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”。清初汪(wang)玉(yu)樞在(zai)池(chi)(chi)邊建有別墅,名南(nan)園(yuan)(yuan),為當時揚(yang)州八大(da)名園(yuan)(yuan)之一。園(yuan)(yuan)臨硯池(chi)(chi),隔岸有文(wen)峰(feng)(feng)(feng)塔(ta),景名“硯池(chi)(chi)染翰”。園(yuan)(yuan)主(zhu)購得太(tai)湖奇石(shi)九(jiu)峰(feng)(feng)(feng),大(da)者過丈,小者及尋,玲瓏(long)剔透,相傳系(xi)宋代花(hua)石(shi)綱遺物(wu)。該園(yuan)(yuan)舊(jiu)有澄空宇、海桐書(shu)屋、玉(yu)玲瓏(long)館(guan)、雨花(hua)庵、深(shen)柳(liu)讀書(shu)堂(tang)、谷雨軒、風漪閣(ge)諸勝。乾隆帝南(nan)巡游此(ci),大(da)加贊(zan)賞,賜名九(jiu)峰(feng)(feng)(feng)園(yuan)(yuan),并紀(ji)事略。后(hou)奉旨選二(er)峰(feng)(feng)(feng)送往京師御苑,揚(yang)州今尚存(cun)二(er)峰(feng)(feng)(feng),一在(zai)瘦(shou)西湖,一在(zai)史公(gong)祠,稱“南(nan)園(yuan)(yuan)遺石(shi)”。嘉慶之后(hou)園(yuan)(yuan)漸圮,咸豐年間,廢(fei)而不存(cun)。
1981年(nian)在荷(he)花池(chi)建南郊水上(shang)公(gong)(gong)園(yuan),即荷(he)花池(chi)公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)。公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)在池(chi)之北,呈半(ban)鳥形,綠樹(shu)(shu)成蔭。已建古典式磚木(mu)廳房、風(feng)(feng)景各(ge)一座。廳房三(san)楹,三(san)面回廊,飛檐翹角(jiao);六(liu)角(jiao)風(feng)(feng)亭居西北高(gao)阜,檐下六(liu)面飾精雕(diao)花板。園(yuan)內有(you)(you)(you)花房,栽百余(yu)種(zhong)花木(mu),四(si)季花香,春有(you)(you)(you)杜(du)鵑、茶花、春蘭、茉莉;夏(xia)有(you)(you)(you)仙人曇(tan)花、睡蓮、六(liu)月雪、夾竹(zhu)桃;秋有(you)(you)(you)桂花、菊(ju)花、石蒜、一串紅;冬(dong)有(you)(you)(you)臘梅、天竹(zhu)等(deng)。四(si)季常綠的(de)有(you)(you)(you)鐵樹(shu)(shu)、五(wu)針松(song)、南洋杉(shan)、黽背竹(zhu)等(deng)。園(yuan)內陳(chen)列大量盆景,樹(shu)(shu)種(zhong)有(you)(you)(you)黃楊(yang)、雀梅、榆樁、羅漢(han)松(song)、刺(ci)柏(bo)等(deng)。花房內置(zhi)小型湖石假(jia)山,旁有(you)(you)(you)水池(chi),假(jia)山有(you)(you)(you)滴(di)泉。公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)池(chi)面放養魚苗,池(chi)南辟作苗圃。