Студопедия — Parks in Great Britain
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Parks in Great Britain






The British are very fond of the countryside. The Scots are proud of their magnificent landscapes, the Irish are in love with their emerald isle, the Welsh are enchanted by Snowdonia, the English enjoy their cozy and nostalgic rural views with hedges and thatched cottages. In other words love of the countryside is a most striking aspect of British culture. As a nation, the British have made a mental retreat from the urban environment, That is why gardening is a common hobby in Britain, it is even shared by some members of the Royal family for example Queen Mother was fond of gardening and so is her grandson Charles. The British parks and gardens are famous all over the world. They look simple and natural though there is much work and much thought beyond this illusionary simplicity.

The most famous parks can be found in London. They are welcome retreats from the bustle of the huge city. In their grassy quietness you forget that you are in an industrial, modern city.

Regent's Park, designed by John Nash, is located in North West London. Regents Park is another of London's 'lungs', being a vast green space (487 acres), which provides a welcome break from the fast-paced, hectic city life. It is an orderly and elegant stretch of green space. This large central London royal park is a beautiful place to spend a hot afternoon, offering impressive floral displays, fountains and secluded walks. At the southern end of Regents Park are Queen Mary's Gardens, which are frequently visited by Londoners and are probably the most beautifully laid out gardens in London, with hedging, flowerbeds, fountains and whose fabulous rose gardens rival the very best. In the Northern part of Regent’s Park you can find London Zoo with over 12.000 animals. In summer Shakespeare's plays and musicals are performed in the open-air theatre, which is in Regent's Park.

The most famous of London parks is Hyde Park. Once the manor of Hyde, a part of the old Westminster Abbey property, it became a deer park under Henry VIII. A Royal Park since 1536 it was open to the public in 1637. Races were held there in the 17th cent. In 1730, Queen Caroline had the artificial lake, the Serpentine, constructed. It curves diagonally through Hyde Park; in Kensington Gardens the lake is called the Long Water. This is one of the numerous English landscape parks. It was planned by the gardener Bridgman in the XVIII century. The Serpentine Lake is popular for boating, sailing and even bathing. To the south of the Serpentine runs Rotten Row, the fashionable riding track through the park. It is from the Serpentine lake that the famous London to Brighton veteran cars rally starts. At the Speakers' Corner at Marble Arch you can hear Briton's exercise their right to free speech. There may be a dozen or more at any one time, each standing on a soap box, and spouting (usually) controversial views, strongly held on any topic you can think of - religion, politics, fox hunting, trade unions, Europe, tourists.

Green Park is known since the second half of the XVII century. It stretches along the street of Piccadilly. In front of Buckingham Palace and St James's, Green Park is popular with guests of Mayfair hotels as a place for their morning jog. Green Park is a natural expanse of grass and trees, hence the name. Once the site of a leper hospice, this was long a favoured duelling ground and also the location for numerous balloon ascents and firework displays. Opposite 119 Piccadilly, you will see a mound, which was once an ice house where Charles II's summer drinks were chilled.

St. James Park was laid out by John Nash and is famous for rare birds that live on the lake. Among them are pelicans from Russia. They were brought to England in 1664. Being one of the most central parks in London, with Westminster at one corner, Trafalgar Square at another and offering tree-framed views of Buckingham Palace at the third, St. James Park is one of the busiest and most-loved parks in London. It is along Birdcage Walk, at the edge of St. James Park that the Horseguards parade daily. Between the tourists that flock to see Buckingham and Westminster and the business people that flock from their offices to the green, St. James Park is rarely quiet.

Kensington Gardens, designed by Charles Bridgman is to the West of the Hyde Park and leads to Kensington Palace. Ch. Bridgman became Royal Gardener in 1728.This was one of the earliest English landscape gardens. The favourite place of many monarchs and ordinary people has been the Sunken Garden. The gardens were opened to the public in George II’s time, but only on Saturdays, when the court moved out to Richmond.

Holland Park is a park in the West End. Holland House used to be the place of meetings for the Whigs and their supporters in the XVII - XVIII centuries. Now there is a youth hostel. One wing of the Hostel is a former Jacobean mansion built on the edge of the park adjacent to the open air theatre. Just off Kensington High Street, the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Palace and the main museums are all in walking distance.

Richmond Park is the largest municipal park in Great Britain in the desirable suburb of Richmond. Covering 1000 hectares it is one of London's finest and wildest parks. Driving in a car through the park you can enjoy the view of reindeer peacefully grazing The park was enclosed in 1637, by Charles I, to become a deer park, numbers of red and fallow deer still roam around, and more elusive badgers and foxes. Attractive features of the park include the Prince Charles Spinney, the Isabella Plantations and the White Lodge, where Edward VIII was born.

Kew Gardens is the largest and the most important Royal Botanical Garden in West London. It contains plants and trees from all over the world. Princess of Wales Conservatory presents ten different climates controlled by computers in the hothouses. Kew Gardens was laid out in the 18th century. Many royal tea parties were held in the pretty Queen’s Cottage, which was built for Queen Charlotte in 1771. It is rather grand for a summerhouse, having two stories and a thatched roof, but its charm certainly appealed to Queen Victoria. She gave both the Gardens in 1841, and the Cottage to the nation. In spring snowdrops are soon followed by daffodils (Narcissus). These beautiful bulbs can be seen throughout Kew but they are at their most dramatic where they create two golden ribbons along both sides of the Broadwalk, between The Orangery and the Palm House. One of Kew’s best known spring highlights is the Crocus carpet near Victoria Gate. The Palm House is a world famous tropical glasshouse.

Other highlights of Kew are: Temperate House - the largest glasshouse at Kew, housing the world’s biggest indoor plant, volution House - Dramatic landscape showing how plants have evolved and many other wonders of gardening.

Battersea Park is a riverside area and one of London's great nineteenth century public parks. It was laid out between 1846 and 1864 by James Pennethorne and John Gibson. Opened in 1858 it was favoured by cyclists, and hosted the 1951 Festival of Britain Pleasure Gardens (design by James Gardener) were laid out in Battersea Park and the fountains survive. There is a Peace Pavilion beside the River Thames. Battersea retains many typically Victorian park features including a serpentine carriage drive, a formal avenue, an irregular lake, flower gardens and shrubberies. There is also a children's zoo (open from Easter to October), a garden especially designed for wheelchair users and a Peace Pagoda depicting the life of Buddha. Boats can be hired to get around the small lake and there's a mile long running track. Funfairs are usually held here over public holidays.

Chelsea Physic Garden is one of the oldest botanic gardens in Europe and the only one to retain the name "Physic" after the old name for the healing arts. Herbs have been grown there for many years. It is situated not far from Sloane Square.

Each May horticulturists and garden lovers from all over the world are attracted to London by the famous Chelsea Flower Show – the Spring Show of the Royal Horticultural Society.

In Britain there is the National Trust, which owns or manages hundreds of country estates, stretches of countryside and country houses. The trust exists for over a century and is doing a lot for the preservation of the countryside.

 

Task 5. Check yourself questions:

1. Why do you think sport is so popular in Britain?

2. In what educational institutions did team games mostly develop?

3. The popularity of which sports depend on Television?

4. Which team game is played exclusively within the Commonwealth of Nations?

5. What is England’s main steeplechase?

6. What do you know about the Royal Ascot?

7. What games are popular in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

8. Enumerate English traditional kinds of food.

9. Part of which meal are toasts and marmalade?

10. What is ‘the traditional English breakfast’ like?

11. What kinds of food are associated with Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland?

12. What measures help to promote the use of Welsh products in UK?

13. What can you say about the drinking habits in UK?

14. Which is one of the most popular English hobbies?

15. Why are parks and gardens so dear to the British heart?

 

 







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