Wavertree Botanic Gardens

Liverpool, United Kingdom

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Wavertree Botanic Gardens in Liverpool, England, opened in 1836 as the relocation of the original Liverpool Botanic Garden founded in 1802 near Mount Pleasant.

The move was prompted by city expansion and pollution at the original site, leading to the purchase of a larger, 4.5-hectare plot south of Edge Lane. The new garden was designed by its first curator, John Shepherd, in a formal style with walled gardens and a large glasshouse for tropical plants. It was originally a private society funded by shareholder subscriptions but increasingly opened to the public, becoming a significant cultural and recreational space in Liverpool.

Over the years, the garden featured ornamental beds in scroll designs inspired by St. George's Hall tiles, ponds, fountains, and statues inspired by Robert Burns' poem Tam o’ Shanter. Unfortunately, the glasshouse was destroyed in World War II bombings and never rebuilt, with many original features gradually lost or removed.