Plasturton Gardens

Plasturton Gardens was one of several "town square gardens" created by the Bute Estate at the same time as housing development. These gardens were conveyed to the Cardiff Corporation on December 28th 1889, and they were opened to the public the following spring. At nearly three quarters of an acre in area, Plasturton Gardens was one of the larger town square gardens.

There were no bowling greens or tennis courts at Plasturton Gardens, but walks and flower beds were created, following a request from local residents. To avoid the space becoming a playground for unruly children, a deputation suggested to the Parks Committee that "the gardens, instead of being one continuous grass plot, as at present, should be broken up into small flower-beds and grass walks"^[1]. A caretaker was appointed in July 1890^[2] and a shelter/toolshed for the caretaker was built in the autumn of 1891.^[3]

A description of Plasturton Gardens was given in the Evening Express in a special edition marking the opening of Roath Park on June 20th 1894:

"Plasturton Gardens are about one acre in extent, and are situated between King's-road and Cathedral-road, Canton. The grounds are probably the prettiest in Cardiff, and a notable circumstance connected with their history is that the inhabitants of the houses in the vicinity defrayed the cost of beautifying what was previously only a plot of greensward, relieved here and there by a few shrubs. Since the corporation took the space over it has been greatly developed, and the gardens now possess the largest and greatest number of beds of any of the open spaces in the town. There is always something to be admired there spring, summer, or winter."^[4]

The Royal Photographic Company London (postmarked 1910)

Plasturton Gardens April 2014

The Parks Department Inventory of Parks Buildings and Equipment, compiled for insurance purposes in April 1938, included the following information for Plasturton Gardens:

1938 Buildings and Equipment Inventory: Plasturton Gardens
Caretakers Shelter
Tool Shed

During the 1939-45 war there was a static water supply basin in Plasturton Gardens for the use of the Fire Service.^[5] By May 1946 this had been removed: the Director of Parks reported to the Parks Committee that all emergency water supply basins had been removed and he had made a claim for restoration of the sites to their original condition.^[6]

The present day Plasturton Gardens is bordered by Plasturton Avenue and Plasturton Place, and remains a small public open space. The original caretaker's shelter is still present.