Originally the central area was a botanic garden laid out in the same style as the Royal Botanic Gardens in Brussels.
It was created in 1831 by Nathaniel Hodson and consisted of radiating, concentric beds planted with native plants and herbs laid out in their natural botanical orders.
In 1936 the concentric circles were replaced by the sixty four island beds which, together with illuminations, formed part of the Coronation celebrations for George VI in 1937.
Today, approximately 20,000 plants are bedded out in the spring for the summer display plus 12,000 plants and 20,000 bulbs in the autumn for the spring display.
Although this area is still planted in the Victorian Bedding Style, using similar plants, the actual varieties have been bred to modern F1 standards for disease resistance, repeat flowering and uniformity.
The designs and colour schemes vary each year but the old favourites like geraniums, begonias, and salvias are always included.
To avoid disastrous failures new and unusual plants are always trialled in other parts of the garden before being used in the Central Area.
Abbey Gardens has become well renowned for its colourful and attractive displays and visitors come from all over the world to see it.
