Ness Gardens to be illuminated at Christmas, an event inspired by its intriguing German links

Nov 4 2009 by Peter Elson, Heswall News

Ness Gardens will be lit up for the first time at Christmas, inspired by its German links. Peter Elson reports

HE revolutionised European gardening by sending plant hunters to the Far East, who returned with a rich abundance of species unseen in the West.

So the spirit of Arthur Kilpin Bulley, the founder of Ness Botanic Gardens 101 years ago, would be thrilled to learn how his beloved Wirral estate is now returning the compliment. Some plants from China brought back to Liverpool and Birkenhead by his collectors, George Forrest and Frank Kingdom Ward, are now very rare in their country of origin.

These and others will be featured in a special Ness display project for the Liverpool pavilion at the Shanghai Expo.

No wonder Ness's director, Kevin Reid, is excited when talking about the future of this leading botanic garden, regarded as one of northern England's greatest, with Tatton and Trentham.

If Bulley, a wealthy Liverpool cotton merchant who died in 1942, was alive today he would be surprised at the balancing act to attract visitors and retain the gardens' academic credibility. Not least the floodlighting for nine nights of the gardens, which are located between Neston and Burton, in early December for the IllumiNESS event.

However, given his international business, he would be intrigued to learn the idea came from Germany.

“One of our garden partners at Neuss Botanische Garten, Westphalia, Germany, staged an event called Illuminata and we were so impressed we decided to try it here,” says Kevin.

There will be 13 scenarios of lights and music with a finale in the Rock Garden.

The image of collector George Forrest and his dog will be projected onto one of the plants he brought back from China. Chinese lantern boats will be featured to highlight the plants brought from China, and to salute Europe's oldest Chinese community, in Liverpool, whose descendants arrived by boat from China, like Bulley’s plants.

There will be a water curtain in the Pingo prehistoric garden, home to Ness’s Supersteggybanana fibreglass mutant dinosaur.

The water curtain will be a living screen forming a bridge to the history of Ness, says Kevin, Ness’s director for three years.

This is all part of the environmental structural plan linked with boosting tourism. “We're looking at a Cheshire-German garden exchange,” says Kevin, and the German connections with Ness are intriguing.

Ness was bequeathed by Bulley's daughter, Lois, who had a German governess and gained a German accent.

A German Botanische Garten was commissioned from garden designer Chris Beardshaw, which combines German plants and Ness's former role as a biological sciences research station.

The Beardshaw Botanische Garten started life at the Royal Horticultural Society show at Tatton Park, where it won Best in Show medal.

“Instead of auctioning the plants and accessories, it will be moved lock, stock and barrel to open in spring, 2010,” says Kevin.

With its fabulous, elevated south west aspect overlooking the Dee estuary and the Clwydian Hills, Bulley chose his site well. His former home is now Ness’s head office.

With no biological research, Ness is mostly devoted to publicly displaying its collection.

Yet it is participating in a 37-partner EU project to ascertain the increase of aquatic vegetation caused by global warming.

“We're investigating other possible research opportunities to bring in further academic work for Ness,” says Kevin.

l See IllumiNESS from Saturday December 5 to Sunday December 13. Pre-booked adults £12, concessions £10, children, £8, under-3s free, family ticket £38; Ness Gardens, CH64 4AY (off M53 J4, A540); tel: 0151 353 0123.