06/07/2023
The UK Minister of State for Northern Ireland, Steve Baker MP, visited the Coronation Garden at Hazelbank Park yesterday
The show–stopping garden designed by Diarmuid Gavin for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, has already attracted well over 60,000 visitors since the royal couple officially opened the garden on Wednesday 24 May 2023.
The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Mark Cooper BEM, was joined by the Chief Executive of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Mrs Jacqui Dixon MBE, giving the Minister of State a tour of the ‘Crowning Glory’. The Coronation Garden is made up of a three storey pavilion in classical architecture style topped with a crown and a glitter ball – to appeal to the King’s ‘whimsical’ sense of humour. The floral tapestry is planted in a pollinator friendly and sustainable way and includes ‘dancing’ topiaries and spinning conical trees that move every 15 minutes to the tune of either Pure Imagination from the Charlie and The Chocolate Factory film or Morecambe and Wise’s Give Me Sunshine.
The Coronation Garden which received £101,395 funding from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, is just one of a number of projects the Council is undertaking as part of their Botanical Borough initiative which will see parts of the Borough from Belfast Lough to Lough Neagh transformed into a Botanical Garden.
Speaking on his recent visit the Minister said;
“This fantastic garden is a real boost for the Newtownabbey area, demonstrating levelling up in action by creating a unique attraction sure to draw visitors from far and wide. This is a wonderful legacy of the Coronation which will be enjoyed for generations to come.”
The Mayor added;
“It was great to welcome Minister Baker to our Borough and showcase our latest visitor attraction which has welcomed visitors from across Northern Ireland and beyond. The Council is fully committed to creating a sustainable Borough for our residents and the Coronation Garden is just one of the many projects lined up to transform our Borough, creating great health benefits for our residents, realising the potential of people and nature working together and creating something truly remarkable.”
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