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GT
NEWS
13 Summer 2020
Research • Conserve • Campaign
GT
Front cover image:
Fiona Brockhoff’s garden at Sorrento,
Mornington Peninsula, Victoria,
Australia. For twenty years her garden
has coped with the salt, the sand and
the wind, lack of summer rain and
scant topsoil. She took inspiration
NEWS
from “the wind tortured plants along
the edge of the coast.”
Photo by Robert Peel.
See the report of our Australian
Gardens Study Tour on p.28.
13 Summer 2020
Join Us
Contents
If you or someone you know is
not a member, please join us!
Your support is vital in
David Marsh back in his shed – or not 4 helping the Gardens Trust
to protect and campaign for
News and Campaigns historic designed landscapes.
Unforgettable Gardens 6 Benefits include GT News, our
AGM: Your Vote is Important to Us 7 journal Garden History, and
London GT appeal - Victoria Tower Gardens 8 access to exclusive member
Gardeners under Lockdown 9
events. A special rate is
Mavis Batey Essay Prize 2020 15
available to County Garden
GT Remote Learning 2020 16
Trust members. Join today at:
From our contributors thegardenstrust.org/support-us/
Learning from The Blackamoor 17
Visual Representations of the
Annesley Gardens – NRS 2019 20
National Playing Fields Association 22
King George’s Fields 23
Case study: King George V Park 24
Rescued for £18: Dropmore 26
Australia on Fire 28
One Man Went to Mow... 31
www.thegardenstrust.org
Vale Park, Aylesbury 33
The Gardens Trust head office:
GT Events and courses 35 70 Cowcross Street,
New Research Symposium 2020 38 London EC1M 6EJ
phone: 020 7608 2409
general email:
other events & news in brief 43 enquiries@thegardenstrust.org
European Symposium on the Conservation Company number: 03163187
of Historic Fruit and Vegetable Gardens 44 Registered Charity number: 1053446
Study day on Charles Bridgeman in Herts 45
In memoriam Copy deadline for Autumn 2020
Copy deadline for Autumn issue 14
Kirsty McCleod 45 1 October 2020 for distribution
in November 2020
Officers 46
Events Diary 47
David Marsh
back in his shed — or not
T here’s nothing like a pandemic
for giving one time to think.
Gardeners no exception. I had
challenge as dealing with the five
acres I have over in France.
Normally I’d leave the UK around
When it became clear that for
both the UK and France this
was going to be a long haul we
a busy spring, teaching a couple the end of March and as usual I discovered how much our garden
of mornings a week, talking to had the tickets booked when the meant to other people. Friends
garden clubs and horticultural travel ban was imposed. At first I volunteered to feed the fish in the
societies a few evenings each wasn’t worried. After all this virus four ponds, take the pots of cacti
month, continuing writing the would soon pass, and if I could and succulents out of the poly
Gardens Trust blog and trying to get there I could very happily self- tunnel, and uncover the gunnera
arrange some new out-of-London isolate. But then as April ticked from their winter protection. It
venues for garden history courses. away I began to get messages from was good that we could respond by
The summer looked to be friends and neighbours asking suggesting they help themselves to
eventful too. My garden in France when we were arriving. Photos the rhubarb, the raspberries and no
was going to open to the public arrived showing the grass getting doubt soon the blackcurrants and
fairly regularly, with visitors longer, and the weeds getting gooseberries. I just hope I can get
coming to stay and GT business higher. Of course there were also there in time for the peaches! Of
to arrange. In March I took a photos of the flowers in season… course they were under lockdown
trip to Sheffield to run a course the spring bulbs, especially the too and had to fill in a form every
with the Friends of the Botanic 500 giant-bloomed orange tulips time they left home, but for at
Garden, at their lovely education I’d planted in containers. I’ve least one family our garden became
centre, but the signs were already missed the magnolias, the lilac, their place of daily exercise. A
there of what was about to hit the buckeyes, and the paulownia. neighbouring farmer, who could
us. Attendance was low even if More recently we got photos of the travel more freely to reach fields
enthusiasm was high so we plotted thousands of flag iris in the gravel not near her farm, volunteered
what we’d do later in the year garden, and the roses which cover herself and her children to bring
when it was all over. I got home the pergola and many of the walls. a tractor round and cut the grass,
that evening and until the last few
days, like so many of us, I have
hardly been out of the house since.
[mid-June 2020]
Here in London I have a tiny
back garden, just 20m2, and
a miniscule front patch. It’s a
modern house on the site of
a former warehouse, so in the
best tradition of builders the old
concrete base wasn’t broken up
and removed but simply covered
with decking. There is no soil at
all so we filled cattle troughs with
bulbs and tough non-summer
interest plants and added a
watering system for when we’re
away over the summer. So unlike
most GT members I’d guess my
gardening opportunities here are
limited, and certainly not the same A corner of the iris garden, but please don’t look too closely at the edging.
4 GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020
David Marsh back in his shed
apologising that she didn’t have
time to cut all the edges quite as
neatly as we would. Others have
planted the dahlia tubers, picked
fruit and made it into jam for us.
It’s all been a real eye-opener.
And it gave us time to think.
Not about how we recover lost
time but how we deal with the
immediate problems, but more
importantly is this a sign of what
things will be like when we’re older
and can’t cope with all the physical
work? Gardens are ephemeral,
transient and ever-changing, and
no-one is ever satisfied with what
it looks like now. I should think
seven or eight months neglect
will have given the weeds a head
start. We all know that apologetic
phrase “you should have been last
week when the [insert the name
of your favourite flower] was out.”
This year I’ll be able to say with a
clear conscience “I’m so glad you
weren’t here last week.” And if
you want to see what the garden
was like last year, I’m giving an
on-line lecture about it for the GT Views of our garden from our French friends, flourishing but careful with the close-ups.
on Tuesday 28th July repeated on
Wednesday 29th [see box below]. GT work, and have been able to For more about David’s garden
The crisis has also meant that I’ve help put us on-line to face the see his recent blog on ‘An
not had the distraction of sowing, uncertain future in new ways. Englishman’s Home is his Castle, or
transplanting, watering, tidying David managed to return to his Mr Wemmick and Me’, 13 June 2020:
and weeding to keep away from garden as we went to press. https://thegardenstrust.blog/
Garden history in the making? The story of my garden
Dr David Marsh shares the joys (and problems) of creating his own five-acre garden in France
GT on-line lecture series: 10am, Tuesday 28 July and/or 6pm Wednesday 29 July
David says: ‘My partner and I have had a house in our French friends, neighbours and the local press
France for around 25 years, and for the last ten have reacted! The garden was opened to the public for
lived there for about half the year. We moved house the first time in 2015.’
in 2006, buying a rambling ruin with mediaeval This lecture is free and Dr David Marsh is giving
foundations, two overgrown fields and a lake. his time pro bono. We would welcome donations to
Since then we have been designing, clearing aid in the Gardens Trust’s campaigning to protect
and planting a garden of about five acres. Almost historic parks and gardens.
everything, apart from the hedging and some of https://bit.ly/DonateGardensTrust
the trees, is home grown from seed or cuttings, Further details about the on-line lecture series can
and this is the story of how it was done…and how be found on p.36 and on our website.
GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020 5
news &
campaigns
Unforgettable Gardens
in an unforgettable time
O ur Unforgettable Gardens
theme for 2020 to 2022
is swinging into motion and
gardens, the threats they face
now more than ever, and how we
can all get involved to help. This
for business as usual to return. Do
get in touch to discuss how you
might like to get involved, there
the threats of Covid-19 make it has enabled us to run a weekly are support materials from briefing
even more important that we all #guessthegarden competition notes to activity ideas to a logo all
work creatively to highlight the and also posts focussing on available at:
three Vs of historic parks and #sharinglandscapes to trigger local www.thegardenstrust.org/
gardens ‘Value, Vulnerability and discussions on sites important conservation/hlp-hub/
Volunteering’. to people, the issues they campaigns-and-celebrations/
Inevitably during the pandemic, struggle with, and the volunteer unforgettable-gardens/
we have so far focussed these groups that support them. To Linden Groves
initiatives on on-line activity. complement our @thegardenstrust
The upside of this is that it is a Twitter and existing Gardens Trust
great way to engage new people. Facebook group, run by volunteer
Thanks to the generosity of Letitia Yetman, we now also have
Lottery players, the National a Facebook page The Gardens Trust
Lottery Heritage Fund agreed to Sharing Landscapes and Instagram
a small extension of the Sharing @thegardenstrust.
Repton project to carry out Planning for the ‘new normal’
a social media campaign this is hard, but our experience has
summer to highlight how much shown us that Unforgettable
we all love historic parks and Gardens does not need to wait
Charles Boot
HLP officer Tamsin McMillan at Exeter’s
Devonport Park which Devon Gardens
Trust put forward to focus in our social
media work earlier this spring. She is
standing in front of a rare Plymouth Pear
tree planted in 2013 by Celia Sullivan.
6 GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020
News and campaigns
The Gardens Trust Annual General Meeting 2020
Saturday 5th September 2020
Your vote is important to us Instead of attending this AGM, members are
In light of the current COVID-19 measures in asked to exercise their votes by submitting their
the UK and the ban on large gatherings, and in proxy electronically or by post.
accordance with special legislation relating to See the enclosed Notice of Annual General
AGMs in this period, the AGM will be run as a Meeting 2020 and Annual Report 2019 for
closed meeting. information and the Proxy Voting Form for the
Members will not be able to attend in person addresses to send proxies to, which must be received
or appoint a proxy, other than the Chairman, to by noon on Tuesday 1st September 2020.
attend and vote on their behalf. Dr James Bartos, Chairman
Historic Landscape Project Update
Tamsin McMillan, HLP Officer
W hile the Historic Landscape
Project cannot host its usual
training and networking events
for online repositories for
completed research; understanding
a landscape’s setting and
each CGT, and other sites and
organisations in your county, are
managing during the pandemic,
at the moment, and we’re missing significances; conservation and whether you’ve developed any
our regular contact with County and planning training; and strategies for coping, or perhaps
Gardens Trusts, we really want suggestions for ways to get even thriving!, which might inspire
to carry on supporting them. We involved with Unforgettable others, as we get used to a new
know it has taken them many Gardens in 2020 to 2022. You way of living and working.
years of effort to nurture their can find the full programme here:
volunteer groups into dedicated and thegardenstrust.org/wp-content/
productive teams, and want to help, uploads/2020/05/GT-Remote- Volunteer for the
if we can, to make sure that this
enthusiasm does not dwindle away
Learning-Packages-2020- Gardens Trust
Schedule-.pdf
whilst you are unable to meet up.
To this end, in April the HLP
slotted under the Unforgettable
We intend to continue offering
this kind of training, even after we
are able to meet up physically, as
I f you might have an interest
in further supporting the
work of the Gardens Trust by
Gardens theme of conservation we recognise that attending our volunteering to help, we would
and volunteering, to launch a events isn’t possible for everyone, love to hear from you.
programme of remote training so this is a really valuable way This need not be time
packages, emailed once a week of reaching more of you. In consuming, the amount of
or so to the CGTs. These bite- addition, we will start to run time you spend will be up to
size posts include refreshed and some of our training workshops you. We can always use help in
updated training presentations and online, by the end of the summer. our communications efforts,
handouts, as well as new material, Anyone can access our training organising events in different
covering a range of subjects which packages by either emailing me: parts of the country, or indeed
we hope you will find useful, tamsinmcmillan@thegardenstrust.org worldwide, tracking our
either to help your volunteers to so that I can add you to the planning successes or developing
update their skills, or perhaps to HLP’s mailing list, or by finding news stories.
discover a new area of interest. them on our online resource If you would like to learn more,
Topics include introductions hub at: thegardenstrust.org/ please contact our Administrator,
to online communications and conservation/hlp-hub/ Louise Cooper:
social media; online resources Do please stay in touch. We’re enquiries@thegardenstrust.org
for research, and suggestions really interested to hear how
GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020 7
News and campaigns
London GT launch appeal to protect
Victoria Tower Gardens
LGT says of the effects:
• The Gardens will suffer a loss
of their intrinsic character
from the reduction in green
space, overwhelming numbers
of visitors, and the security
required around the gardens as
well as the Memorial itself.
Courtesy LGT
• A reduction in the grass area
of about 30% (and 36% if the
steep slopes of the mound over
Victoria Tower Gardens during lockdown … and after the proposed development the ‘underground’ Learning
Centre are included).
T he Gardens Trust
wholeheartedly supports the
London Gardens Trust (LGT) in
going ahead?
Helen and her colleagues have
been working tirelessly to put
• A reduction in the size of the
children’s playground.
• Damage to, or death of the
their efforts to protect the Grade- together the documentation 100-year-old London Plane
II listed Victoria Tower Gardens. required to take this action. She trees due to severing the roots
LGT have now launched a judicial has secured appropriate legal and hydrological changes.
review of the Government’s support and has now launched a • The Gardens will be divided
decision to call in the planning Crowdjustice funding campaign visually and functionally by the
application to build a large towards the potential costs of Memorial and mound.
National Holocaust Memorial around £20,000. To support them • The Gardens, which are the
and Learning Centre on this you can find full details and pledge largest open space for a big
public park next to the Houses of a sum on their Crowdjustice page: local population, will be mainly
Parliament. https://www.crowdjustice.com/ inaccessible for the thirty month
As the Government have already case/victoria-tower-gardens/ duration of construction.
publicly committed to going
ahead with the project we agree
with LGT’s director Dr Helen
Monger that this creates a massive
conflict of interest. Both LGT and
the Gardens Trust fully support
the creation of the Memorial and
Learning Centre, but we believe
that Victoria Tower Gardens is not
the right site.
It is unlawful for planning
decisions like this to be taken
without institutional separation
so that the decision-maker has
Courtesy LGT
complete independence from
any influence by the project’s
promoter. How can any Minister
adjudicate impartially on a The Gardens now (left), as proposed (middle) and an analysis of the changes (right).
planning application when his The grass area in the illustration has been made to look more spacious by mis-representing
own Government has already the actual size of the trees. Also note the large area of the existing green space that
publicly committed to the project will be excavated and lost to the mound covering of the Learning Centre.
8 GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020
News and campaigns
OASIS home for the
Gardens Trust’s bibliography of
Conservation Management Plans
I n 2012 one of the Gardens
Trust’s predecessors, the Garden
History Society, compiled a
bodies including local Historic
Environment Records (HERs).
OASIS is an important database
particularly for the opportunity it
creates of feeding this important
material directly and simply
bibliography of Conservation for archaeologists and has been into the planning system via the
Management Plans, with expanded to include historic HERs. This work is supported by
details gratefully received from buildings, parks and garden a Heritage Protection Commission
landscape architect practices, records. It brings together a grant from Historic England.
English Heritage, the National number of strategic partners: If you hold details for CMPs that
Trust and others. You can see this the Archaeology Data Service, you would like us to add to the
bibliography at: thegardenstrust. Historic England, Historic OASIS project in addition to those
org/conservation/conservation- Environment Scotland, and the already on our list, please contact
management-plan-project/ Royal Commission on the Ancient lindengroves@thegardenstrust.org
We are now working to transfer and Historical Monuments of before 27th July.
the list to OASIS, a UK-wide Wales under the umbrella of the The Hestercombe Gardens
online database through which University of York. Trust is also continuing to build
heritage practitioners can We are excited to give our its archive of copies of CMPs
provide information and submit CMP list a long-term home at and welcomes new donations:
reports on their work to heritage this accredited open archive, benwhitworth@hestercombe.com
Gardeners under lock down
Linden Groves has been in touch with gardeners to hear their stories
A s Covid-19 hit, historic parks
and gardens found themselves
forced to shut their gates just at
to share their experiences of these
odd times.
Many gardens had to furlough
O ne such person was Luke
Bartle, Head Gardener at
the National Trust’s Sudbury Hall,
the start of the Spring season. their staff, not because they were who writes:
This has made for a spring and short of work, but because budgets ‘In mid-March we were told
now summer like no other. Many were dramatically threatened by that Sudbury (along with every
gardeners were furloughed as their the loss of visitor income in peak property up and down the
employers struggled to make ends garden season. country) was to go into full closure
meet without visitor income, to both visitors and staff apart
while others were still at work but many garden from those completing essential
in rather unusual circumstances. on-property tasks. As gardeners we
Now that sites are carefully staff have been were very limited in what we could
starting to open once more, they do working from home – it didn’t
face a whole new set of challenges.
Linden asked Head Gardeners
furloughed take us long to get on top of all the
paperwork! Then in early April the
GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020 9
Gardeners under lockdown
weeding and strimming again – needed and being out of the loop
the phrase ‘back to basics’ sums when decisions are being made
it up. The weather has taken a about ‘your’ garden. Having said
turn too and the heavy thundery all of that, on a positive note my
showers are proving very welcome employer has been very good
The Bartle family
for the parched ground. about updating me with progress
It’s great to see many National Trust around the re-opening of the
properties are starting to reopen in garden, and keeping in touch with
new ways and what is now known as furloughed staff and managing
Luke and Oliver Bartle, furloughed. the ‘new norm’. Sudbury is not yet expectations around the scheme in
open. I am currently maintaining what has been a very challenging
gardens team at Sudbury, myself the grounds as best as possible time for all visitor attractions.
included, were all put on furlough. with limited resources and am I’ve also managed to complete
I had a rather different experience really looking forward to reuniting an aromatherapy diploma – a
in being furloughed than most with the team and welcoming welcome distraction during the
other people. My partner and I were visitors back to the property.’ early days of lockdown – which
fortunate enough to welcome our Not everyone can have the will help with the garden’s
first child, Oliver, into the world in benefit of a newborn to distract wellbeing programme, as I help
mid-April. The length and timing of them through a pandemic, and to run an Essential Oils workshop
such leave from work proved rather for other dedicated garden staff, that we launched last year. I’ve
handy as my role changed from the furlough experience has been a kept in touch with some of our
Head Gardener to Head Nappy more mixed one. volunteers throughout lockdown
Changer! This kept me preoccupied, too, and have also maintained
but I still missed work. contact with some of our external
In the meantime, the gardens networks, such as the RHS
at Sudbury were being managed (we became a partner garden
by property staff who were not in January 2020) and as many
The Swiss Garden, Bedfordshire
furloughed. They did a great job members of the Bedfordshire
in keeping on top of things by Head Gardeners network as I can,
working through a task list that though some are also furloughed
was left. Whilst the hot dry spring at the moment.’
was a blessing, it did mean that
unfortunately we lost some winter
plantings. Due to the rules of some gardeners
the furlough scheme, I was not Corrine Price and her team at
able to help at all with anything the Swiss Garden earlier in the year remained on site
work related. This was quite hard
to deal with, and my partner
certainly borne the brunt of my
frustrations: “If only I could…
C orinne Price, Garden and
Grounds Manager at the Swiss
Garden in Bedfordshire gives a
O ther gardeners were able to
stay at work, such as Mark
Bobin, Head Gardener at Minterne
Shall I tell them this… I do hope frank account: Gardens, in Dorset. The secluded
that this got done… Oh, I forgot ‘You would think that a ‘gift’ of location of Minterne, and the fact
to mention that before I left… time away from work would be that its small garden team live close
Shall I email the volunteers…?” gratefully received; an opportunity by, meant that work could carry on
In mid-June, I was the first to be super-productive and achieve through the pandemic. With no
member of Sudbury to come back all the things we wish we had visitors or events, the garden team
from furlough leave. Whilst it time for when fully immersed in could get stuck into tasks normally
was great spending time with my the rat race. It turns out however not possible in this season, albeit
partner and baby Oliver, I was that it’s actually a little bit soul- with social distancing, separating
missing work and the normality destroying, possibly because of and cleaning tools for a safe
that it brings. I write this a week concerns about longer term job working environment.
into return. It’s been great to security, along with a sense of ‘Having no visitors throughout
be back on the tools mowing, despondency around not feeling an extremely floriferous season
10 GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020Gardeners under lockdown
were on the verge of setting seed.
Two members of my team have
returned from furlough this week,
which is a great relief [June]. The
rest of the team are due to return
slightly later in the summer with
some of the volunteers, we hope,
returning later on. I would sum
Minterne House and Gardens
up this experience by saying that
although it has been extremely
challenging to take on a large
planting project, maintain a Grade I
Registered garden, and deal with
a drought all whilst on a skeleton
staff, it has been a satisfying
A drone’s-eye-view of the collection of Rhododendrons and Magnolias from the achievement.’
Wilson, Forrest, Rock & Kingdon Ward expeditions to the Himalayas at Minterne. Similar workload challenges were
felt at the National Trust, who
has been disheartening at times. come and arrange them over a furloughed 80% of their staff.
However, not to be defeated, we three day period, for the garden Pam Smith, Garden and Parks
actioned a plan to share the garden team to then plant within a week Consultant for the NT Midlands
through social media. Videos or so. Instead, as they hit site that Region, says: ‘Reduced staffing
and photos posted on Facebook, morning I quickly asked the person and a halt on spending meant we
Twitter, Instagram and YouTube delivering the plants to drop them were unable to take advantage of
showing the development of the off all together in a convenient the quieter time to carry out any
garden throughout the pandemic location rather than us dispersing project work, path renewal or
have received a huge response from them around the garden and much turf care. However many
viewers far and wide and was even risk them being sat there for the Head Gardeners enjoyed the fact
picked up by BBC News. We have summer for us to water. Everything that they could garden more and
also made new videos showing the was very much up in the air. be out of their office.’
house and gardens as they have For a while it was just myself
never been seen before – including attending work to keep things
drone footage of the beautiful ticking. Then furloughing kicked
M
artin Gee, Head Gardener
at Weston Park on the
Staffordshire-Shropshire borders
plants and landscape, which you in and once we had found out reports that the furloughing of
can still see on YouTube. who was being furloughed, two most of Weston Park’s staff and
J ohn Hawley at English
Heritage’s Belsay Hall in
Northumberland describes his
of the other gardeners returned.
However, two thirds have been
furloughed and none of our
volunteers ‘leaves me, working
five days and covering weekends
looking after the glass houses, and
experience as ‘an interesting volunteers have attended. The one other working four days.
one’, perhaps something of an three of us took on bite-sized The fine weather has certainly
understatement: ‘On the day we pieces of the planting project, been a help; it has created more
went into lockdown, many of the interpreting Dan’s plan as best watering in the glasshouses but it
plants which we ordered as part of we could and taking images as has helped with the weeds. We go
our NLHF project were arriving. we positioned the plants for Dan all around once a week with a hoe
I had to make a quick decision Pearson to approve. It took us and the sun does kill the weeds,
and ask the nursery to halt the around six weeks to do this. This so no hand weeding is required.
delivery of the remaining plants was very challenging and the It helped that most of the flower
until we had established whether drought was extremely unfortunate beds had been mulched before
I was going to have anyone left timing. Simultaneously, we had lockdown and all the footpaths
to plant them. The original plan to also maintain the garden, have been sprayed with a residual
had been to put the plants into prioritising key tasks such as spray. Formal lawns are mown
their approximate positions so watering, and weeding the most every ten days rather than every
our designer, Dan Pearson, could pernicious weeds and those which seven days which gave us time to
GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020 11Gardeners under lockdown
complete all the spring pruning are cleaned down after use.
and propagation for the summer The Swiss Garden and many
bedding displays. others are now open again, but
The vegetable garden has been Corinne reports that so far the
planted with brassicas and onions garden has been relatively quiet,
these were planted or sown in pots though with reasonable weekend
before lockdown. We have recently numbers. This may be due to the
sown beans and courgettes in pots to weather having changed just as
be planted in June. We had hoped the garden re-opened. They are
to expand the veg plots this year but offering pre-booked tickets. As it
this has been put on hold until hasn’t been especially busy, they
next year, as have all our projects. are also letting people turn up
The plan I put together does without tickets, within a strict
seem to be working at the maximum capacity of 500.
moment but as times goes on
it will get more difficult. The
pleasure grounds are looking after Martin Gee at Weston Park reopening brings
themselves at the moment but this
will change as time goes by. Most them. The waters of the ponds its own problems
of the work in these areas comes and lake reflect their impressive
in from July onwards, and we start surroundings, supporting families A new entrance and exit route
the hedge cutting in August. Let’s of ducks, coots, geese and swans – has been implemented, utilising
hope things start to improve by and who can forget the attraction entry points normally used
that point.’ of the three peacocks. for much larger activities (the
During lockdown I am fortunate Swiss Garden is part of a wider
volunteers have that I have my own garden to landscape that hosts events such
tend, but it does not provide the as air shows), and there is plenty
had to same serenity nor the variety of of parking space. This avoids
settings that the garden possesses. using the usual narrow entry
stay away too The companionship of my Swiss points. As the visitor centre is
Garden colleagues has been sorely currently closed, this is not posing
M any gardens rely heavily
on the generous help of
volunteer gardeners, and these too
missed. Whilst a number of us
have stayed in touch by email and
text this does not compare with
any problems with the flow of
visitors into and out of the garden.
External catering units are being
have had to stand down. Enid personal contact and interaction. used during this first phase of
Vallery, one of the Swiss Garden This is especially important when re-opening in the absence of the
volunteers, describes her experience: you are, like me, a single person.’ usual restaurant facilities. They
‘Volunteering at the Swiss Garden Volunteers came back to the hope to begin using their own
is such a pleasure. It has brought Swiss Garden in mid-June, and catering pods soon, which will be
together my love for plants and despite the many uncertainties, based in the garden. Another area
gardening with the opportunity to Enid comments that ‘what we of parkland, North Park, has been
meet people with the same interests do know is that we are so glad to opened to create more space and
who over a period of time have be back’. Rotas are very different spread out visitor footfall. It also
become friends. however, with only two volunteers offers visitors an opportunity to
The open space of the Garden in during the morning for a see more of the historic parkland,
creates a feeling of freedom two-hour shift, and two in the which is usually closed to the
accompanied by a tranquillity and afternoon, so as to reduce time public, as it is the site of a college.
peacefulness that contribute so on site and minimise the use of All buildings in the garden – the
much to positive mental health. facilities. They are not using the Grotto and Fernery, Swiss Cottage
Its beauty for me is not only in the staff tea-room and are asked to and Chapel – are closed to the
plants and trees but in the variety bring their own flasks, gloves and public at the moment, as there is
of historic buildings, ornaments other equipment so as to reduce little room for social distancing in
and structures that accompany the sharing of equipment. Tools any of them.
12 GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020How to manage a large garden during lockdown
How to manage a large garden
There are signs everywhere
to remind people about their
social distancing responsibilities,
and hand sanitiser at entry and
exit points as well as in toilets.
during Lockdown
Additional portaloos are in place
around site to minimise the use
of the usual garden loo block,
A nother remarkable and frank
account of a garden under
‘lockdown’ comes from Claire
Adapting to the first few weeks
My team of seven full-time
gardeners was slashed to only two,
and cleaning regimes are in place Greenslade, Hestercombe’s Head and our 30-ish garden volunteer
to make sure they are all cleaned Gardener. We hope someone is team were grounded.
more regularly than usual and compiling a record of all these I have to admit the first
checked throughout the day. accounts, just as happened two weeks were completely
Handrails on bridges and other following the Great Storm, overwhelming and disorientating.
high-risk areas are cleaned down which had an equally, though Ben and I have worked together
daily too. Staff have separate toilet very different effect on our for over twelve years, so we know
facilities which aren’t used by parks and gardens. The furlough each other well enough to keep
visitors. Outdoor picnic facilities scheme has been encouraging, each other buoyant and recognised
are available, and benches haven’t it will be interesting to see what when we needed each others
been cleared away or taped off, if any further response comes emotional support.
but are wiped down every day. from government at this time, as The first step was figuring
Feedback from visitors so far gardening life begins to normalise, out how we could work safely,
suggests that they are happy with assuming it does. and we had to change some of
the new measures and feel safe in our normal practises for simple
the garden.
At Minterne too the gardens
are now again open to visitors.
W ho knew that this would
ever be a question I would
have to ask myself. This virus is
practical reasons. Having to keep
two metres apart meant that we
couldn’t lift anything together,
Mark says: ‘The layout, with something that none of us had work had to be achievable as
a one-way system around the been able to prepare for. individuals instead of as a team.
garden and with plenty of space Since March 23rd 2020 We had separate tools and
to socially distance, has made Hestercombe has had to close its machinery so that we could avoid
this possible. The delight from gates. Really big decisions had the possibility of transferring the
all our visitors and the chance to to be made, really quickly, and it virus via touch. We ate lunch
lift everyone’s spirits is extremely was decided that nearly all of the outside to avoid being in a
rewarding. Takeaway food and staff at Hestercombe would be building together. Then came the
drink are available, and we are also furloughed. The few remaining question, what do we do first!
encouraging everyone to share were the Chief Executive and
their photos of Minterne Gardens General Manager (on reduced
onto social media. wages), the Finance Manager
We have noticed that half of (we still had bills to pay and we
our visitors were experiencing needed him to work on a financial
the garden for the first-time and plan), the part-time Membership
of those, a large proportion have Secretary (we knew members
bought Season Tickets already. would need help and advice), and
Our hope is that due to the the Art Gallery Director (part-
Covid-19 lockdown our visitor funded by the Arts Council).
numbers next year could double.’ Additionally, we needed our
Wedding Coordinator (we had West Rill garden, mowing can wait?
We would like to thank all those a lot of weddings booked for
who responded to our call for the spring which would need Our main priority had to be the
information and wish gardening rescheduling); and Ben and myself protection of the historic gardens.
teams strength and energy for the from the gardens team were This meant that other areas of
challenging months ahead. challenged to try and keep some of the estate were mothballed.
Linden Groves the garden alive! Woodlands, meadows, car parks,
GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020 13How to manage a large garden during lockdown
on the delphiniums and used a
quicker technique of canes and
string to just get it done. I decided
that with no one to see the garden
the aim of staking was to keep the
plant healthy and so the aesthetic
didn’t matter as much.
A new way of life
Slowly we got into a rhythm.
Some jobs had to be done. We’d
had over 1,000 gladioli corms
delivered before the lockdown so
they had to go in the ground; we
presumed that we might be open
by late summer so that helped us
to decide to plant the Cannas. But
with just two of us we also had to
find ways to speed up. We made
the most of the hot weather and
The ‘Daisy Steps’ one of the first sights seen by visitors to the gardens. carried out speed weeding with the
hoe, allowing the sun to kill off the
anything that it wasn’t completely the plants in the plant centre. We weeds as they lay on the surface.
necessary to deal with now, was planted anything relevant in the With no visitors around we just
put on hold. We left any grass gardens at Hestercombe, and our chucked any larger weeds on the
areas that we thought we could General Manager took the rest path and left them there to clear
get away without mowing, as we to the hospice for them to use in up at the end of the week.
thought we could sort those out their gardens or for the staff to Then the bedding plants arrived
later. Some of the annual seeds we take home. The Easter eggs that we for the Victorian terrace – all
had sown were just thrown away had bought in ready for the Easter 3,500 of them – in baking hot
because there was no way we’d egg trail were delivered to the food conditions. This is normally quite
have time to prick them all out. bank. The idea of sharing all of a big job that we carry out with
We also ditched the idea of doing this made us feel so much better the entire Gardens team and lots
any softwood cutting thinking we and that it wasn’t a waste. of volunteers. This year was due
could put it off until August and to be a big celebration year for us
do semi ripe cuttings instead. The as it was Coplestone Bampfylde’s
barley straw that Ben normally thousands of 300th birthday (Bampfylde was a
dons waders for and carefully previous Hestercombe owner and
submerges in the ponds to help bulbs - hundreds designer of the landscape garden).
slow down algae build up was this In recognition of this, we had used
year literally just chucked in. of chocolate eggs his family’s coat of arms as the
Having ups and downs inspiration of the design for the
One of my toughest days was A few decisions were made for planting. But now that the team
seeing all the pots of tulips that we our own well-being. Ben wanted was down to just two, we decided
had planted out in full flower. I to leaf blow the paths, even though it would be too time consuming to
couldn’t bare the idea that no one no one would see, but so that he lay out a complicated pattern, so
would be able to enjoy them so Ben felt better himself. He didn’t like we sidelined the design and went
and I filled our cars and dropped it looking untidy and didn’t want with a random pattern. It actually
the pots off at a couple of local to feel that he’d let standards slip. looks ok, and we got it done in
nursing homes and then to any I took the decision to stake the record time.
friends, volunteers or staff houses peonies with woven hazel even The dry weather has made our
that were on our journeys home. though it was time consuming and jobs a seven day a week affair just
We also knew that we wouldn’t I was pretty sure no one would see to make sure all the new planting
have time to keep watering all them bloom. But I compromised can stay alive. We’re lucky that we
14 GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020Mavis Batey Essay Prize 2020
both love our jobs and that there is through pre booked tickets only Can you help us keep
nothing else going on anyway! (so you won’t be able to visit the Hestercombe’s gardens open?
Seeing the positives garden without pre booking). This Hestercombe’s closure due to
There have been lots of positives will just help us to keep everyone the coronavirus pandemic has
along the way. The wildlife is safe by limiting numbers, and had a devastating impact on the
definitely being braver. We’ve seen staffing will remain at an absolute Hestercombe Gardens Trust’s
deer rutting in the car park, a minimum to help keep costs finances. We’re an independent
black kite flying over head, weasels down. The shop, house, gallery, charity, without the safety net of
playing in the orchard, a pair of Column Room restaurant, Stables larger organisations, and there is
ducks join us for a cuppa every day cafe and play area will all remain a very real possibility that we may
and we have a robin that sits with closed but you can pre-order not survive beyond 2020 unless we
us too. The longer grass areas have takeaway picnic lunches and cream can raise substantial funds.
meant extra pollinators and insect teas. Garden paths will be open Over the last thirty years
life. With no one else on site we but one way systems will be in Hestercombe’s historic landscape
have been totally absorbed in our place to enable visitors the space and its unique, world famous
work and had a chance to really for distancing. gardens have been lovingly
observe what is going on around The gardens are looking great, restored. We are now open again,
us. I’m sure all of us lucky enough perhaps a bit shabby round the but you will need to pre-book a
to have gardens have found solace edges, but nothing that can’t be timed slot and bring your booking
in them during these odd times. put right over time. Let’s not confirmation email with you.
Of course life at Hestercombe forget that this garden has suffered Claire Greenslade
won’t be back to normal for some much, much worse neglect than All parks and gardens worldwide
time and social distancing could this over the years! have taken a massive financial hit
be the norm for a while. However, We look forward to being able to in the last few months and we
we’re now reopening both to welcome you all back, albeit in a wish our colleagues well in the
members and non-members slightly different way! coming months and years. Ed.
Mavis Batey Essay Prize 2020
T he winner of this year’s Mavis
Batey Essay Prize is Nuard
Tadevosyan, an MA [Art History]
seemed at first to be a very narrowly
focused subject and gave it a broad
treatment in a readable way.
the University of York who was
highly commended for “Chasing
the Dragon”. She took on the
student at Queen’s University, The judges were also impressed challenge of tracing the identity
Kingston, Ontario Canada, for her by the painstaking scholarship of a single plant – ‘dragaunce’ –
work on the use of the colour green of Stephanie Drew an MA in a medieval herbal, outlining
in Della Robbia ceramics. Della student in Mediaeval Studies at the problems of both pre- and
Robbia’s workshop in Renaissance post-Linnean nomenclature.
Florence worked almost exclusively She showed how changes in
in blue and white but introduced terminology and methodology
green as an unusual highlight for demonstrate the need for critical
natural imagery. Nuard examined re-examination of historical
the history of green, its use in sources and a review of editorial
bucolic and pastoral poetry, and its practices. It was a very impressive
use in these ceramics — whether piece of work about a subject
for botanically precise garlands and unfamiliar to many, but crucially
flowers which helped emphasise the important to anyone working in
sacred nature of a particular subject, the field of plant history.
or its use in representing the Both Nuard and Stephanie have
sinister side of nature. The judges been invited to submit their work
were impressed by her scholarship for publication in Garden History.
and the way that she took what Roundel with Head of a Youth, c.1470 Dr David Marsh
GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020 15GT Remote Learning 2020
The Gardens Trust Remote Learning 2020:
Learning Packages Schedule for CGTs
T hroughout the spring and
summer we have been/will be
emailing many of you with regular
with new additions that we hope
you will find useful. We hope very
much that these will help you
these packages is below, but if you
just can’t wait, versions of many of
these materials are already on our
re/releases of our training packages keep your volunteers engaged, Resource Hub:
(all appropriate to life under enthusiastic and purposeful. http://thegardenstrust.org/
Covid-19) refreshed, updated and Our schedule for the release of conservation/hlp-hub/
Month Title Content
April Introduction to A summary of the most popular digital discussion platforms
Online Communications your County Gardens Trust (CGT) could use to stay
connected; and how to register and use them.
April Maximising Suggestions of initiatives you could take for the Unforgettable
Unforgettable Gardens Gardens theme 2020/22 (even during Covid- 19!)
April Social media An introduction to the most popular platforms, and how
they could benefit your CGT.
May Online Resources for Ways to continue your research when you can’t visit the
Researching Parks and Gardens archives, using a wide range of free online resources.
May Statements of Significance How to determine a site’s key significances and write a clear
and concise description of these to aid their conservation.
May Where to Put Your Research v.1 Regional and national online databases enabling you to make
your research available to all. Including Historic Environment
Records, Parks and Gardens UK, Enriching the List.
May Understanding the Setting of Thinking about all types of setting and how and why they
Historic Parks and Gardens should be protected from development.
June Planning 1. Introduction Understanding the many and varied ways in which historic
to Planning Threats and designed landscapes may be threatened, and how planning
Conservation policy can help to protect them.
June Planning 2. Responding to Learning how to use a variety of resources to write a well-
Planning Applications affecting informed and persuasive planning response letter, to help
Historic Parks and Gardens influence a planning decision.
July Planning 3. Understanding the Taking you through the finer points of planning, appeals and
finer points of planning national and local policy.
July Garden History Workshops for Introducing a simple series of workshops and activities to
Schools introduce schoolchildren to garden history and heritage values.
July Audience Development Made Achievable initiatives to make your work engaging for new
Easy people and build sustainability for your CGT.
August MOVES: A step-by-step guide to setting up a project which will appeal
Setting Up Volunteer Projects to volunteers.
October Where to Put Your Research v2 Regional and national online databases enabling you to make
your research available to all. Including Historic Environment
Records, Parks and Gardens UK, Enriching the List and
OASIS – a new archive for historic parks and gardens research
(see p.9).
16 GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020contributors
from our
Learning from The Blackamoor
Dr Patrick Eyres
T he killing of George Floyd
in Minneapolis on 25 May
2020 sent shock waves around the
world. In Britain, one consequence
of the Black Lives Matter
demonstrations has been a lesson
about the shifting perceptions
of history that are embodied
by statuary. For example, the
toppled statue of a Bristol slave
trader, Edward Colston, had been
erected in 1895 – 174 years after
his death and 62 years after the
abolition of slavery in the British
colonies. The intention was to
celebrate his philanthropy, while
drawing a veil of silence over the
source of his wealth. However,
by 2020, his slave trading had
been public knowledge for thirty
years and the Victorian agenda
of commemoration had become
repugnant. Since then, the
National Trust has sensed a similar
repugnance at the presence of The
Blackamoor statue at Dunham
Massey, Greater Manchester, and
has removed it into storage.
The National Trust asserts that the
decision was taken because of the
upset and distress caused by the way
Patrick Eyres
the statue depicts a black person,
and because of its prominence
at the front of the mansion.
Apparently, there is no intention The Blackamoor, Dunham Massey, photo by Patrick Eyres, 2010.
“to censor or deny the way colonial
histories are woven into the fabric appalling histories of slavery and the many National Trust properties
of our buildings”. On the contrary, slave trade”.1 This commendable have direct and indirect links
the Trust “plans to address it in a aspiration has been reinforced by a to slavery and colonialism, and
way that fully acknowledges the further statement, confirming that that the Trust is “responsible for
GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020 17Learning from The Blackamoor making sure their stories are fully was the King’s principal economic of the Slave Trade Abolition explored and shared”.2 motive when, in 1702, he took Act, the government’s website Subsequently, the National Trust Britain into the War of Spanish acknowledged that probably half has acknowledged that the Black Succession. of the twelve million enslaved Lives Matter campaign has created It is clear is that the sculptor, Africans were transported in a “pivotal” moment in public John Nost I, understood British merchant ships. expectations, and that the Trust the subject the King had The Blackamoor at Dunham needs “to move at a quicker pace” commissioned because the terms Massey is attributed to Andrew to highlight colonial and slavery ‘blackamoor’ and ‘slave’ were Carpenter and is thought to have connections.3 So it is to be hoped synonymous at that time – and been installed in 1735, when that the National Trust will be able it was as The Kneeling Slave that the mansion was completed. In to reappraise the contradictory Nost I and subsequent sculptors, 1694, James Booth, 2nd Earl description that has stood as well as garden visitors, described of Warrington, had inherited a adjacent to the Dunham Massey the statue, which, in 1815, was rundown and indebted estate. This Blackamoor for the past decade: reported as the most popular of all predicament was resolved by the “This sundial is in the style of one the lead statues created for British injection of commercial wealth won commissioned by King William gardens in the 18th century. This through marriage to Mary Oldbury, III. It represents Africa, one of description has been reiterated the heiress of John Oldbury, a four continents known at the time. by garden writers and sculpture successful London merchant. It is The figure depicts a Moor, not a historians from the 1890s to the hoped that the National Trust will slave.” present day. investigate the nature of Oldbury’s By addressing the historical In 1711, once peace negotiations business activities and thus identify context of The Blackamoor, the had begun at Utrecht, the South the sources of his fortune. John National Trust has the opportunity Sea Company was established Oldbury was a contemporary of to demonstrate that this garden to transport the Asiento slaves, that other London merchant, the statue embodies specific ways and Britain’s acquisition of the Bristolian Edward Colston, and that the Atlantic slave economy monopoly was ratified in 1713. inhabited the same commercial was embedded in the culture of It is startling to appreciate that milieu. Perhaps, like Colston, he Georgian Britain, and particularly statues of The Blackamoor, traded with Spain, Portugal, Italy within the fabric of our country a.k.a. The Kneeling Slave were and West Africa. Maybe he was house and garden heritage. perceived as representations of also a director of the Royal Africa The term Blackamoor was used to the commercial bounty of the Company. During the dozen years describe Africans and, especially, Asiento in particular, and the that Colston was on this company’s sculptural representations Atlantic slave economy in general. board, he and his fellow directors were of Africans. The version of a Indeed, the popularity of this responsible for the transportation Blackamoor at Dunham Massey genre almost exactly spanned the of 84,000 enslaved Africans. exemplifies the genre of lead years between King William’s The inventory of these statues in garden statuary first created in demand for the Asiento in 1702, The Blackamoor & The Georgian 1701 for King William III and and Britain’s renunciation of Garden identifies twenty-three the royal gardens at Hampton its tenure in 1750. Moreover, Blackamoors, of which eleven Court Palace. This genre is the usual equation between the are extant and, of these, two characterised by the figure of a presence of The Kneeling Slave are in the care of the National kneeling African male supporting in a Georgian garden and the Trust. It is expected that these a sundial. King William was commercial and political interests figures will be enlarged by future already the longstanding owner of the proprietor is exemplified research. The decision to restore of slave plantations and, in 1701, by the commissioning of these The Blackamoor at Wentworth he responded to the lobbying statues by directors of the South Castle, South Yorkshire, prompted of British slave traders to take Sea Company. Historians of the the research that is published in control of the Spanish Asiento de British empire have regarded the The Blackamoor & The Georgian Negros, which was the monopoly Peace of Utrecht as the catalyst Garden.4 While the National Trust contract to transport enslaved that enabled British dominance is yet to reveal the sources of the Africans to the Spanish empire in of the Atlantic slave trade. In wealth that might account for the Americas and Caribbean. This 2007, during the bicentenary the presence of The Blackamoor 18 GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020
Learning from The Blackamoor
at Dunham Massey, it has been
established that country house
building and landscape gardening
at Wentworth Castle were
substantially funded by profits
from the Atlantic slave economy.
The gardens and park have
subsequently been acquired by
the National Trust, and the new
website and guide to Wentworth
Castle Gardens are both upfront
in acknowledging the connections
between Thomas Wentworth’s
diplomacy, the sources of his
income and The Blackamoor statue.5
It was Thomas Wentworth, 1st
Earl of Strafford (2nd creation),
who, with John Robinson, Bishop
Patrick Eyres
Peter Clegg
of Bristol, co-negotiated the Peace
of Utrecht and won the Asiento
de Negros for Britain. Strafford
commissioned John Nost II to The Blackamoor, painted white, in The Blackamoor, in the restored Victorian
sculpt his Blackamoor, which was storage at Cannon Hall Museum, 2006. Conservatory, Wentworth Castle, 2013.
installed at Wentworth Castle
c.1725, and experimented in French Mississippi Company. In By coincidence, The Blackamoors
growing sugar cane in his walled addition, Anne Lady Strafford was at Dunham Massey and
garden. Strafford benefited from the heiress of Sir Henry Johnson, Wentworth Castle were restored by
investments in companies that who had amassed his fortune the same sculpture conservators.
traded in enslaved Africans and through ship building and slave In the mid-1980s, when work
the produce made by their labour, trading. He was a contemporary of on the Dunham Massey statue
namely the South Sea Company, Edward Colston and, like Colston, was underway, the similarly jet
the East India Company and the had been involved in the Royal black body of its companion at
Africa Company and was also a Wentworth Castle was painted
director of the East India Company. gloss white by students – in a
The source of Strafford’s income role reversal that, in the context
was not unique to him. Rather, he of the Great Miners’ Strike, was
was a representative of his culture. intended to emphasise that the
For two and a half centuries, working class had been enslaved by
British merchants, as well as capitalism. When restored in 2010,
Britons from the diverse strata of the conservators decided to paint
polite society, benefited from the the body with a naturalistic colour
profits and produce of the Atlantic in an attempt to provide the figure
slave economy. Nowhere is this with a semblance of humanity.
better appreciated than through The statue had spent a quarter
Legacies of British Slave Ownership. century in storage at the nearby
This online database was Cannon Hall Museum. In the
established by University College mid-18th century, the owning
London to record the beneficiaries family gave the name of this
of financial compensation by country house to its purpose-
the government, from 1838 into built slave ship. The voyage of the
The Blackamoor & The Georgian Garden, the 1840s, for the loss of slaves Cannon Hall is also documented
New Arcadian Press, 2011. following emancipation in the in The Blackamoor & The Georgian
Cover illustration by Howard Eaglestone. British colonies.6 Garden. Coincidentally, on the
GT NEWS 13 Summer 2020 19You can also read
