荷花池公園原名南池、硯池,又因池中廣植荷花而名為“荷花池”。清初(chu)汪玉(yu)樞在池邊建(jian)有(you)別墅(shu),名(ming)南(nan)園(yuan)(yuan),為當時揚(yang)州八大名(ming)園(yuan)(yuan)之一。園(yuan)(yuan)臨硯池,隔岸(an)有(you)文峰(feng)(feng)(feng)(feng)(feng)塔,景名(ming)“硯池染翰”。園(yuan)(yuan)主購得太(tai)湖(hu)奇石(shi)(shi)九峰(feng)(feng)(feng)(feng)(feng),大者(zhe)過丈(zhang),小者(zhe)及尋,玲瓏(long)剔(ti)透,相傳系宋代(dai)花石(shi)(shi)綱遺(yi)物。該(gai)園(yuan)(yuan)舊有(you)澄空宇、海(hai)桐書屋(wu)、玉(yu)玲瓏(long)館(guan)、雨(yu)花庵、深柳讀書堂、谷雨(yu)軒、風漪閣諸勝。乾隆(long)帝南(nan)巡游此,大加贊賞,賜名(ming)九峰(feng)(feng)(feng)(feng)(feng)園(yuan)(yuan),并紀事(shi)略。后奉旨選二(er)峰(feng)(feng)(feng)(feng)(feng)送往(wang)京師御苑(yuan),揚(yang)州今尚(shang)存二(er)峰(feng)(feng)(feng)(feng)(feng),一在瘦西湖(hu),一在史公(gong)祠,稱“南(nan)園(yuan)(yuan)遺(yi)石(shi)(shi)”。嘉慶之后園(yuan)(yuan)漸圮,咸豐年間(jian),廢而不存。
1981年在荷花(hua)(hua)池(chi)(chi)(chi)建(jian)南郊水(shui)上公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan),即荷花(hua)(hua)池(chi)(chi)(chi)公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)。公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)在池(chi)(chi)(chi)之(zhi)北,呈半鳥形,綠樹成蔭。已建(jian)古(gu)典(dian)式(shi)磚(zhuan)木(mu)廳房、風景(jing)各一(yi)座。廳房三(san)楹,三(san)面(mian)(mian)回(hui)廊,飛檐翹角;六角風亭居西北高阜,檐下六面(mian)(mian)飾精雕花(hua)(hua)板。園(yuan)(yuan)內有(you)花(hua)(hua)房,栽百余種(zhong)花(hua)(hua)木(mu),四(si)(si)季花(hua)(hua)香,春(chun)有(you)杜鵑、茶(cha)花(hua)(hua)、春(chun)蘭(lan)、茉莉;夏有(you)仙人曇花(hua)(hua)、睡(shui)蓮、六月(yue)雪、夾竹(zhu)桃;秋有(you)桂(gui)花(hua)(hua)、菊花(hua)(hua)、石(shi)蒜、一(yi)串紅;冬(dong)有(you)臘梅、天竹(zhu)等。四(si)(si)季常綠的有(you)鐵樹、五針松、南洋(yang)杉、黽背竹(zhu)等。園(yuan)(yuan)內陳列(lie)大(da)量盆景(jing),樹種(zhong)有(you)黃楊、雀梅、榆樁、羅漢松、刺柏等。花(hua)(hua)房內置小(xiao)型湖石(shi)假山,旁有(you)水(shui)池(chi)(chi)(chi),假山有(you)滴(di)泉。公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)池(chi)(chi)(chi)面(mian)(mian)放養魚苗,池(chi)(chi)(chi)南辟(pi)作苗圃。