This week we shared what we love about Priory Park as part of Love Parks Week!
Taking place from 25 July to 3 August, Love Parks Week is an annual event run by Keep Britain Tidy which highlights the vital role green spaces play in boosting the health and wellbeing of residents and communities.
MHDC manages and maintains the popular Priory Park in Great Malvern. It is home to the Council House (Malvern Hills District Council offices), Malvern Splash Leisure Centre and Malvern Theatres. Find out more about Priory Park on our website.
From the brilliant work of our volunteers to the variety of wildlife we have in the park, there is so much to see.
Bringing in the bird boxes
We have been putting up more bird boxes in Priory Park!
Bird boxes provide more habitat for wild birds in the park and putting them up now means there’s plenty of time for birds to check out a potential nest.
Small birds such as wrens often use nest boxes as shelter in the winter too.
Although we don’t have any formal lists of birds seen in the park, we know there are species such as wrens, blue tits, great tits, blackbirds, thrushes and nuthatches, along with a high number of magpies, jackdaws and crows.
Look out for other wildlife houses in the park, we have bat boxes, hedgehog houses and bug hotels in various locations around the park.
Thank you to Jim, one of the Friends of Priory Park Malvern volunteers, for constructing the bird boxes based on RSPB guidelines and providing them to us.
Have you seen other species of bird in the park?
Our towering trees
We have over 150 trees in Priory Park, some of which are well over 200 years old!
The Victorians were great plant collectors and would have planted trees of interest collected from all over the world. There are feature trees for all seasons:
- Spring: the Magnolias give a fine floral show and the Handkerchief tree is decorated with white bracts.
- Summer: the shade given by the tall cedars is much valued.
- Autumn: the glorious colours of the red oak and maples shine through.
- Winter: the evergreen Holm Oak and cedars give a structure to the park whilst all else is sleeping.
If you want to find out more about the beautiful trees on offer in the park, why not take part in the Dudley Brook Tree Trail.
Prioritising our plants
Priory Park has a lovely mix of new and old planting
Many of the larger shrubs would have been planted over 30 years ago and whilst some are still thriving, others are starting to look a little over mature.
We have a gradual process of renewing planted areas and wherever possible we like to mix horticultural value with biodiversity value.
One of our newest planted areas is by Malvern Splash, these plants were chosen to suit the aspect of the area, which ranges from dry partial shade to full sun and most of all be pollinator friendly.
We were lucky enough to get Natural Networks funding for these plants which were planted in early spring by the Grounds Maintenance crew and the Friends of Priory Park group. Look out for more areas being replanted as we come into autumn. We have some exciting plans!
Proud of our volunteers
We are thankful for The Friends of Priory Park group. They are a wonderful group of volunteers that support the work done by our grounds maintenance staff, to help keep Priory Park looking beautiful.
They help with litter picking, planting bulbs, weeding, creating insect habitats, sharing important information, discussing new ideas to improve the area, and more.
Are you passionate about Priory Park? Why not become a volunteer!
Please email
Published: 1 August 2025