when we first moved to Birmingham the Botanical Gardens were one of our very favourite places to visit. They offered a refuge from the mad busyness of everyday life, a tranquil place in which to draw breath.
Over the years the Botanical Gardens have played a key role in many significant life-events. Our disabled son took early steps to walk on the lawn leading down to the Bandstand, work events were a regular fixture in the Conference Rooms and the Gardens were a place we shared many happy memories with friends as our families grew.
We went back to visit earlier this week and left feeling sad. Everything appeared in a state of neglect and disrepair - borders choked with weeds and unchecked perennials, water-features turned off and drained and the treasured Bandstand with peeling paint.
How sad to witness the fading glory of such an iconic site.
