The following stories are told by some of those who visit and love Marie Louise Gardens...
"There are several trees that produce fruit in the park. When the children were young, I used to send them to find chestnuts and they always collected masses of inedible ones. I have to compete with the squirrels to get there first."
"What I find interesting is that because of the installation of the sundial, people started to tend the area around it. These projects are often a catalyst for positive change that extend beyond the scope of the project."
"The park is so special as it’s one of the only green spaces in this part of Didsbury and it’s not a park as such but a garden. It feels like a safe place for children to play and not intimidating."
"It’s a contemplative space. The energy is much calmer than some of the other parks and that feeds the sort of people that use it."
"It feels like somebody’s garden so the vibe has always been different. It’s a good place for thinking and solving problems."
"I find that my dog, Shorty, always gets people playing. The amount of people who I’ve seen here who appear to be in a bad place and she’s got them laughing and playing. Shorty was an explosives search dog but she got sacked because she kept fetching."
"This park is most beautiful especially when it’s a full moon and it's snowed. The whole park is silver it's absolutely magical. On one such night I came in to the park around midnight, it was covered in a blanket of untouched snow ..."
"... When I got into the park I could hear music and see fairy lights in the middle of the park where there was a patio table with two chairs and a charcoal burner. There was a woman with a shawl and a long evening dress and a man wearing a black tie and tails. He was cooking her dinner with champagne, it was absolutely beautiful and very romantic."
"The old people that use the park get a sense of community. One lady got flooded recently and four or five people from the park went to clear out the flat and help her out."
"If you are happy there is always somebody to share that with and if you are sad, there's always somebody to pick you up. Everybody seems to be concerned about everybody else."