Friends of Preston Park

A year ago, in January 2025, Phase 2 of the refurbishment of the Rose Garden started with 250 new roses replacing the old and ailing ones on the west and east outer beds. In November 2025 the two central round beds were replanted, and we added the new rose, the King’s Rose, to the Rosemoor bed by the pond. The replanting was made possible owing to the generosity of David Austin Roses, the rose grower, who donated the roses, as well as fertiliser two years running. FoPP purchased the King’s Rose and Buckingham Rose Soil from Bury Hill Landscape Supplies in Horsham. 

The volunteers were treated to two complementary David Austin Roses pruning workshops, where they also gleaned many pieces of advice on how to look after shrub roses all year long.

Looking after hundreds of roses is a mammoth task and volunteers meet every Tuesday to weed, deadhead, prune, edge, and fertilise according to the season. We are also greatly helped by our Rangers who bring in their team of volunteers, as well as companies and schools who organise volunteering days for their staff and pupils. Our resident CityParks groundsmen are always happy to give a helping hand, especially when we have to dig clay and chalk for planting. 

We started pruning in December 2025 and once pruning is over, feeding and mulching the Rose Garden in Spring is our next big task. Mulch will slow down weed growth, lock the moisture in the soil and help the roses thrive. FoPP will supply the mulch.

Preston Park Rose Garden is one of the largest public rose gardens left in the country and its survival is only due to the relentless work of the volunteers who look after it all year round and the generosity of David Austin Roses. It is a much-loved place by the residents and visitors who enjoy the beauty of the blooms and scent and it has been awarded Level 5 Outstanding by South and Southeast in Bloom in September 2025.

So, why not joining our dedicated team of volunteers on Tuesdays 10-1pm. No gardening knowledge needed, just a pair of gloves and an urge to help us maintain this beautiful community space.

NB Residents may have noticed that the Community Book Swap Box has been removed from the Rose Garden. This is due to continual vandalism. We now have a book swap bookcase in the Rotunda Café. We are hoping to put a box back in the Rose Garden at a later date in the new year.

Thank you to those who came along to the FoPP AGM. See below the minutes, report and financial accounts.

Saturday 13 December 2025 17.00 – 18.00    Outside at the Rotunda Café

Residents are invited to join FoPP and a local professional choir for an hour of early evening outdoor carol singing on the terrace of the Rotunda Café. Singing by candlelight is a magical experience and we encourage residents to bring their own candle in a safety jar. Please note that all children must be supervised by a responsible adult.

The café will be open for the purchase of refreshments during the event.

Please note that we will be singing outside and to dress appropriately. The Rotunda Café terrace is wheelchair accessible.

When paying please add your name and the event title in the payment reference. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a local charity. Thank you.    

Saturday 6 December 2025 9.00 – 15.00    Outside at The Rockery

FoPP will be celebrating the season with its annual wreathmaking sessions this December. Please sign up and pay via the FoPP website for one of three, 45 minute slots during which you will be provided with a variety of pre-cut greenery in which to make your seasonal wreath. Help will also be on hand to advise. If you wish to bring your own secateurs, please do as well as any other bits to add to your own wreath.

Please note that the sessions are outside and dress appropriately. Also, we apologise that The Rockery is not wheelchair accessible, but we can prepare a bag of goodies for you to take home to make instead, if you wish.

When paying please add your name and the event title in the payment reference. Thank you. 

Preston Park have once again done very well in the South & South East in Bloom (SSEiB) competition results for 2025. Friends of Preston Park (FoPP) entered the Rose Garden in the In Your Neighbourhood category and the Rockery in the Small Parks category.  

This is the second year of entry for the Rose Garden and the hard work of all the volunteers, CityParks workers, gardeners and rangers, paid off with a successful jump from Level 4 to Level 5. This is classed as Outstanding, and we couldn’t be prouder! Volunteers Chris Such and Anne Halifax went along to collect our precious award. 

Meanwhile, the Rockery has had success in this competition before, but with a significant break, it is amazing news to notify residents that the garden was awarded Silver Gilt in what is a stiff competition. Gardener Andy Jeavons and Hugh Johnson, a dedicated volunteer, were on hand to proudly receive the new award.

 Additionally, the Stanford and Cleveland Community Garden, based on the corner of Cleveland Road was also presented a Level 5 (Outstanding) award for their fantastic community garden, also maintained by volunteers. Debbie Pryor and Sue Lacey , who also volunteers in the Preston Park Rose Garden, received their award.

The SSEiB awards ceremony was held in the Garden Room at RHS Gardens Wisley and was a fantastic opportunity for those attending to admire the beauty and passion of the wonderful gardens there. 

We encourage all our members and residents to take a visit and see what you think of all the vital hard work to keep these much-loved green urban spaces within our city looking so good. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer or a member should contact FoPP via our website. 

The pond outside the Rotunda Café will be undergoing some essential maintenance. This will include rendering the base to stop water leaking out, clearing out vegetation, reinstating the brick floral beds & re-planting the vegetation. For the work to be completed the water supply will be switched off to allow the water level to drop down. All the removed vegetation will be stored on site to allow any amphibian life to move on safely into alternative winter habitats. The timing of this operation has been carefully considered in conjunction with ecologists and CityParks. It is hoped that all work will be complete before our amphibian friends begin their return to the pond. If you have further questions, please contact us through the FoPP website. Thank you.

Ex FoPP Chair, Sue Shepherd came along to Preston Park last week to meet many new and old residents, eager to hear what Sue knows about Preston Park before it even became the park we know and love! Did you know it was once called Brighton Park?

Starting off at the Rotunda Café Sue explained why the area became such a key and sort out place that people wanted to live in – it had a vital water source and was thought a good place to grow food.

Following on from amongst others, the Saxons, the Romans also made an appearance, but it wasn’t until the 18th and 19th centuries that the land that we now recognise, became more apparent. Walking around the park using old drawings, photos and even posters to re-imagine the people of old was very entertaining. Tales of chewing gum, polo ponies and tanks mingled with park refurbishment and women’s toilets show the diversity of the walk. Sue has quite a way of delivering this information and we hope everyone who came enjoyed themselves.

For anyone who missed it, we hope that Sue will return next year for another re-run. .The FoPP only have two more events this year, one of which is our wreathmaking on Saturday, 6 December. Please pay via our website and choose a slot to attend.

On Saturday, 13 December we have Candlelight Christmas Carols outside the Rotunda Café. Please sign up and a proportion of this money will be donated to a local charity.

Date and time: Friday 17 November at 5pm

Location: Knoyle Hall, BN16RB

Brighton & Hove City Council would like to hear your constructive feedback on events held in outdoor public spaces. Residents are welcome to join an open conversation about what the community would and wouldn’t like to see, and how events can work in harmony with the local area. This meeting continues discussions from previous sessions and provides another opportunity for people to share feedback, ideas, suggestions, or concerns.

Review & feedback from past events

• Pride in the Park (2 & 3 August)
• Magic of Thailand (16-17 August)

Upcoming events

• Coles fireworks (2 November)

New Outdoor Events Strategy

Q&As

Any other business