decided by the FoAP Committee that while restrictions are in place due to the COVID-19 (Coranavirus) pandemic we will cease all activities until further notice.
Once restrictions start to be lifted we will release a new calendar of events. Please keep checking back for updates or enter your email address in the ‘Follow Our Blog’ area on the Home page to receive updates directly to you email inbox.
Stay safe, keep healthy and look after one another, we’ll be back as soon as we can – All the best, Friends of Astley Park
Hello all, as you will no doubt be aware the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic is impacting every part of life at the moment.
Following this evenings UK Government advice on social distancing the Friends of Astley Park have decided to CANCEL next weeks Members Meeting that was due to be held next Tuesday, 24th March at Chorley Town Hall.
The committee will decide soon on if to curtail the voluntary work parties in the park, the next one due on Saturday 28th March, please check back over the next week to see if this too has been cancelled.
This will of course pass in time and we will return with our meetings and work parties but until then please stay safe.
This site will be updated with any information as and when things become clearer.
Hi everyone, just a reminder that we are due to doing some work in Astley Park this coming Saturday morning, the 14th March.
Weather permitting we will be doing the following:-
Litter picking
Sapling cutting
Work in the Sensory Garden (removing dead bush and replanting new tree along with general tidying up and weeding)
Reclaiming stone from river bed for use for fountain wall building (if conditions allow).
You are welcome to come along and see what we get up to, learn how to become a member and how you can help the Friends of Astley Park.
Please meet at 9.30am at the Coach House near Astley Hall unless you wish to help on the Sensory Garden, in that case go straight to the garden where Jan will be organising work there.
Hi everyone, unfortunately due to the heavy rainfall over that last few days it has been decided to CANCEL the working group for this coming Saturday, 22nd February.
Rest assured we will be back at it soon, the next scheduled work group is Saturday 14th March.
