The Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park is a
park
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. ...
in South
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...
,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...
, covering almost and is accessible from the Upper Malone Road.
It includes meadows, woodland, riverside fields, formal
rose
A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be e ...
gardens, a walled garden and a
Japanese garden
are traditional gardens whose designs are accompanied by Japanese aesthetics and philosophical ideas, avoid artificial ornamentation, and highlight the natural landscape. Plants and worn, aged materials are generally used by Japanese garden desig ...
, as well as a children's playground, coffee shop, an
orienteering
Orienteering is a group of sports that require navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a s ...
course and many walks.
It is owned and maintained by
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste) is the local authority with responsibility for part of the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of (), the l ...
's Parks and Cemeteries Services Section.
On 14 July 2010, the park hosted annual International Rose Trials, the highlight of Rose Week, involving judges from around the world.
History
The park was bequeathed to the people of Belfast in 1959 by
Lady Edith Stewart Dixon and was dedicated to the memory of her husband, the late
Sir Thomas Dixon.
The first roses were planted in 1964 and the Trial roses were judged for the first time in summer 1965. A permanent panel of judges is provided by the Rose Society of Northern Ireland, formed by
Craig Wallace in 1964.
Gallery
Image:Japanese garden Lady Dixon Park.jpg, Japanese garden, 2002
Image:Dixon-Park-01.JPG, Shady pond, 2006
Image:Dixon-Park-05.JPG, Rose Garden, 2006
Image:Dixon-Park-04.JPG, Meadow and woodland, 2006
Image:Rose in Dixon Park Belfast.jpg, Rose in International Rose Week 2006
References
Further reading
*Scott, Robert 2004. ''Wild Belfast on safari in the city.'' The Blackstaff Press Belfast.
External links
Virtual Visit – Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon ParkWalk NI guide to Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sir Thomas And Lady Dixon Park
Gardens in Belfast
Parks in Belfast
Japanese gardens
Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest