Newsletter Winter 2014 - Cambridgeshire Gardens Trust

BEDFORDSHIRE
GARDENS TRUST
Newsletter
Winter 2014
From the Desk of the Secretary
Co-opting Members Join the Committee
We are very pleased to announce that the committee have co-opted members
Sandra Peacock, Felicity Brimblecombe and Caroline Bowdler to the committee, with
immediate effect. With the amount of effort needed to cover some of the roles on the
committee it was felt best to take this route early in 2015, to ensure we could stage a
Talk Series and organise a Regional County Gardens Trusts Forum in 2015.
Additionally we have also have agreed to co-opt Corinne Price to the committee,
effective March 2015 – Corinne joins us to provide additional support to a number of
events that we will hosting or co-hosting at Swiss Garden in 2015. With these
changes Kevin Levitt will revert to his original role as Secretary for the Trust and will
act as stand-in for the Chairman at the AGT Business Meetings through the year.
As a result the changes in roles on the committee will be:
Treasurer – Sandra Peacock
Talk Series – Felicity Brimblecombe
Newsletter Editor and 2015 Regional Forum Coordinator – Caroline Bowdler
Pulhamite Study Day – Corinne Price
All remaining members of the committee remain unchanged, at least until the AGM
where we hope members will attend and support the election of a revised committee
to take us into 2016 – a busy year for anyone supporting events around the
Capability Brown Tercentenary.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust Series of Talks 2015
We are very pleased to announce that we will be having a series of talks in 2015. On
the theme of “Small Gardens and Allotments” we will again host these talks at the
Chapter House, Ampthill. Full details are in the Dates for Your Diary section.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust AGM 2015
By the next time the next newsletter comes out, I suspect the AGM packs will have been
sent to all members. This year the date is Saturday July 4th 2015 at 1:30pm. We will be
hosting the AGM at Parkside Community Hall, Ampthill, and following the business portion of
the AGM we will have Gary Quilter (Ampthill Town Council) and Allan Randall (Consultant).
They will be speaking on the proposed development of Ampthill Park further to HLF funding,
and plans to celebrate the tercentenary of Capability Brown in Ampthill Park in 2016.
Following refreshments, we will be having a guided tour of the park with both Gary and Allan
explaining the experience they hope people will get when they visit the park to explore the
legacy of Brown. We would hope to be finished by 5pm.
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Having formed in 2005 a number of the Committee members have been in their positions
since the start. With the co-option approach (and hopefully the retention of the co-opted
members) we hope that the majority, if not all, of positions will be filled throughout 2015. The
Secretary will happily take any feedback regarding committee positions anyone feels they
can step up to; as usual the full list of potentially vacant posts will be circulated after the
Committee meeting in May, with the AGM pack following shortly afterwards. Please consider
whether you could take on one of the vacant roles - we'd love to be able to provide a full,
varied and expanded range of Trust activities in 2015/16.
News of the Committee elected for 2015-2016 will be communicated to all members after the
event.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust Website
For those who use the website, you will have noticed that the site was revised and up-todate in 2014, with all navigation across the site re-instated. There is a now an amount of
corrective work to do, particularly relating to the calendar for 2015 and these updates are
being held until the full programme of events is finally confirmed.
Please be reminded that the website url is: http://www.bedsgardenstrust.org.uk/ and should
be used as the initial point of entry to the site.
Dates for your Diary/Other Events/Other Correspondence
BGT Talk Series 2015
Our 2015 Talk Series will again be held at the Ampthill Chapter House, on three Mondays in
March, April and May, with doors open at 7:30pm for a 7:45pm start. The talks planned are
on the theme of “Small Gardens and Allotments”. Dates and talk titles are:
Monday 16th March: Kate Harwood, History of Cottage Gardens and Allotments
Monday 13th April: Felicity Brimblecombe, Allotments at Luton Hoo
Monday 11th May: Corinne Price, Plants in a small garden – Plas yn Rhiw
Prices per talk will be £5 for members/£6 for non-members.
All tickets will be available on the night at the door – no pre-booking required.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust AGM 2015
Per comments on page 1 the date is set for Saturday July 4th 2015 at 2pm.
As part of our preparations for our AGM our Education Coordinator attended the
“AMPTHILL GREAT PARK: UPDATE ON PLANS FOR PROJECT”, a meeting in
January 2015 of “The Friends of Ampthill Park” at the Ampthill Town Council facility.
Some of the key points to be included in the Ampthill Great Park Development
Project which link to Capability Brown's Tercentenary in 2016 (CB300) include:
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Lectures about Capability Brown and his landscapes
Guided walks along a Capability Brown Trail
History Alive Days: Meet Capability Brown.
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A booklet about Capability Brown and Ampthill Park has been published. Extracts
were used on the pilot Capability Brown Day at Ampthill Park – no doubt we will
learn more on July 4th.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust Visits 2015
As with prior years individual visits will be notified via eMail and mail with booking
forms being sent no later than six weeks in advance of the event.
Plans for this year are: Thenford – May 9th; Wimpole Hall – July 15th; at the time of
final editing of this newsletter additional visits to Capel Manor and Anglesey Abbey
are also being scheduled.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust Study Day 2014
We were unfortunate with the weather but not with the attendance and speakers for
the Study Day in 2014 – a more detailed write-up is included later in the newsletter.
From a financial viewpoint we aim not to make a loss at these events, and planning
has started for the 2015 day and we will consider plans for 2016, depending upon
which organisations identify their plans for the Brown tercentenary activities.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust/Swiss Garden Jointly Hosted Study Day 2015
At the time of finalising the newsletter work continues to arrange a study day at
Swiss Garden, with both parties jointly hosting, in late September/early October
(dates to finalised in conjunction with the speakers). The theme is “Pulhamite
Garden Features”. The working plan is that we will have a series of talks in the
morning, lunch and then a tour in the afternoon of the Swiss Garden with an expert
on restoration techniques and in particular the story of the Pulhamite features in the
Swiss Garden. We will communicate the date and booking arrangements as soon as
possible.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust Meets the Neighbours
The Association of Gardens Trusts, in conjunction with the Garden History Society,
has been organising regional forums for Trusts to meet their neighbours and discuss
issues of national and regional interest. The first forum for the east of England was
held in the Athaneum, Bury St Edmunds on 28 October 2014, introduced by Verena
McCaig, who works jointly for the AGT and the GHS.
The theme was conservation – the work Trusts do in trying to ensure that valuable
designed landscapes are not irreparably harmed by insensitive development. The
Garden History Society is a statutory consultee for planning applications affecting
registered historic parks and gardens, but county gardens trusts in many areas do
much of the spadework because of their local knowledge. They may also comment
on – or alert others like CPRE to - applications for sites not on the register which are
particularly significant locally.
Representatives of the six Trusts in the region heard speakers on the role of English
Heritage and their “Heritage at Risk” register, Historic Environment Records, the
national amenity societies generally, and the New Environmental Management
Scheme (NELMS) which has replaced the EU land stewardship programmes. All
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these organisations hold pieces of the conservation jigsaw. Verena also spoke about
the importance of focus and communication in research and conservation work.
Bedfordshire was particularly welcomed to the forum as the youngest (and at present
the smallest) of the region’s Trusts. Although differing greatly in size and resources,
all Trusts share enthusiasm and the wish to do what they can for the gardens and
designed landscapes in their counties. We all agreed that the day had been useful
and stimulating, and that we would welcome another one next year.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust Contacts
Chair: Stephen Boys Smith
Tel: (01525) 403800; eMail: boyssmith@ntlworld.com
Secretary and Newsletter Editor: Kevin Levitt
8 Hooked Lane, Wilstead, Beds. MK45 3DL
Tel: (01234) 741118; eMail: kevin.levitt@tesco.net
Membership Secretary: James Gibb
Tel: (01525) 634960; eMail: jamesgibb@ntlworld.com
Research Co-Ordinator: Charlotte Phillips
Tel: (01582) 741223; eMail: cphillips@lhwg.org.uk
Conservation Co-Ordinator: David A Hargreaves
Tel: 07774 456767; eMail: davidahargreaves@hotmail.com
Education: Sheila Meekums
Tel: (01525) 850242; eMail: meekums@btinternet.com
Treasurer: Sandra Peacock
Tel: (01582) 840495; eMail: peacock114@btinternet.com
Talks Coordination: Felicity Brimblecombe
Tel: (01582) 762848; eMail: fbramble39@btinternet.com
Newsletter Editor and 2015 Regional Forum Coordination: Caroline Bowdler
Tel: (01234) 267668; eMail: caroline.bowdler@btinternet.com
Study Day 2015 Coordination: Corinne Price
Tel: (01767)672910; eMail: corinne.price@shuttleworth.org
Publications Present
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, 1713-92
His Botanical and Horticultural Interests and Legacy
Edited by Charlotte Phillips and Nora Shane, this book is a collection of short essays that
focuses on Lord Bute’s botanical and horticultural interests and legacy. It traces the origins
of these interests, describes how these were put into practice in the gardens with which he
was associated and looks at his contribution to botanical art and his efforts to advance his
botanical knowledge. As the founder of the Luton Hoo Walled Garden, the 3rd Earl of Bute
has been the focus of much of the research into the history of the Walled Garden. On the
one hand an unpopular figure who was the subject of considerable hatred and gossip, while
on the other hand much has been uncovered about Lord Bute’s very positive contribution to
eighteenth century learning as a botanist, collector and student of natural history.
Now available, to order your copy write to Luton Hoo Walled Garden, Luton Hoo Estate,
Luton LU1 4LF (tel: 01582 879089) enclosing your name, address, eMail address, telephone
number and an indication of how many copies you wish to reserve (each copy is £7.99 plus
£1 postage) together with a cheque (payable to Luton Hoo Walled Garden) for the
appropriate amount.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust
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Research:
Archibald Thomson 1752 – 1832:
Gardener to the 3rd Earl of Bute at Luton Hoo and Nurseryman of Mile End
Exactly when Archibald Thomson was the gardener to the 3 rd Earl of Bute is difficult
to trace. Little is known of Archibald’s early life although his later career indicates
that he must have had an early introduction to gardening and then risen rapidly in the
gardening world. His obituary stated that he ‘received the rudiments of his
horticultural education under his father in the vicinity of Edinburgh, and afterwards, in
England, improved himself so much, that he was appointed botanical gardener to the
Earl of Bute, at Luton Hoo, in Bedfordshire’. 1
Archibald must have had an excellent botanical understanding to have been a
gardener to John Stuart, the 3rd Earl of Bute (1713-92) a polymath with a serious
interest in botany. Peter Collinson wrote to Carl Linnaeus in 1755 saying ‘You desire
to know our botanical people. The first in rank is the Right Hon. the Earl of Bute’. 2
Bute bought Luton Park (Luton Hoo) in 1763 and ‘Capability’ Brown laid out the
grounds including extensive lakes and an octagonal walled garden. The completion
of the latter can be dated by several references to between 1767, when plans were
mentioned, and 1770 when it looked as if it had been planted two years. With
approximately 5 acres inside the walls plus 5 acres in the slips it was sufficiently
large to contain the Earl’s considerable collection of botanical specimens with a
conservatory which was, in 1783, perhaps the most perfect in the kingdom. Bute
also supervised the initial, botanical development of what is now The Royal Botanical
Gardens at Kew for Prince Frederick and his wife Princess Augusta. 3
Little is known of Archibald’s early life except that he was from Edinburgh, the son
of Alexander Thomson and probably born in 1752. Only speculation produces a
reason why Archibald Thomson started to work for Bute. Archibald was related to
the famous Scottish poet, James Thomson (1700-48), who was himself descended
from a family of gardeners. 4 The poet sent a copy of his major work, The Seasons,
to Sir Gilbert Elliott, of Minto, who had been very kind to him. Elliott was reputed to
have shown the book to his gardener, David Thomson, the poet’s uncle.5 In 1763,
when Bute resigned as Prime Minister, his friend, Sir Gilbert Elliott’s son, escorted
Bute to retirement in Bedfordshire.6 Perhaps it was the Elliott family who
recommended Archibald Thomson as a gardener to Bute.
Some of Archibald’s career can be followed in Edinburgh, Luton, Germany and
London. The German connection stems from the suggestion that Archibald was the
unspecified Thomson who laid out a garden at Hohenzieritz, for Queen Charlotte’s
1
John Claudius Loudon, (ed.), The Gardener's magazine and register of rural & domestic improvement, vol. 8,
(London; Longman, 1832), (Google ebook, online edn.), p. 256.
2
David P. Miller, ‘ “My favourite studdys”: Lord Bute as Naturalist’, in Karl Wolfgang Schweizer (ed.), Lord
Bute: Essays and Re-interpretation, (Leicester University Press, 1988), p. 217.
3
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, (1713-92) in Dictionary of National Biography (DNB), (Oxford University Press,
2004), (online edn, 2009).
4
James Thomson, Poet (1700-48) in DNB.
5
Kazlitt Arvine, The cyclopaedia of anecdotes of literature and the fine arts; containing a copious and choice
selection of anecdotes, (Boston: Gould and Lincoln, 1853), (Google ebook, online edn.), p.120.
6
Gilbert Elliot (1722-77), in Hayton, D., E. Cruickshanks, and S., Handley (eds), The History of Parliament: the
House of Commons 1690-1715, (Woodbridge: Boydell and Brewer, 2002; online edn.).
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brother Carl at his summer residence which he acquired in 1768. 7 Carl’s brother
Ernst, also had a garden ‘in the true English taste’ at Celle. Ernst visited Carl and
wrote enthusiastically in 1773 about Carl’s new garden which his English gardener
had created. It has been speculated that this was Archibald Thomson because of
the connection between Queen Charlotte, Princess Augusta (her mother-in-law), and
Bute. If Archibald went to Hohenzieritz he would have been about 20 years old at
the time.
Whether he was at Luton Hoo before and after going to Germany is unclear as very
few estate records exist to add details to Archibald’s career at this time. However,
Figures 1 and 2, refer to a bill payable to Archibald Thomson for labourers employed
in the Botanic Garden and in the making of the Pleasure Ground at Luton Park from
Figure1. Summary of Archibald Thomson’s bill for work done at Luton Hoo. Courtesy: BLARS.
Figure 2. Details from Archibald Thomson's bill (top and bottom of the sheet). Courtesy: BLARS.
7
Marcus Köhler, ‘The German Legacy: Richmond in Braunschweig’, in Lancelot Brown (1716-83) and The
Landscape Park, Journal of the Garden History Society, Vol. 19, No. 1, (Leeds: Maney Press, 2001), p. 30.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust
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Monday 1st to Saturday 6th December in a year, which is probably 1777.8 The
interpretation of the year is open to debate but for the 1 st December to be a Monday
then consideration of the only possible options results in a date of 1777. Archibald’s
marriage in 1781 in Luton would also indicate that he had been working as a
gardener for Bute at Luton Hoo prior to 1781 in order to meet, woo and wed a Luton
lady, Martha Gutteridge. Their three children were baptised in Luton, at the Park
Street Baptist Chapel,9 and recorded as children of Archibald Thomson a
nurseryman of Bromley, Middlesex.10
James Gordon had established a nursery at Mile End, adjacent to Bromley, in
1738,11 and maintained a seed shop at the sign of the Thistle and Crown, 25
Fenchurch Street, London. By 1781 James Gordon and James Dermer of
Fenchurch Street, along with Archibald Thomson, of Mile End Old Town, were jointly
purchasing fire insurance.12 James Gordon had excellent gardening credentials: he
had been in charge of the treasury of botanical introductions made by Dr James
Sherard at Eltham before securing the plum horticultural post as the chief gardener
to Lord Petre of Thorndon Hall, Essex, and his horticultural business empire was
said to be ‘the most influential firm in the country during the whole of the third quarter
of the eighteenth century’.13 James Dermer had no known gardening experience,
however, he was related to Archibald’s wife, Martha Gutteridge, and had a strong
monetary background. When James Gordon’s son died in 1795, an executor to his
will was William Forsyth ‘gardener to His Majesty’ and one of the witnesses was
Graham Thomson. Graham must have been Archibald’s brother and have joined the
business too.14 Gordon, Forsyth and Thomson continued to trade until the mid1830s, when William Forsyth, son of William Forsyth, His Majesty’s gardener, died.
Subsequently Gordon and Thomson continued in business including placing adverts
in colonial papers for seeds. 15
Meanwhile the nursery at Mile End continued to reflect Archibald Thomson’s
horticultural skills as stated in his obituary in 1832:
The Mile End Nursery at that time was one of the first about London, and it
was much extended and improved by Mr Thomson. The collection of hardy
trees and shrubs was unrivalled; and very many of our finest American and
other exotics were introduced through, and their cultivation determined in
that nursery.
His son endeavoured to continue running the nursery but the original sixty year
lease taken by James Gordon expired and he was unsuccessful in purchasing the
8
Bedfordshire and Luton Record Office (BLARS), G/DAA/153/1; date confirmed by the Archivist at BLARS.
Personal communication from Barry Gutteridge, the Gutteridge Family Historian.
10
By 1784 Bute had moved from Luton Hoo to Hampshire for his health which might partly account for
Archibald’s move from Luton.
11
Derek Morris, ‘James Gordon, Mile End’s Famous Nursery Man’, Transactions of the London and Middlesex
Archaeological Society, Vol.24, (1973), pp.183-87.
12
Sun Fire Insurance Register, 1781 SUN 1 289 10\10\80 BN. (1781).
13
John Harvey, Early Nurserymen, (Chichester: Phillimore Press, 1974), p. 84.
14
In 1799, when Graham gained the Freedom of the City of London his father was named as Alexander
Thomson, gardener of Edinburgh and, in 1803, Graham Thomson of Fenchurch Street, seedman, was named
on his son’s apprentice indentures.
15
Graham’s son James Thomson was involved in the business and resided at Fenchurch Street in 1841 and
1851 but died in 1858. His brother, Richard Thomson, became an antiquary and librarian (DNB).
9
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premises which perhaps explains some of the final comments in Archibald’s
obituary:
Mr. Thomson was excessively fond of fine specimens of his various stock,
and, no doubt, had much personal gratification in their preservation; but he
lived to see that, though this was a road to fame, it led not to the reward it
merited. Many of these specimens are now on sale, in the possession of
his son and successor, and are well worth the attention of collectors who are
forming arboretums or public gardens. Magnolia Thomsoniana, amongst
other estimable plants, is commemorative of Mr Thomson’s skill and
assiduity; and his modes of practice in the propagation and nursery culture
of plants will ever remain, as they have long been, the guide of his
numerous pupils and brethren in the profession, by whom he was always
highly respected.
Archibald Thomson was also reputed to have been the first importer of Camellia
Japonica. Perhaps it was one of Archibald’s new plants that Mary Delany took
home from Luton Hoo to make her flower collage of Camellia Japonica in
December 1779.
Garden Visits 2014
BGT Visit to Ickwell Bury 11 September 2014
Members welcomed the opportunity to see the gardens of Ickwell Bury, seat of the
Harveys for 250 years until 1924, and later bought by Colonel G H Wells. The house
was destroyed by fire in 1937 and rebuilt on a smaller scale, but splendid 17 th to 19th
century brick outbuildings remain, including a stable block with a clock believed to be
by local lad Thomas Tompion, and an octagonal dovecote. Colonel Wells left the
estate in trust to Bedford School, who now run a field study centre in the wider
grounds. The house was for a time occupied by the Yoga for Health foundation, but
is now privately owned, with the gardens, and under restoration.
We started in one of the buildings used by the School, where maps and information
had been laid out, and were then privileged to be shown the interior of the converted
stables and even to glimpse the mechanism of the Tompion clock, before moving
into the gardens. The former terraces to the south and west of the house have lost
their features, but the walled garden to the north retains orchard trees and decayed
glasshouses, and here and there, a wall label for a long-vanished specimen. BGT
member Elizabeth Skinner recalled the gardens from childhood visits to her aunt,
Mrs Wells, and pointed out to us the listed sundial of 1803 (rather incongruously
commemorating the raising of a local troop of horse artillery in case of a Napoleonic
invasion), now covered in vegetation.
An attractive restored grass walk between borders along the south-west side of the
walled garden took us to the lake, described in the 1924 sale particulars as
“an ornamental Sheet of Water of about 3½ acres studded with Islands, Boat House
and Lily Pond and Cold Spring, surrounded by Woodland with Grass Walks”. Led by
Chris Jones of Bedford School we followed the varied route around the lake, duly
admiring the cold spring in its pool, and passing intriguing mounds, remnants of
overgrown shrub planting, and other water features which may include moats from
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an earlier manor house. The wider parkland contains specimen trees, and a mixed
avenue of lime and chestnut still runs north-west across fields to meet the Northill to
Cople road.
After our perambulation we returned to the study centre for welcome refreshments.
Our thanks go to all those involved for a most interesting visit.
BGT Visit to Fairfield Park
On the 14th August 2014 several members visited Fairfield Park near Stotfold. The
morning was showery but cleared in time for us to tour the site. We were joined by
two Fairfield Parish councillors who were interested in our visit.
Fairfield was originally constructed as the Three Counties Asylum in 1859 following a
design by George Fowler. It boasts the longest corridor in Britain - half a mile long.
The asylum opened in 1860 and had its own chapel, farm, laundry, railway station,
fire brigade and cemetery. It was intended to be self-sufficient and did in fact do the
laundry for several hospitals in the region. Sadly the old kitchen gardens,
glasshouses and cold frames are no more, having been swallowed up in the redevelopment of the site. The tennis courts, bowling green and cricket pitch are still
there and in use. The cemetery has a memorial now to all those who lived and died
in Fairfield.
Swiss Garden Study Day 4 October 2014
Members and others gathered in pouring rain for an informative study day on the
Swiss Garden at Old Warden, recently re-opened following a £3.5m restoration
supported by £2.8m from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The scene was set by Corinne
Price, the Garden Manager, who outlined this idiosyncratic garden’s development
from the late 1820s, when Robert, 3rd Lord Ongley, created an enclosed and
contoured landscape from an abandoned brickfield, with evergreen planting, ponds,
decorative ironwork, and curving paths linking the main buildings and features. This
phase is tantalisingly undocumented, in contrast to the well-recorded embellishments
by the later “new money” owner, industrialist Joseph Shuttleworth, who bought the
estate in 1872.
Kate Harwood put the Swiss Garden into the context of the eclectic influences
shaping the Regency garden, where gothick, rustic, Indian and chinoiserie features
can exist together in harmony. To contemporaries, “Swiss” suggested health,
freedom, and the rustic picturesque; there were “Swiss” cottages ornées, for
example, in the grounds of Cassiobury, Hertfordshire, and Cahir, Tipperary, though
neither of them would be recognisable in Switzerland.
Chris Garrand, the Project Architect, took us through the detail of the bid
development and the resulting restoration work. Painstaking research teased out
clues from documents and the garden’s many structures and artefacts. For example,
the decorated wooden interior of the Swiss Cottage may have been remodelled from
the interior of the Swiss chalet in the grounds of the Colosseum at Regent’s Park,
demolished in 1874. There is still more to discover: what was the function of the two
cast iron, imitation bamboo posts found during the restoration?
The aim was to restore the garden to its high point around 1890, but avoiding
speculative restoration of lost features like Lord Ongley’s aviary. The reconstruction
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work itself was a logistical triumph, meeting the challenge of getting large vehicles
and equipment on and off a fragile 9-acre site without damaging it. Scores of
specialist crafts were involved, from the repair of the porch interior at the Cottage
with delicate slices of Monterey Pine cones and hazel twigs, to the large-scale repair
of the Pulhamite rockwork which is a striking feature of the site’s Shuttleworth period.
The ironwork in the grotto and fernery was protected by an advanced modern paint
system in the original mid-blue colour, and the float glass was replaced by handmade crown glass. Selective felling and pruning let in light and recreated some of the
lost vistas, while planting was devised to reinforce and enhance the garden’s
structure.
After a tasty buffet lunch in the Garden Room Chris took us for a tour of the garden,
pointing out many of the features we had been hearing about. We tried to ask him a
question he couldn’t answer, but failed miserably. Just as we were concluding, the
sun came out to highlight the sparkling glasswork, the gilded finials, and the varied
planting. Our handouts included notes on the “Ongley” and “Shuttle” planting mixes
used, in case anyone would like to try this at home. This was a well-thought-out and
thoroughly enjoyable day.
Decoration inside the Swiss cottage, complete with bell-pull to summon the servants in the room
below
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New glazing to the Grotto and Fernery
Looking across to the Indian Kiosk
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Approaching a restored gate screen
Events of Note
We received a brochure and covering letter from the Sales and Marketing Officer at
Buckingham Palace – in March 2015 the Royal Collections Trust will be opening a
new exhibition, “Painting Paradise: The Art of the Gardens”, at the Queen’s Gallery,
Buckingham Palace. We do not currently plan a group visit – the numbers required
are high (but could be accommodated by group bookings with other interested
parties in neighbouring CGTs. However if members wish for further information
please go to the website: www.royalcollection.org.uk.
Also of note is Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust's talk about a Bedfordshire Garden.
Called "Sleeping Beauties: Recent Research, Repairs and Restoration at Wrest Park
and Boughton", it will be given by the well-known archaeologist Brian Dix. It will take
place at 2.30 pm on Saturday 14th March at the County Museum Aylesbury. Booking
can be made through Rosemary Jury rosemary@jury11.fsnet.co.uk and it will
cost £10.00 for members and £12.00 for guests.
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Education
Fulbrook Academy, Woburn Sands
I have continued to work with Fulbrook Academy a middle school in Woburn Sands.
They were very grateful for the grant from the Bedfordshire Gardens Trust which was
used to buy plants to stock their new pond. The money has paid dividends for the
pupils, staff and the wildlife.
Their wildlife garden, created from one corner of their sports field, has attracted a
wide range of species. The most exciting creatures have been seen in and around
their new pond which was only dug in the Spring of this year. The pupils and staff
were very excited to see frogs moving in and, not far behind, a grass snake
(probably) presumably after some lunch. We have also found lots of interesting
invertebrates including damselfly and dragonfly larvae. Butterflies have been drawn
to the garden by the variety of nectar-rich plants including herbs. Although pond
dipping has been the most popular activity, the pupils have also successfully learnt
how to care for the pond.
The pupils have also grown fruit and vegetables in another part of the School's
grounds and Harvest Festival was especially exciting as they could include their own
produce in the display. They have raised delicious tomatoes and carrots and
spectacular sweetcorn. Raspberries proved very popular too and the pupils
commented about the difference in taste compared with shop bought ones.
Harvesting the hidden treasure of new potatoes was wonderful! I have never seen
pupils dig so enthusiastically. Mrs Tess Mason and her team of green-fingered
gardeners have done really well on a very limited budget
St George's Lower School, Leighton Buzzard
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust's latest venture is to support a tiny school in Leighton
Buzzard. Consisting of only four teaching staff and fewer than seventy pupils, St
George's has a large site with great potential.
We are already helping them in several ways. In autumn 2014 I helped with their bulb
planting, and this term we have given them a grant to finance this season's planting.
Three of our members are giving help and advice with planting flowers, fruit, herbs
and vegetables and with creating a Tree Trail. We will also be developing a newly
dug area, perhaps for a sensory garden designed to attract insects. They are a really
deserving case as many of the children do not have access to a garden. Thank you
so much for supporting St George's. I'm sure we will make a difference.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust
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Winter 2014 Newsletter
Southcott Lower School, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard
I have begun to help Southcott Lower School, a lovely school for pupils up to the age
of eight. We began by restoring their vegetable garden, clearing raised beds and
planting potatoes. We have planted broad beans, three types of onions and garlic.
The onions are already shooting up and tiny fingers made an excellent job of
removing weeds.
We also planted flower bulbs and the children did not need telling which way up to
plant them as they had remembered from when we did the onions. We also planted
tubs with violas to put outside their classrooms. We have planted peas which can
over winter and after that hope to clear another large raised bed and sow it with a
green manure crop to increase its fertility. Southcott are planning to plant a "Bee and
Butterfly Border" to link up with the "Put the Buzz into Leighton Buzzard" campaign.
All donations of "plants perfect for pollinators" will be gratefully received.
The committee kindly awarded this School a grant which will be used for compost
and more seeds.
News from the AGT
AGT Business Meeting March 2015
The Trust will be attending the next AGT Business Meeting in London in March 2015 – it is
especially important given the proposed merges and changes to the AGT/GHS structures. It
is our intent to provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.
AGT Study Day May 2015 – St Giles House, Wimbourne
The AGT have announced a Research and Recording Study Day on Wednesday May 6 th
2015 at St Giles House, Wimbourne. They have also added, for those attending the St. Giles
Study Day, an informal walk in the William Beckford landscape at Old Fonthill Abbey, by kind
permission of Mr and Mrs Stephen Morant. The walk will be led by Min Wood and will
happen on the preceding day, Tuesday May 5th 2015, 2pm to 4pm. Further details can be
sought from the AGT Co-Ordinator via eMail: gardenstrusts@agt.org.uk or via website:
www.gardenstrusts.org.uk or by phoning the AGT Office: 020 7251 2610
AGT Annual Conference 2015
AGT Annual Conference, incorporating the AGT AGM and Business Meeting on Friday 24
July in Newcastle
The conference dinner will take place at The Biscuit Factory, now a contemporary art gallery
and includes visits to Croxdale Hall, Hardwick Hall landscaped garden, Durham Cathedral,
Alnwick Castle, Hulne Priory and Belsay Hall are included amongst others.
The provisional programme and booking form can be found on-line via the link to the GHS http://www.gardenhistorysociety.org/post/events/annual-summer-conference
-newcastle/.
2015 Yearbook
As many of you found at our 2014 AGM the AGT produced a booklet “The Association of
Gardens Trusts 2014 Yearbook” – similar to the previous year’s offering. The 2015 Yearbook
should be available and will be given to attending members and guests at the AGM, in order
to reduce our postage costs.
Anyone wishing to pass on their copy to potential members and/or other organisations can
obtain further copies by contacting the Secretary at the AGM or via the usual address.
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust
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Winter 2014 Newsletter
And Finally …..
After eight years covering various functions in the Trust I believe it imperative to pass certain
batons on to other members so that the Trust can move forward and I can take a small step
into the background – that is not to say we haven’t made progress over the past years, but
additional support is always welcome. The changes come at a time when I personally have
continued time pressures and need to reduce my workload.
I agreed to take on the Treasurer’s role at the last AGM as an interim measure and will step
away from the role at the end of this financial year. Given Sandra Peacock’s role at the
Luton Hoo Walled Garden I am sure the finances will be in very safe hands.
It has taken longer for those completing their MAs in Garden History to have sufficient time
to commit to the committee tasks – and for me to persuade them to come on-board. The
Talk Series and Study Days do take a lot of administrative work, once organised – and I
believe these tasks will be better handled by those more active on the presenting circuit.
Again I believe Felicity Brimblecombe and Corinne Price will bring additional skills to these
events – and I look forward to these events being well supported.
I have tried to keep self-promotion out of the newsletter and the Note-Lets (the smaller sister
to the twice yearly publication), wherever possible – having taken this task on over seven
years ago in addition to the Secretary’s role (surprisingly no one volunteered to keep our
publication going) – I am grateful that Caroline Bowdler has agreed to take on the editorship
and publication of our newsletter. While I will continue to contribute items from the
Secretary’s Desk (and viewpoint) I hope we will get visit information, reports, research and
education updates from a number of sources. Funnily enough my final newsletter as editor is
one of the large ones – and has been the easiest to edit.
Please note that the deadline for member input to the next newsletter will be the last day of
July 2015 for a Summer 2015 edition, due out by mid-to-late-September.
Contributions ARE welcomed – please send directly to Caroline Bowdler (eMail on prior
pages) or to the Secretary at his usual eMail address (and I’ll forward the contributions
onwards).
Kevin Levitt
Bedfordshire Gardens Trust
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Winter 2014 Newsletter