Boscombe Chine Gardens
Boscombe Chine gardens
Bournemouth's 10th Local Nature Reserve is Boscombe Chine Gardens, holder of a prestigious green flag award since 2007 and several times being awarded best large park in Bournemouth. The Southern lower end to the gardens is adjacent to Boscombe Pier, with the Gardens located south of the Christchurch Road, between Manor Road and Boscombe SpaRoad. Boscombe Chine Gardens are beautiful gardens dating back to the 1880’s.
There were simple buildings on the heathland at Boscombe before Bournemouth was ever thought about. Boscombe Manor Estate, was built in 1801, nine years before Lewis Tregonwell started building a seaside house for his wife a mile or two along the coast. At the beginning of the 19th century Boscombe was described as an extensive common covered with furze and heath, more the haunt of smugglers than anyone else. Boscombe was built across a wooded chine, a wide ravine, that leads down to the sea. The Chine gardens now offer a lovely mix of scenery and activities with wonderful three dimensional bedding displays alongside traditional bedding and innovative herbaceous planting schemes, large grassy areas for recreation, mini golf and a water-themed playground. Pass through as you use the land train, as the gardens form the starting point for a journey which can ride along the seafront all of the way to Bournemouth Pier. You can play basketball on the court or even a round of mini golf on the town side of the gardens, there are plenty of birds around with squirrels dashing about in the trees. The gardens are a fantastic are nature questions for children along the path with plenty of mature trees and flowers.
There is a splendid 1890's lodge, situated at the northern end of the chine, The garden has a slight incline A very pleasant walk through these pretty gardens to Boscombe Pier and beautiful beach. The squirrel cafe and mini golf offers views of the mini golf offering a Very friendly service, which is Excellent for a light lunch/drinks/snacks.
