An annual garden party was held at the rose garden on the Westcliff last weekend –but do you know why it was planted?
The rose garden was restored more than a decade ago by the Westcliff Conservation and Community Trust, which organised the replanting of the site.
It had been created in 1926 when the Westcliff was developed as a recreation area.
The group took over maintenance from Thanet council after it fell into a neglected state.
Member Wendy Arheim said: “The council were going to grass it over but we rather liked the rose garden and they are in decline all across the country so we needed to keep it going.
“We took on the gardening with the permission of the council. It is a ‘hidden secret’ and very peaceful.”
Grants for the work were from Kent County Council, Thanet council and wind farm operator Vattenfall.
The group’s gardening sub- committee carried out the planting, which included many other varieties of flowers.
In 2012 a ceremony was held for a rose to remember bed in the garden, with people planting their flowers in memory of loved ones.
Actress Brenda Blethyn officially opened the bed filled with roses donated by hospice supporters and tended by the Westcliffe Conservation and Community Association.
The rose to remember opening was the result of A Rose to Remember project, launched in late 2011, to enable people to have the opportunity of buying a white rose in memory of a loved one.
The site is looked after by volunteers from The Westcliff Rose Garden group. They meet on a Monday afternoon 1:30pm, all tools provided, new volunteers welcome.