Ness Botanic Gardens

Located on the Wirral Peninsula, Ness Botanic Gardens was born of one man's passionate interest in plants and his desire to share that interest with others.

Today the commitment to maintain, develop and share the beauty of the gardens that Arthur Kilpin Bulley created over 100 years ago remains.

Arthur Kilpin Bulley, one of the greatest sponsors of plant collectors in the twentieth century, not only laid the foundations of Ness Botanic Gardens but changed the face of British gardening.

Born in 1861, Bulley developed an ardent fascination with plants, particularly the hardier varieties and Alpine species. In 1898, Bulley bought farmland in Ness which he would go on to develop into a house and gardens. The house still exists to this day as Mickwell Brow and now houses office and event spaces.

In 1948, Agnes Lois daughter of Arthur Bulley gifted the entire site to the University of Liverpool, after Arthur passed away peacefully in 1942.

Since inheriting the Ness Botanic Gardens, the University of Liverpool has continued to invest and develop new areas of the site. We are proud to continue the legacy of Arthur Bulley and keep Ness a treasured public space, open to all.

In the current climate, spaces like Ness Botanic Gardens, take on a new significance and we want to be an attraction that can provide a safe and enriching experience for our visitors. In order to keep our gardens pristine and to continue developing we need your help!