The Peace Gardens were designed around the tower and west porticos of St Thomas 's Church , Bath Row , which was half demolished in the Birmingham Blitz in 1940 and never restored . The grounds were laid out in 1955 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II . They were redesigned in 1995 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II . When the world leaders came to Birmingham for the G8 summit in 1998 , each planted a tree . Each premier chose a tree that most represented their respective countries and they are now a living symbol of peace . Although the Peace Garden is within St Thomas ' grounds this is a site that is for everyone including the ever-growing numbers of non-religious people of Birmingham , the West Midlands and the world
G8 summit
24th G8 summit
St Thomas' Peace Garden