Formal gardens
The Horniman Sundial
Formal gardens
The Horniman Sundial
The Horniman Gardens covers 10 hectares in Forest Hill, beside the London Road (part of the A205 South Circular Road).
It was originally the private estate of Frederick John Horniman. Today, not only are they interesting public gardens, but they are an educational visitor attraction, based around the greater attraction of the Horniman Museum. In particular, there are always things to be seen to interest children, and to extend the themes of the museum's exhibits.Many people will be interested in the collection of sundials. There are also statues, curiosities, and displays of gardening styles from different cultures.
The gardens are mostly on the south slope of a hill, with the Horniman Museum buildings near the base of the hill, by the London Road (South Circular Road).
A collection of mostly exotic trees forms the garden framework. There are many floral displays and a few theme gardens. There are some incongruous and intriguing combinations, such as a formal floral display garden, separated (in 2007) by a row of banana plants from a recreation of an African village garden and vegetable patch. There is a large lawn on the west side. Water features, bedding displays, and seating areas occupy the spaces to the north of the museum.A small animal enclosure with some farm animals provides an additional children's attraction, next to the bandstand.
There are good views across much of London from the hilltop, including to the south and north-west. On most days, the arch of the new Wembley Stadium can been seen clearly, about 20km away.To the south of the park, on the other side of the South Circular Road, there is a further stretch of parkland stretching toward Sydenham. These are not part of the gardens.
The grounds and the house hold a collection of sundials of different types. Many of these are designed as works of art. Some are designed into the gardens as ornaments, sometimes in beds. Some are in or on buildings, for instance, incorporated into the walls. There is a sundial trail, and there are brief explanations available, both as leaflets, and on the website of the British Sundial Society, who manage the collection .
Many other statues and artefacts are found through the grounds, often as temporary additions to individual beds or gardens. Sometimes they are there to illustrate a theme, as with the African Garden.The museum has a number of exhibitions, mostly ethnographic. It includes particularly a collection of musical instruments. There is a strong natural history section, though it is dominated by animals. There are links made between the ethnographic collections and the garden; for instance, in the African Garden.
Garden visitors will be interested in the Conservatory, a prominent listed building to the rear of the museum, though this is now used mainly for entertainments and as a sitting area. There is also a turf-roofed building to the side of the museum.Numbers of events are held in the museum and gardens, and these can be found on the official website. A bandstand nearby in the gardens is used regularly over each summer.
F. J. Horniman, the original owner, in addition to being the a Member of Parliament, was also a wealthy trader in tea, and a collector of artifacts from all over the world. He made this collection public before his death, and also donated what is now the museum to house it. It was originally donated to the London County Council in 1901. Later it passed into the hands of the Inner London Education Authority. Today the museum and gardens are managed by a charity, mostly funded by the government.
The gardens are managed by the Horniman Museum Trust. Contact 020 8699 1872 The gardens are closed at night.