Winterbourne Botanic Garden
| Winterbourne Botanic Garden | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Botanic garden |
| Location | Edgbaston, Birmingham, England |
| Coordinates | 52°27′13″N 1°55′29″W / 52.45371°N 1.92484°WCoordinates: 52°27′13″N 1°55′29″W / 52.45371°N 1.92484°W |
| Created | 1903 |
| Owned by | University of Birmingham |
| Open | accessible to the public with a fee |
| Website | winterbourne |
Winterbourne Botanic Garden is the botanic garden of the University of Birmingham, located in Edgbaston, Birmingham. It is adjacent to Edgbaston Pool, a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Set in 7 acres (28,000 m2), it is notable as a rare surviving example of an early 20th-century high status suburban "villa" garden, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement of the Edwardian period. Both Winterbourne Botanic Garden and Winterbourne House are owned by the University of Birmingham and are open to the public as a heritage attraction. The site is also part of the University conference park.
The house and garden are family friendly with interactive exhibits and a beautiful terraced tearoom. The site boasts an on-site gift shop, plant sales, second hand books for sale and a gallery with a changing programme of guest exhibitions. Winterbourne is open daily for a small charge with hours varying between summer and winter. Staff and students at the University of Birmingham are entitled to free entry. It is also part of the Historic Houses Association.
Winterbourne House and Garden were designed in 1903 as a family home for John and Margaret Nettlefold. John Nettlefold commissioned local architect Joseph Lancaster Ball to design and build the house which was finished in 1904. The house was made of brick and tile and has an intentionally wavy roof line. Margaret Nettlefold designed the original garden herself. The influence of designer Gertrude Jekyll can be seen in the colour themed border planting.
The Nettlefolds lived in the house with their children until Nettlefold's health meant he had to move away. In 1919, Margaret Nettlefold sold Winterbourne and moved away to be closer to her husband. The property was then bought by the Wheelock family who had 9 children. Wheelock was a local lawyer. The Wheelocks stayed at Winterbourne until 1925 when it was purchased by John Nicolson who was a successful businessman. Nicolson was a keen gardener and made several improvements to the garden at Winterbourne including expanding the rock garden and adding an alpine area. Nicolson remained at the house until his death in 1944 and Winterbourne was bequeathed to the University. The house and garden remain a part of the University.
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