Grovelands is a maintained ornamental garden, which occupies the
south east corner of Musgrave Park. It contains a listed building
which was built in the 1860s to the designs of William Barre, the
architect of the Albert Memorial clock. Established in 1974 as a
site for training horticultural apprentices, it contains areas of
formal bedding, herbaceous borders, heather and conifer beds,
shrubs and trees. The training scheme no longer operates but the
gardens are still worth a visit. The site is very popular for
wedding photography.
Musgrave Park was presented as a gift to the city by Henry
Musgrave, who lived at the nearby Drumglass House. The park was
opened to the public in 1920, having been landscaped under a scheme
providing work for unemployed labourers. At one time there was a
pond in the lower part of the park, but this was filled in after
the end of World War II. At the present time it comprises grassed
areas, with copses of trees, tennis courts, a bowling green and
games pitches.
The stone pillar in the middle of the little roundabout is a
former gate post, which was transported from the Shore Road end of
Fortwilliam Park in Belfast during a road widening scheme. The
pillar is engraved with the monogram of James Valentine, the last
owner of Fortwilliam estate.
Parking is available beside the bowling green in Musgrave Park.
The park entrance is at N54° 34.022' W005° 58.488' on the north
side of the main Belfast to Dublin railway line. It can be reached
by following signs for Musgrave Park Hospital off Stockmans Lane,
close to the Lisburn Road junction.