Exeter wisteria arch set to appear on TV at grand old age of 135 years

A stunning wisteria arch that has been delighting visitors to an Exeter park for more than 130 years is set to make an appearance on television tonight (Wednesday 7 May).

The beautiful wisteria in Pinces Gardens, St Thomas, will feature on the weather forecast on Wednesday evening’s Westcountry Tonight on ITV.   

The beautiful wisteria arch has been thrilling residents and visitors since the 1880s.

This May, the wisteria is looking as good as ever, with its colourful blooms.

Visitors have been enjoying the stunning sight on their trips to the popular park.

The City Council purchased Pinces Gardens in 1912, converting it into a ‘pleasure ground’.

The site had previously been one of Exeter’s first famous nurseries owned by William Lucombe, featuring an Italian Garden and later replaced with vast glasshouses packed with orchids and rare palms.

The 1880s saw another transformation with the installation of the 45-yard long wisteria arch.

For several years the mature wisteria contained a lot of dead wood, suckers and runners leading to a loss of flower, but through skilled care and a heavy prune in 2019 the much- loved 135-year-old feature is flourishing.