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Pinecliff Gardens, Canford Cliffs

Updated June 2009

Wildlife Sculpture Trail and Schools’ Art Project

The cliffs between Pinecliff Gardens and the promenade at Canford Cliffs act as a safe corridor for specialist heathland creatures, such as sand lizards, but the wildlife to be seen in the gardens has recently become a lot more playful.

On Thursday 7th May 2009, Leisure Services unveiled a new wildlife play sculpture trail with the help of pupils from Lilliput First School who named each of them and also planted woodland flowers in the area, including bluebells and daffodils.

The life-like robust structures are carved in wood with smooth surfaces, and include a giant green tiger beetle and a 16 foot long sand lizard.

Bottlenose dolphins may occasionally be seen from our coast, and overlooking Branksome Chine there are a pair of life-size ones.

Wood ants are present in the woodland, and now they are represented along the trail. Wood ants create impressive homes and local construction company, Quantum Homes, made a generous contribution to this sculpture.

We have also installed information panels about the wildlife featured along the trail.

The Art Project

At an event at Branksome Dene Community Room, with the help of local artists Maria Burns and Helen Ward, pupils from St. Edward’s and Parkstone Schools painted individual quarry tiles featuring heathland and woodland scenes based on original designs by Maria.

Quarry tile art laid at Pinecliff's sunken garden

School pupils helped assemble the tiles at Pinecliff’s sunken garden.

A shelter, overlooking the sunken garden, now features a beautiful sea mural by Maria Burns. Year 8 maths students from St. Edwards school have designed a puzzle, to exercise the brains of the young and old, which will be painted on the floor of the shelter.

The notice board behind the shelter displays pictures and poems by school groups visiting the area.

David Price explains the maths puzzle on the floor of the shelter overlooking the sunken garden

The latest work to the gardens follows the improvements made to the coast path last year making it much easier for people with pushchairs and wheelchairs.

The footpath was constructed with the help of pupils from Ashdown Technology College, Carter Community, Corfe Hills, Parkstone Grammar, St. Edwards and Victoria Education Centre, who designed patterns to represent the six British reptiles, all of which are found locally.   These were then reproduced on coloured block-pavers, donated by Keyline Builders' Merchants.

Click on images to enlarge them:

Unveiling the sculptures

The official unveiling, 7th May 2009

The wood ant (click to enlarge)

"Tug" the wood ant

The green tiger beetle (click to enlarge)

"Beauty" the green tiger beetle

Two bottlenose dolphins (click to enlarge)

"Dolly" and "Olly" the two bottlenose dolphins

The sand lizard (click to enlarge)

"Sandy" the sand lizard

The cliff top walk before local school pupils block paved it
The cliff top footpath before local school pupils helped improve it
Block paved art Block paved art

Project information

  • Budget: £60,000

  • Funding: Planning Obligations (£35,000 Canford Cliffs & £25,000 Penn Hill Wards) plus local sponsorship & donation

  • Wildlife sculptures by Andrew Frost

  • Quarry tile and sea mural artwork by Maria Burns

  • Lead Officer David Price  .  Email David


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