Where exactly is the park?
This is an aerial view of the central part of Cannizaro Park. The whole place covers 34 acres and is located on the west side of Wimbledon Common, a few minutes walk from the Village. It is adjacent to Cannizaro House Hotel, seen in the upper right hand corner, but there has been no formal connection between the two since 1987 when Merton Council sold the old house to Thistle Hotels while retaining the park for public use. The hotel is now owned by an independent company.
The Italian Garden, venue for the festival each summer, is shown bottom left. It is part of the Old Kitchen Garden which was divided into two sections - the upper lawns area and the Italian Garden itself - in the late 1980s. The path through the centre was added at that time.
The pond is shown at the end of the long path leading from the hotel terrace. Just outside the Italian Garden are the Cannizaro Park Studios, leased by ACAVA and used by local artists who hold occasional open days for the public.
At the bottom right hand is Connoisseurs' Corner, site of the Iris Beds and a number of rare trees. Just beyond a row of lime trees are the houses of Chester Road.
North of the area seen here are the Keir Garden and Maple Avenue. The park's Main Entrance, the Aviary and Millennium Fountain are just beyond the top right view. South of this view are the Water (or Wild) Garden, Lady Jane's Wood, Azalea Dell, Mediterranean Garden, Belvedere, and Retreat, which stretches around towards the Crooked Billet.
The map below, shaped rather like an elephant's head, shows the entire park.
