Originally formed in the mid-18th century, as part of the Wilmont estate, the site was farmed for crops and bleaching linen. The estate, which also included a walled garden, informal planting areas and gate lodges, attracted a number of different owners before it was taken over by the Dixons in 1919. The site was donated to the people of Belfast by Lady Dixon in 1959, in memory of her late husband, Sir Thomas. In the 1980s, Belfast City Council adopted a policy of meadow restoration. Fields that were once mown regularly were left uncut over the summer and managed for hay. The result was a series of species-rich grasslands containing plants and animals not seen in the parks for a long time.
The meadows in the park contain many plants including Common Knapweed, Yellow-rattle, Autumn Hawkbit and Lesser Stitchwort. Other species took several years to make an appearance, such as orchids. At first, Common Spotted-orchid were recorded only in small, isolated groups, but are now widespread across the site. Other orchids recorded include both Greater and Lesser Butterfly-orchid. The site is also important for fungi, including the elegant Pink Waxcap.
