Fountain in main entrance near the Cannizaro hotel
Rhododendrons in the Woodland Gardens
The Italian Gardens at Cannizaro Park.
Fountain in main entrance near the Cannizaro hotel
Rhododendrons in the Woodland Gardens
The Italian Gardens at Cannizaro Park.
Cannizaro Park, in Wimbledon, SW19, lies between Wimbledon Common and some of the fringes of the built up areas of Wimbledon,. It is probably the most attractive and scenic public garden in the borough of Merton.
Dominated by rhododendron and azalea plantings in woodlands on a hilly setting, today it is one of the prime display and horticultural parks of London.The park includes many gardens, mostly informal, with many collections of plants and trees.
The main entrance by the hotel (Canizzaro House) is highly formal, and features seasonal bedding, close mown turf, and sculptures. It leads on to the main lawn. The lawn is surrounded by a number of gardens.To the south of the lawn, there is an extensive woodland and rhododendron garden. This is at its most colourful in May and June, and with camellias, and fragrant azaleas in plenty. It is cut through by a set of paths, steps, and has several seating areas. The council has been replanting some of these plantings.
Beyond these, forming the eastern border of the gardens, is a long linear garden, with a turf path bounded by two little brooks, and lined with Gunnera and other wetland plantings. These garders flow down the hill from the Italian gardens (which are now sadly little but a landscape feature).There are a number of other gardens, on the western and northern boundaries of the estate. Most are well treed, and numerous unusual and rare trees can be found in all areas. There are good displays of autumn colour, especially beside the main lawn where red oaks and many maple varieties make a good display.
Many of the trees are labelled.Canizzaro House faces out on to an extensive main lawn to its west, looking out towards Richmond over Wimbledon Common. The house is at the highest point here. The extensive main lawn is surrounded by woodland gardens.
A path leads across the lawn, and leads directly on to the Italian Gardens, hidden by the brow of a hill. These are a set of enclosed formal gardens, on several levels, descending a hill from a pond. They are now a landscape largely empty of horticultural plantings, and dominated by their walls, grass and monuments. A few trees and some plantings soften these somewhat, and they are used as a setting for concerts (the Canizzaro Park festival each summer).The park contains several ponds, including a large one at the top of the Italian Gardens, which provides the source of the streamlets that can be seen below the gardens.
Monuments, fountains, and artworks can also be found at several places in the grounds. The recent Millenium fountain, wtihin the main entrance, is notable. Look also for the rather ornate aviary, and the chapel.The grounds are a listed landscape and are managed as such; for instance there are few tarmac paths, mostly gravel. The park is on the border of Wimbledon Common, and can be included in a number of scenic walks across this larger site.
The park today consists of 15 hectares, based on the original 19th century gardens of Cannizaro House. The estate was purchased by Wimbledon Council in 1947, and was opened as a park in 1949. The house was sold to become a hotel in 1980.
The park is closed at night.
Also see;