Portsmouth is celebrating after four of its parks and gardens were awarded the prestigious Green Flag Award, the international quality mark for well-managed parks and green spaces.
Baffins Pond, Milton Park, Southsea Rock Garden and Victoria Park have all received the award, recognising the care, planning and dedication that goes into keeping these much-loved spaces welcoming, accessible and enjoyable for residents and visitors.
The awards come as the Green Flag Award celebrates its 30th year. The scheme recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces and sets the benchmark standard for green space management in the UK and around the world.
Cllr Lee Hunt, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Leisure and Sport, said:
“Portsmouth’s parks and green spaces play such an important role in everyday life. They give people places to walk, meet, play, volunteer, enjoy nature and take time out, right in the heart of their communities.
“We’re delighted that Baffins Pond, Milton Park, Southsea Rock Garden and Victoria Park have received Green Flag Awards. Each of these spaces is different, but they all show the value of caring for Portsmouth’s green spaces and making sure they remain welcoming places for local people and visitors.
“I’d like to thank our parks teams, volunteers, friends groups and everyone who helps look after these special places throughout the year.”
Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, said:
“Parks are essential public spaces that support our wellbeing, our communities and our economy. Yet for millions of people, particularly in the most deprived areas, local parks simply don’t feel safe or welcoming.
“With public services under pressure, investing in parks is not a luxury, it’s a practical, preventative solution and one of the most visible ways to improve people’s quality of life.
“Portsmouth City Council has shown what can be achieved when parks are properly supported and managed. As we celebrate 30 years of the Green Flag Award, we want every community to have access to green spaces like this that are safe, welcoming and maintained to a high standard. Congratulations to everyone involved.”
Each of Portsmouth’s winning sites has its own distinct character:
Baffins Pond is a well-known and much-loved park in the heart of Portsmouth, combining natural wildlife features with the feel of a more formal city park. Its large pond supports a wide range of flora and fauna, while Tangier Field provides important winter habitat for protected Brent Geese visiting the Solent area.
Milton Park is a neighbourhood park in a built-up residential area, offering sporting, social and cultural facilities. It also reflects the area’s farming past through its locally listed thatched barn, described by Hampshire Garden Trust Research as reputedly the only thatched building in Portsmouth.
Southsea Rock Garden is a popular and sheltered seafront garden, with 1.35 hectares of landscaped ornamental parkland and a history dating back to the 1920s. The gardens are known for their horticultural variety, tranquil character, ponds, wildlife and biodiversity, with the Friends of Southsea Rock Garden supporting a nature rubbing trail to help visitors discover more about pollinators and local wildlife.
Victoria Park, Portsmouth’s first public park, opened on 25 May 1878 and remains a quiet green space in the heart of the city. The park includes established flower borders and trees, children’s play areas, historic monuments and an aviary, and has benefited from £2.9 million of investment to improve facilities, restore features and support its role as a community space.
The Green Flag Award scheme is managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under contract from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter, and awards are given annually, with winners applying each year to renew their status.
