A tranquil area of Bury St Edmunds’ popular Abbey Gardens can now be properly enjoyed by the public.
The water garden has been refurbished thanks to a generous donation by an anonymous benefactor. This regular visitor to the gardens gave £40,000, with about £30,000 paying for the refurbishment of the water garden and about £10,000 funding improvements to the sensory gardens.
The water garden is now much more visible, improving safety, and there is also better access for visitors. Two 1950s shelters now have ornate iron gates and the garden has been spruced up with new planting. A pathway and pond have also been restored. Councillor Sarah Stamp, cabinet member for heritage, arts and culture at the borough council, said the Abbey Gardens were “truly the jewel in the crown of Bury St Edmunds”.
She said: “This work, which has been made possible thanks to an extremely generous anonymous benefactor, has allowed us to make huge improvements to a part of the gardens that was in need of some tender loving care and I’m sure many people will enjoy the redesigned water gardens in years to come.”
The work was delayed by three months due to a bat roosting in one of the shelters.
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