Clare Gardens
Clare Gardens in Riverside was one of the "town square gardens" created by the Bute Estate while developing land for housing. These were conveyed to the Cardiff Corporation on December 28th 1889 and opened to the public the following spring. Clare Gardens was among the smallest of these gardens, a triangular plot opposite the much larger Despenser Gardens, and like Despenser Gardens, its name was derived from one of the Bute family's predecessors as lord of Cardiff Castle.
A description of Clare and Despenser Gardens was given in the Evening Express in a special edition marking the opening of Roath Park on June 20th 1894:
"These ornamental grounds intersect Clare-street, Canton and are about an acre and a third in size. They are laid out with flower beds, and are a great resort of juveniles. By-and-bye these gardens will afford excellent opportunities for young people desirous of becoming acquainted with the names of the commoner plants."[1]
The "Temple" Real Photo Series E. J. & Co., Ltd., Cardiff (postmarked 1911)
Sources of Information
In general, the information in this section is taken from A. A. Pettigrew. The Public Parks and Recreation Grounds of Cardiff. Volume 2, Chapter on Town Square Gardens
Other sources are:
- Evening Express 20th June 1894 (Special Edition) page 4