Cannizaro Park
Address
West Side Common, Wimbledon, London SW19 4UE
About
Cannizaro Park, with a history dating back to its years as part of the Duke of Cannizaro’s Estate and its transition to a public Park when Merton Borough Council adopted it in 1949, is a well loved and popular green space.
Its Grade II listed status is due to some of the rare and exquisite plants around the park. It has some superb trees and shrubs, which are attractive to both the horticulturalists and the gardeners as well as those who visit; come for a walk or a picnic or simply to find some peace and quiet.
Cannizaro covers some 35 acres of open land on the edge of Wimbledon Common and was a private garden for about 300 years. It is only in the last 60 years has the land been open to the public.
Based around a small valley the Park has a large variety of green areas from wide open lawns to small intimate areas such as the Herb garden and tennis court garden and lovely leisurely walks through the woodlands. Formal areas have been developed with the sunken garden next to the Hotel and the Italian Garden down near the pond expressing the changing face of garden design through the years.
The design of the Park has evolved over the centuries but the plants remain the stars of the show. In the late 19th and first half of the 20th century trees and shrubs from around the world were brought to Cannizaro.