My wife and I are frequent visitors to the Isle of Wight and have seen the Ventnor Botanic Garden every year since 1983, except during the lockdown.

We followed its recovery from the devastating storm in 1987, and all of the developments since then.

So we feel able to comment on the recent controversy regarding this wonderful place.

When the Isle of Wight Council disposed of the garden, it was at its peak, proudly displaying the results of the curator’s inspiration and the efforts of the paid gardeners and volunteers.

There was criticism of the new owner that visitors would have to pay for entry, but this was clearly necessary to keep the garden running as an asset unique to the Isle of Wight and the country.  

As regular visitors we gave the new company our full support with personal encouragement, donation of equipment and financial contribution to the apprenticeship scheme run by the Friends group.

Unfortunately the new regime has not lived up to our hopes. 

The garden has deteriorated year on year, down to its present very sad state.  

We can only endorse the experts’ letters to the County Press, and similar views by other professionals.  

We have yet to see approval of the garden’s condition by any recognised authority.

The root cause of this situation was the Isle of Wight Council selling off the lease to a private company with no horticultural experience, and with no supervisory board or other mechanism to oversee the direction it was taking.  

However well intentioned the company might be, it has clearly been unable to maintain the property as the prestigious botanic garden it once was.   

We view the future of Ventnor Botanic Garden with very deep concern.

Read more letters sent to the County Press here. Do you have a view on this or any other subject? Send us a letter – under 350 words if possible - to editor@iwcp.co.uk