ABC Wednesday: V is for Voting

The time has come to vote for the best of Hyde DP 2012.

View the twelve contenders at Best of Hyde 2012 and vote for your favourite three photographs.

Voting closes 12 noon GMT, 28th December 2012.

For ABC Wednesday.

Benches in Hyde Park

Benches around a tree overlooking the Garden of Tranquility. In the background are the toilet block (built 2005) and the Junior Orchard.

Garden of Tranquility

The Garden of Tranquility in Hyde Park is a memorial for those patients who suffered at the hands of Harold Shipman.

The garden includes a granite trickle fountain, designed by Mel Chantry and is surrounded by herbs reclaimed from the old Newton Lodge which once sat on the site.

I am away in St Annes until next Monday. A series of posts have been scheduled over the period but as I expect to be offline they won't be tweeted by me nor posted on Facebook.

Junior Orchard Shadows

The orchard in Hyde Park was created by local schoolchildren in November 2010.

See how it looked in June 2011.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

From Monday afternoon I shall be away in St Annes for a week. A series of posts have been scheduled for the period but as I expect to be offline they won't be tweeted by me nor posted on Facebook.

Skywatch Friday: The Bayley Café

Just up from the squirrel and overlooking the bandstand in Hyde Park is the Bayley Hall.

Bayley Hall forms the main architectural feature of Hyde Park and was built in 1939 on the former site of Newton Lodge. The hall is built over some of the original cellars and has elevated views over the bandstand and woodland dell. It is named after Marie Bayley, Charles James Ashton’s first wife.

In 2009 it became the Park Café.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Squirrel in Hyde Park

The sculpture of a squirrel with a nut was created from a Turkey Oak by Preston-based artist Thompson Dagnall.

The tree was diseased and had to be felled. Rather than remove the tree completely it was felled to a safe height so that it could be sculpted.

It has been here nearly two years now has developed a patina. See how it looked in December 2010 and how it looked under construction in March 2010.

The Bandstand in Hyde Park

This is the Bandstand in Hyde Park.

That is Hyde Park in Hyde, not in London, New York, Chicago, Boston, Sydney, Leeds, Tampa, Cincinatti, Sheffield, Los Angeles, Boise, Kansas City, Memphis, Austin, Perth, Adelaide nor anywhere else but Hyde.

Today's post is a contribution to The Weekend in Black and White.

A 1999 view can be found on Old Hyde.

Shadows across the Bowling Green

Shadows flow across the lower of the two summer bowling greens in Hyde Park.

In the background is the new pavilion built in 2008 to replace the old pavilion which was gutted by fire in 2007.

The other summer green is on the other side.

Hyde Park also has a winter green.

For more Sunday Shadows visit Hey Harriet.

Junior Orchard in Hyde Park

This orchard was planted by local schoolchildren in November 2010 on the site of a former football pitch in Hyde Park. Read more about its beginnings on the Lazy Bicycle Blog.

The building in the background is the toilet block with was built with National Lottery Funding.

Pigeon and squirrel under the shadows

I went into Hyde Park last week looking for the new sculpture which I'd shown you at the start of the month under construction. It was intended to complement the earlier wood sculpture of a squirrel.

I wandered around but couldn't see it. The old one was still there and there were a few bare stumps but no carvings. I eventually asked a couple of men who were walking their dogs. "Oh they've chopped it down. It took three weeks to complete and then the council didn't like it and next day it was chopped down. Another five and half grand of our council tax down the swanny!".

It was then I saw a real squirrel streak across the path onto the grass. It stopped at the edge as a pigeon flew down next to it. They both seemed to pause whilst I took their photograph and then speedily departed in opposite directions.

For more shadow shots visit Hey Harriet.

Tree Sculpture Under Construction

Today's photograph was taken by Ian of the Lazy Bicycle Blog and shows a tree in Hyde Park. The tree is being transformed into a sculpture.

A wood sculpture of a squirrel was created last year. This one is probably by the same artist. Ian didn't tell me where in the park this is so I'll have to hunt for it next time I venture that way.

For more T posts visit ABC Wednesday

"Under Construction" is the City Daily Photoblogs theme for June 1st. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.