Description
Once the site of a private house with a formal garden and walled kitchen garden, it was later given to Hayes & Harlington UDC and in 1961 it was established as Hayes Botanic Garden. It was extended in 1990 and renamed The Norman Leddy Memorial Garden in the 1990s, after Hillingdon's former Assistant Director of Parks who died in 1993. The garden has a fine collection of exotic trees and shrubs, with a pond, bog garden and woodland.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Hayes Botanic Garden; Wood End Grounds |
|---|---|
| Site location | Wood End Road, Hayes |
| Postcode | UB3 2UF |
| What3Words | ///still.skinny.mining |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Hillingdon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 10am - 4pm |
| Public Transport | Tube: Uxbridge (Piccadilly, Metropolitan) then bus. Rail: Hayes & Harlington then bus. Bus: 207, 607, H98, U7. |
| Research Updated | 1 January 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
This was originally the site of Wood End House, which by 1814 according to Hayes Enclosure Award Map comprised a 'dwelling house, office, stable yard and pleasure grounds'. The 3-storey house was later extended with first a west portion of four storeys and later a north wing. The cottage next to the house might have been the original stables. There was a walled fruit and vegetable garden on the west. In the early C20th the property was used as a private nursing home. The remains of the old garden wall of Wood End House is now in the public open space on the west side of Grange Road, which was re-aligned and on the east side of Grange Road is a black mulberry. The gateway entrance remains just outside the south-west corner of the public gardens.
When the nursing home closed, in the late 1950s the house and grounds, much neglected, were acquired by Hayes and Harlington UDC. The grounds were converted to a botanical garden and the Council plant nursery was established in the old walled kitchen garden. The house was used as the Parks Department headquarters until 1960 but declared unsafe, the house was demolished in 1961. The former walled fruit and vegetable garden was lost to road improvements in 1975. Hayes Botanic Garden was created with the intention of having a representative selection of plants that would grow well in the soil and air of Hayes and to be both educational as well as interesting. Dead, diseased and unsuitable trees and other plants were removed and it was laid out with a collection of specimen trees and shrubs in a series of garden areas (wild, bog, herbaceous, pond etc.) with lawns and herbaceous borders. A magnolia was donated in 1961 by the RHS as a gift at the opening and other specimen trees include a tulip tree, sweet gum, Judas tree and pagoda tree, thought to have been the inspiration of the 'Willow' pattern on Chinese plates. The garden in the north-west corner is on the site of the original conservatory and has roses, lavenders and other climbers. The Water Garden has a massive Gunnera Manicata. Adjacent to the garden is the Beck Theatre with a water feature between the garden and the theatre; the car park beyond has some good trees, including catalpa. The Friends of Norman Leddy Gardens was established in 2005.
When the nursing home closed, in the late 1950s the house and grounds, much neglected, were acquired by Hayes and Harlington UDC. The grounds were converted to a botanical garden and the Council plant nursery was established in the old walled kitchen garden. The house was used as the Parks Department headquarters until 1960 but declared unsafe, the house was demolished in 1961. The former walled fruit and vegetable garden was lost to road improvements in 1975. Hayes Botanic Garden was created with the intention of having a representative selection of plants that would grow well in the soil and air of Hayes and to be both educational as well as interesting. Dead, diseased and unsuitable trees and other plants were removed and it was laid out with a collection of specimen trees and shrubs in a series of garden areas (wild, bog, herbaceous, pond etc.) with lawns and herbaceous borders. A magnolia was donated in 1961 by the RHS as a gift at the opening and other specimen trees include a tulip tree, sweet gum, Judas tree and pagoda tree, thought to have been the inspiration of the 'Willow' pattern on Chinese plates. The garden in the north-west corner is on the site of the original conservatory and has roses, lavenders and other climbers. The Water Garden has a massive Gunnera Manicata. Adjacent to the garden is the Beck Theatre with a water feature between the garden and the theatre; the car park beyond has some good trees, including catalpa. The Friends of Norman Leddy Gardens was established in 2005.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ096813 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 1.62 |
| Site Ownership | LB Hillingdon |
| Site Management | Green Spaces Team; Friends of Norman Leddy Gardens |
| Dates | 1961, 1990s |
| Listed Structures | Locally listed: C17th wall on Grange Road |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Hillingdon |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Hayes Village |
| Tree Preservation Order | Yes |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
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