To report general maintenance, litter, acts of vandalism in The Seafront Gardens please contact:
East Suffolk Norse (responsible for the ongoing maintenance of The Seafront Gardens).
Tel: 0345 040 2020. Email: ESN.info@ncsgrp.co.uk
Walking along the promenade, you’ll come across the newly restored Seafront Gardens that sit on cliffs between the town centre and beach.
The eight Grade II listed gardens are of significant historic interest and give the town its title, “The Garden Resort of East Anglia”. These beautiful landscaped and sumptuously planted gardens were created a hundred years ago, as a result of the popularity and fashion in late Victorian times for visiting coastal locations, in pursuit of improved health and relaxation.
The natural springs occurring along the cliffs, together with the proximity to the beach, encouraged this site to be developed as a pleasure ground around a pump room for people to take the spa waters. Today the interconnecting gardens stretch
for almost a kilometre along the promenade, with a significant proportion of original planting still surviving and the original path layout little altered.
Take time to wander through the gardens on the ‘Heritage Trail’ and uncover the many historical features, structures, colourful and unusual planting.
Explore all eight gardens: Town Hall Gardens and the South Cliff Shelter; Pram Walk; Ivy Terrace and the Ranelagh Steps; Spa Pavilion approach, the Wishing Well and Dripping Pond; Pavilion Terrace; Serpentine Steps and the Round and Octagonal Shelters; Rose Garden; Cliff House Garden and the Arch Cascade.
Look out for our spectacular seasonal displays throughout the year.
From bluebells, crocuses and daffodils in Spring, to the blooms of Summer… roses, fuchsias, lavender and waterlillies. In Autumn and Winter, enjoy the changing colours of the trees and shrubs, alongside bright-red berries and snowdrops.
Download The Seafront Gardens map or view The Seafront Gardens Heritage Trail.
The Seafront Gardens was awarded the prestigious Green Flag Award and Green Heritage Site Accreditation in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
If you are interested in horticulture, community involvement, meeting like-minded people and willing to help, then why not join the fun and sociable ‘Friends of Felixstowe Seafront Gardens’.
Friends help out in many different ways: practical gardening; improving the provision and future development of the gardens; promoting high standards of management and maintenance; promoting the history/heritage of the site; ensuring the gardens remain a valuable community asset.
So why not get involved… whatever time you can spare, however great or small, it makes a valuable contribution and is appreciated.
The Friends meet all year round, weekly on a Wednesday at 1000. For further information, please email: sfgvolunteers@gmail.com
View our Friends of Felixstowe Seafront Gardens’ leaflet.