Gunnersbury Park was bathed in glorious sunshine for its official reopening at the weekend following a £50 million makeover.
The 200 acres of parkland was packed with families and sunbathers and there were guided tours of the stunning parklands and feature buildings. There was also a chance to get a first look at the brand new museum inside the large mansion.
The parklands have been re-shaped and sculpted so they look more like they did originally in the 19th century.
This means a variety of changing landscapes from mowed lawns to carefully managed woodland, a glorious wildflower meadow and kitchen gardens, all planted with a huge variety of plants, trees and shrubs.
The effect is a shifting and changing landscape that constantly offers something new to please the senses.
As was the case with many gardens of the 18th and 19th centuries, sudden breaks in the trees and borders and carefully managed tree canopies offer stunning ‘surprise’ views that seem to jump out at you.
This was a very deliberate planning feature which was created to help impress guests. These views have been carefully recreated at Gunnersbury, so you look across the round lake to the classical temple, through the trees across the lawns to the mansion, you get a sudden vista of the orangery.
