Volunteers Help Restore Historic Waterloo Seafront Gardens

A local volunteer group is looking for more people to help look after and improve the seafront gardens in Waterloo.

The Friends of Waterloo Seafront Gardens (FoWSG) dedicate their time to restoring Potters Barn Park and the four coastal spaces: Marine Garden, Crescent Garden, Adelaide Garden, and Beach Lawn. These historic gardens sit within a local conservation area, just a ten-minute walk from Waterloo train station.

Here is a look back at what the group has achieved over the past twelve months.

Clearing Paths and Uncovering History

One of the biggest ongoing tasks is what volunteers fondly call their version of the Forth Bridge: edging miles of footpaths. In Adelaide Garden, it took the team nearly a year of spade work to clear the entire upper pathway loop of overgrown grass and soil. With that wrapped up, they moved straight over to Crescent Garden to begin the process again. 

In Marine Garden, volunteers also uncovered historic crazy paving and stone steps that had been buried under dirt and weeds for years, bringing the gardens’ original character back to light.

Pond Welfare and Winter Planting

Every February, attention turns to the pond at Beach Lawn. Teams braved the mud to clear thick reeds, tidy the two central islands, and scoop out rubbish. To protect local wildlife before the spring breeding season, reed piles were left on the grass for a few days so tiny pond creatures could safely crawl back home.

The gardens have also seen a massive burst of colour. In winter, the team planted around 3,000 bulbs near the Waterloo Rose bed in Potters Barn, alongside thousands of tulip and scilla bulbs in Crescent Garden, ensuring a brilliant display each spring.

Community Backing and How to Join

The Friends are a small charity, but they make a massive difference thanks to local support. Over the year, regulars were joined by pupils from Newfield School and corporate volunteer teams from Crown Commercial Services, the DWP, Graitec UK, the Home Office, and BDO. The group also made its first appearance at the Southport Flower Show, with a display sponsored by Magill’s Nursery.

The volunteers meet four times a month for litter picking and garden maintenance. The sessions are open to absolutely anyone – you do not need to be an expert gardener, and all tools, hot drinks, and biscuits are provided.

Want to get involved?

Their next session takes place on Wednesday 24 June 2026 – Garden Maintenance at 1.00pm meeting in Crescent Garden.

You can also get in touch by emailing contact@fowsg.co.uk or sending a message through their Facebook page.