Petals and Promenades: A Tour of England’s Floral Towns
England has many lovely towns with flowers, to pretty up a boring place. Let’s meet a couple of them.
Harrogate (an elegant spa town in Yorkshire)
Harrogate is an elegant spa town in North Yorkshire, with 88 mineral springs developed from two villages (High and Low Harrogate) and known for its floral displays. The Old Swan Hotel is where crime writer Agatha Christie was found in 1926, after going missing for a while, thought to be due to an amnesian breakdown.
It’s also recently been voted the world’s most romantic destination, even over Rome and Paris (mon dieu!)
It’s important to only plant non-toxic flowers in public places (for instance, daffodils and all other bulbs are toxic). Keep dogs away from toxic flowers, plants/trees.
Also never plant flowers in railings. As nocturnal creatures like flower-eating deer could get stuck in them. Learn more on how to help wild deer (and find emergency help).
Harrogate was originally two villages: High Harrogate and Low Harrogate. It was only in the 17th century, that they merged to become the present town, after the discovery of over 80 natural mineral springs.
And if you’re a Eurovision buff, it was here that Bucks Fizz became one of the few times that England won, with their song Making Your Mind Up!
Cheltenham (a floral spa town in Gloucestershire)
Cheltenham is an affluent town, known for its Regency architecture and historic spa roots, blending elegance with a warm welcome. The buildings are often painted in soft shades, and decked with wrought iron balconies.
Many of the buildings date back over 200 years, with the Montpellier and Pittville areas showing off the finest examples. The stunning Neptune Fountain on the Promenade adds a touch of classic style.
Pittville Park stands out with its boating lake, adventure playground, and sprawling lawns. The Pump Room, a beautiful historic building, sits on the edge of the park.
How Cheltenham grew from a quiet village
Cheltenham did not begin as a grand town. For a long time, it was a small Gloucestershire settlement, but the discovery of mineral springs drew visitors to the town, and with it money.
Soon the town had inns and spaces for social life, and then came villages and squares and promenades. The best-known historic building is Pittville Pump Room, and the cathedral is one of England’s finest medieval buildings with stunning stained glass, a 15th-century tower, and fan-vaulted cloisters.
Gloucester (a historic riverside city)
Neary Gloucester is a historic city, but not so floral! It had a history of children who would spend their days in factories and workshops, and the stories of young people in poverty, led Robert Raikes (a newspaper owner whose granddaughter married the composer Edward Elgar) to begin the Sunday School movement, teaching children to read and write, on their one day off work.
The city also sadly has issues with ‘dark tourism’ (just like Grenfell Tower in London). Gloucester is in fact a historic riverside city of ancient buildings with wonderful people and lovely surroundings.
But in modern years, many people visit to take selfies outside the remains of the house where Fred and Rose West murdered so many innocent women, including some of their own children.
The media could help, by focusing on the good people and events in the city. Many people now choose to boycott ‘real crime shows’, as they are often disrespectful to the victims’ families, and could even glorify serial killers.
It also mistakenly makes out that most people are bad, when they’re not.
Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. Fred Rogers
