Llanishen Park

Historically Llanishen Park consisted of a woodland area, a nursery operated by the Parks Service and the North Llanishen Recreation Ground. These three areas are shown on Ordnance Survey maps from the 1960s to the 1980s.

In 1958 it was reported that approval from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government had been received for a proposal to layout the North Llanishen Recreation Ground at a cost of £5,074.^[1]

The Llanishen nursery grew trees and shrubs, including roses, for Cardiff's parks, and they were budded and grafted as necessary. In its heyday the nursery would also grow trees for planting as street trees, but later it became a holding ground to receive bought-in items. There were four staff, reduced to three in the 1980s when the nursery was reduced to its holding ground function. The nursery foreman was Trevor Pascoe. There were two buildings in the nursery, both old and in poor condition in the 1980s, a messroom and a small office.^[2]The nursery closed in the late 1980s and the deliveries of trees and shrubs were transferred to the Bute Park nursery.

The 1990s OS map shows a play area where the nursery was.

In 1987 a three-year rolling programme was approved for the ornamental development of the former nursery area, to include a main access road and car park, a play area, footpaths and seating, as well as planting of indigenous and ornamental species and bulbs and bedding near the entrance. Approval followed for a woodland improvement scheme for footpaths, woodland glades, picnic areas, and an area for nature study. It was reported in June 1987 that some of this work was in progress, and also that a £K30 grant had been obtained from the Football Trust for the development of three playing pitches at Llanishen Park.^[3] A sports field drainage scheme was installed, and new changing rooms were also provided, built on the site of the demolished nursery buildings, and completed by 1993.^[4}

The woodland covers an area of 12.55 acres (5.08 ha).^[5}