Derby Arboretum

Derby Arboretum Park

Derby Arboretum Park, water fountain

Derby Arboretum Park in Spring

Derby Arboretum Park

The cafés, public toilets, Park Managed buildings and ‘paid for activities’ at Mundy Play Centre, Markeaton Park are to close in response to the government’s latest advice concerning the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic from and including Thursday 19 March 2020, for at least 30 days.

This means that The Orangery at Markeaton Park, Waterside Café at Alvaston Park, Chaddesden Community Café, Markeaton Park Kiosk, mini golf, bouncy castles, children's cars, canoes, pitch and putt, disc golf, and footgolf will be closed from and including Thursday 19 March 2020, for at least 30 days.

Subsequently, our playgrounds, sports courts and outdoor gyms are closed. Some car parks have also closed, as per our noticeboard.

We will also be providing updates at our news story here.

You can contact us by email at parksadmin@derby.gov.uk

Derby Arboretum, also informally known as Arboretum Park and The Arboretum, is famous for being Britain's first public park. It is picturesque with a fine collection of trees, and is Grade II* listed.

The Arboretum was the first specially designed urban park in Britain. Joseph Strutt commissioned and donated the park for the benefit of citizens of Derby in 1840. The intention was a botanical tree garden for instruction as well as leisure.

John Claudius Loudon designed, constructed and planted the gardens, while EB Lamb designed the two Tudor style lodges. Some of the trees are listed on the British Isles Tree Register, a catalogue of notable trees in the country recorded by the Forestry Commission.