Autumn 2008
CORNWALL GARDENS TRUST
NEWSLETTER
AUTUMN 2008
Registered Charity Number 800887
Editor DFJ Pearce
Message from the Chairman
Dear CGT member,
First of all, I should like to thank Sir Ferrers Vyvyan very much for all his hard work and long service as Chairman of the CGT for the last seven years. He has brought the Trust into the twenty first century, encouraging it to be more up-to-date in outlook and practice. As the owner of Trelowarren, a large historic estate, he knows at first hand all the difficulties of restoration and conservation but he is also the champion of the smaller and less conventional garden. Sir Ferrers has promulgated gardening in schools, an aspect of education that will become more relevant since the next generation must be encouraged to safeguard their environment and learn much more about nutrition.
Finally, I should like to commend Ferrers’ powers of subtle persuasion when in April he asked me to take over as the Chair of the trust. After the initial shock, I regard this as a privilege and I shall endeavour to keep the trust vital and alert to the issues of conservation in the county.
Taking on the Chairmanship has not been a sinecure as I was soon swept into co-ordinating the CGT Presentation, ‘The Way Forward’ with the help of with several stalwart helpers. The presentation was organized in response to concern on the part of Sir Ferrers, Jean Marcus and Sir Richard Carew Pole that the CGT did not have a high enough profile within the county. It was held at Antony by invitation and Sir Richard welcomed the audience comprised of local authorities and associations, statutory bodies and the owners of significant Cornish gardens. Our guest speaker, Mrs Gilly Drummond, President of the AGT and recently awarded the OBE for her services to the environment, gave an inspirational speech which highlighted future aims and objectives for the trust. Now we must keep up the impetus and continue to promote ourselves in the county where - just to mention one aspect of the trust’s work - our garden records can be a most useful resource for planners and historians alike.
I should like to end by saying that all of those members with hidden skills are most welcome to assist the trust to Go Forward … just the smallest bit of help will make all the difference. There is much to be done!
With best wishes,
Angela Stubbs
| ContentsPage 1 Message from the ChairmanChristmas Lunch
Page 2-4 Garden visit reports
Page 5 Garden visits next year Programme Organiser St Mark’s School Garden
Page 6 Far From the Madding Crowd Come into the Garden 2009 TDFAS Invitation
Page 7-9 News from the Recorders’ Group Devon Gardens Trust Meeting The Way Forward
|
Christmas Lunch
Our Chairman, Angela Stubbs, invites you to the CGT Christmas lunch at Viner’s Restaurant, Carvynick, Summercourt on Tuesday 16th December at 12-30 for 1pm. Details of the choice of menu and a booking form are enclosed. Please note the deadline for replies.
Viner’s has appeared in the Good Food Guide for three years and in the Michelin Pub Guide. Chef Kevin Viner is nationally recognised for his honest-to-goodness approach to cuisine. He was Cornwall’s first chef to earn a Michelin Star and has since won many accolades.
SUMMER PROGRAMME 2008 part 2 Garden visit reports
Visit to Coldrenick 4thJune.
We met at Coldrenick estate near Menheniot and were greeted by the owner, Jean Sneyd, with Alison Newton, who spent several years researching and recording the garden. Thanks to the efforts of Alison, and to Jean and the late Henry Sneyd, the history is well documented and illustrated by maps and photos.
On a sunny June afternoon, sitting on the cobbled courtyard for the introductory talk, the garden, planted among the remains of previous buildings reminded me of Ninfa, the famous garden in Italy, planted through the ruins of a mediaeval village. The Elizabethan house (probably built on the site of an older dwelling) has disappeared but some outbuildings survive. The Georgian house was partially demolished in 1856 and replaced by a Victorian house, which was in turn demolished in 1966. The present house is in fact the Georgian stable block.
The garden has changed over the years. The formal ‘Best Garden’ of the Georgian house later became parkland right up to the house in the style of Humphrey Repton, who was working in the area in the 1790′s.
Our group started our tour here, in the Best Garden. With the aid of a cherry laurel shelterbelt, Henry and Jean have created a grassed area with rare and tender shrubs and trees. I managed to find some plant labels, and identified Trochodendron araliodes, Oxydendron arboreum and Clerodendron trichotomum. Two out of these three I had to look up when I got home, but this illustrates the passion and knowledge which Henry used in continuing the gardening tradition at Coldrenick. (It had been famous for its conifer collection in the late 19th century, many of them newly introduced to this country.)
We then walked down to the duck pond and alongside the wide wall, which may have been an old raised walkway. In the fields beyond, clumps of trees show the wider landscaped parkland. The old walled garden (pre 1840), is now grassed over and planted with specimen trees, including the rare Emmenopterys henryi. Photos exist showing it as an ornamental garden in the late 19th century. An outer garden enclosed by a hornbeam hedge appears to have been used for fruit and vegetables.
In the woods behind the walled garden, the old conifers have gone now, but Henry planted some large leaved rhododendrons, many rare trees and shrubs and a large collection of bamboos. Jean continues to maintain the walkways through the woods, and planted all the bluebells in situ from seed about four years ago. She has decided in future to lop off the bamboos sprawling over the paths, rather than artificially support them.
We returned to the courtyard for a delicious cream tea, produced by Jean’s sister and daughter in law as various other members of the family popped by. It was wonderful to see the garden flourishing, and many thanks to Jean and family, Alison and also Jill for organising the visit. (Joan Farmer)
Visit to Trenarth. 19th June.
After a delicious pastie at Gear Farm, we went through the lanes via Constantine to Trenarth - a house tracing its history from the 17th century. Together with 4 acres surrounding the farmhouse, it is the home of Mrs Lucie Nottingham. Lucie gave us an entertaining and informative tour of the courtyard, large orchard with fruit cage, down to the puddled pond and bog garden, up to the main lawn and herbaceous borders (many little known plants) and on to the award-winning vegetable garden.
We saw all this plus wonderful views down the valley to Trenarth Bridge and on towards the Helford River. Having a welcome cup of tea and cake sitting on the terrace surrounded by garden walls covered in colour ended a perfect day. Thank you, Lucie. (Jill Carpenter)
Visit to Caervallack at St Martin-in-Meneage 19th June.
Weather fine, petrol back in the pumps and how lucky we were to visit Caervallack the Grade II listed home and garden of architect Mathew Robinson and artist Louise McClary.
Having read Matt’s article in the Journal we were able to appreciate the intricacies of the newly-built cob walls, the extensions to the house, and Louise’s studio. Matt’s Design and Construction timber work can be seen on the magnificent 17.6m long Trussed Girder bridge using West Country timber (oak, larch and chestnut). Louise’s artistic flair shows in the garden planting where her passion is roses - Rosa “Dusky Maiden” impressed many, a wonderful red. Despite the previous day’s gale all the roses had dried in the bright sun and were showing their best. The pond garden was greatly admired - a small area with a water feature surrounded by cob walls and an interesting planting of Rodgerisa pinnata superba - you learn something all the time. The garden has many areas for quiet reflection.
Thank you Matt and Louise for having us and providing a welcome cup of coffee. (Jill Carpenter)
Visit to Kennall House at Ponsanooth 19th July.
It is hard to believe this 6-acre garden has been achieved in only 16 years. The Wilson-Holts started with a wilderness: an almost impenetrable valley, though with some fine trees and the River Kennal winding through it. There were also a number of buildings and leats associated with the manufacture of gunpowder used for blasting granite.
The main two-storey building, originally the Count House, has been made into a splendid four-square home, retaining its original Georgian character. The south side has been embellished with a conservatory, and a series of terraces rise up the valley, one with Mediterranean planting surrounding a swimming pool. The north side of the house is fronted by a lawn and bounded by a clipped beech hedge with formal copper beech ‘inserts’. Beyond lies a less formal lawn with a pool fed by a small watercourse. The recently-made kitchen garden with raised beds is already productive and contained by beautifully constructed walls, making full use of rounded granite boulders which abound. The northern extremity of the site has been left as a meadow with mown paths running through it, one encircling an area planted most successfully with a huge range of wild flowers - a perfect haven for the wildlife which is greatly encouraged. This end of the garden also has another new feature; a large informal, well- planted lake fed by the river. (We were told the planners insisted that no mechanical diggers were to be used in its excavation - so much for owning a listed building. JH)
The west side of the river below the house was originally an orchard, still with some fruit trees, and now has lawns rising gently to a boundary of high stone walls providing a perfect backdrop for herbaceous borders with a wide variety of plants, including unusual abutilon and hydrangeas. There are several informal areas of planting here, one surrounding a magnificent tulip tree.
Mr Wilson-Holt, who showed us round the garden on a perfect summer’s afternoon, admitted to being obsessed with the garden. We noted his invitation to return at any time of the year because, unusually for a Cornish garden, there is always something of interest. No doubt some of us will take him up on the offer to give us an opportunity to admire yet again the work of this most enthusiastic of gardeners. (Jeanne Hitchings)
CGT Visit to Headland Garden at Polruan 4th September.
Having driven through wind and hail, Polruan produced a fine afternoon with threatening clouds but no rain. Headland may not be a plantsman’s garden but it clings to the cliff with wonderful views of Fowey, Readymoney Cove and along the coast to Gribben Head. Tales of cruise liners and ‘The World’ visiting Fowey were difficult to imagine as there seemed so little room for these massive ships to manoeuvre.
Jean and her husband John obviously put heart and soul, not to mention imagination and hard work into making this unique garden. The much televised garden is a wonderful example of gardening beside the sea where all the plants have to tolerate the gale force salt-laden winds off the sea. Headland is certainly proof that it is possible to have a colourful garden right on the coast. Jean, a long standing member of the trust, was thanked for having us and for providing a lovely tea. (Jill Carpenter)
CGT Visit to the Tamar Orchards 4th October
Following the article in the 2007 Journal by Mary Martin and James Evans, members were invited to visit the orchards and see for themselves the work that these two are putting in to save old varieties of cherry, plum and apple that once were grown commercially in the Tamar Valley.
James and Mary gave us a conducted tour of the orchards which they have established in order to collect, preserve and assess these old varieties. These are varieties, some grown on their own roots, which survive with a natural resistance to pests and diseases for traditionally very little was done in the way of applying chemical sprays to the commercial orchards. Indeed the remarkable thing about the tour of the orchards today was the cleanliness of the fruit and foliage, despite the lateness of the season.
Mary, a notable artist, has been recording the old orchards of the valley in her paintings. For the last 20 years, she and James have set about preserving the old varieties by collecting propagating material from the trees, some of which were in a very dilapidated state. When space was limited, some material was grafted on ‘family’ trees where we saw examples of four or five different varieties on one tree. Most of the cherries are now grafted onto ‘Colt’rootstock to contain the vigour although James is studying the dwarfing rootstock ‘Gisela’ (Prunus cerasus x P. canescens) which would allow netting the small trees against birds. He is also looking at old cherry varieties from the French fruit growing area of Ardèche.
The orchard now extends to 7 acres with trees being grafted at the traditional height of 6½ feet to allow animals to run underneath - a form of double cropping. Currently the production of fruit is of secondary importance other than to collect morphological features for identification purposes. The emphasis is on preserving and identifying the varieties. Modern science in the form of DNA testing is helping to sort out characteristics and links between varieties.
Despite the wet weather, which nobody really noticed as we were too engrossed in what James and Mary had to say and show us, everyone had a thoroughly good afternoon which was rounded off with scones, home made jam and cream together with samples of apples.
A Balcony Garden in Truro
A cup of coffee and a chat about plants before being shown around the balcony garden of June Twentyman in Truro was a most welcoming experience. It really is amazing the range of plants to see in such a small space overlooking the city of Truro. I was introduced to the Golden Lotus Banana plant (Musella lasiocarpa) showing both flower and fruit and saw for the first time the Cruel Plant (Araujia sericifera) in flower. The latter is so called because of the way it traps nocturnal moths. Despite the dull, wet season, the balcony was full of colour from a range of most interesting and unusual plants.
Whatever the time of year, you may visit and see for yourself by telephoning June Twentyman on 01872 277834 to make an appointment.
CGT Visits next year…..
… include those planned for Caerhays, Ron Scamp’s bulb fields in flower, Garvinnack, Lower Hamatethy, Northwood Water Garden, Tregonning Lodge, High Cross at Cargreen and Kennall House for the autumn colour.
It is regretted that Jill Carpenter has announced her retirement from the post of Programme Organiser which she has carried out most efficiently since 2005.
The trust is now looking for a person to follow in what Jill describes as a position where lots of interesting gardens are visited and garden owners met. Next year’s programme is in place and Jill is willing to help the next Programme Organiser get into the routine.
If you are interested in taking on this important aspect of the trust’s activities, please contact our Chairman, Angela Stubbs on 01326 250092.
Opening of the Science Garden at St Mark’s School, Morwenstow 20th June.
The new Science Garden at St Mark’s School was formally opened by the cutting of a ribbon across the entrance gateway; this was carried out jointly by the youngest pupil and a gentleman who had started at the school in the 1920s. The opening was accompanied by a fanfare on three trumpets, played by the pupils. The children gave several presentations of their science experiments, which included studies of woodlice and also of insect preferences for flowering plants. There was also maypole dancing and singing. Unfortunately it was raining quite hard during these celebrations, which had to be slightly curtailed.
The garden itself is on a triangular site with views over open countryside to the east; it is approached through a large wooden gateway leading onto a paved area at the centre of which is a water feature consisting of a steel sphere with water coming out of a hole at the top and running down over the sphere onto a bed of large, granite stones from the local beach. There are three raised beds with wooden sides (convenient for the young as well as the elderly) along the sides of the triangle; these contain respectively herbs, vegetables and scented flowering plants. Some of these plants had been grown, from seed, by the pupils.
There is also a musical feature made from various lengths of plastic drainpipe that presumably sounds when the wind blows across it, and a bird feeder ‘tree’ and birdseed tray (bought with CGT money). With the help of a local sculptor and a lot of driftwood, the children had constructed a very attractive row of three ‘fishes’ that formed the boundary separating the garden from the playing field.
Dorset Gardens Trust AGT Annual Conference ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’
The 2008 AGT annual conference was held in Dorset at the end of August and many congratulations go to the Dorset Trust for laying on such an interesting weekend.
Based at Leweston School, we were able to enjoy the extensive grounds and gardens influenced by Thomas Mawson (1861-1933) in between visits made to Parnham, Mapperton, Harvard Farm, Duntish Court and Sherborne Castle and the Shell House recently listed Grade I by English Heritage and in which achievement Dorset Gardens Trust Surveying Group were proud to have played a part. (A fuller description of these properties will be published in the Journal early next year.)
These conference weekends are very relaxed and great fun. Why not consider coming along next year?
And next year …………
The hosts will be Lincolnshire Gardens Trust and I know an excellent programme entitled ‘Come into the garden…….’ has been planned. Accommodation will be in The Lincoln Hotel with splendid views of the cathedral. Date: 4th-6th September 2009. More information from: Steffie Shields email: [email protected]
Good News
The Association of Gardens Trusts has announced that 2008 has seen the establishment of Gardens Trusts in every county in England. This forms an extensive network of experts and volunteers engaged in recording and protecting our national garden heritage.
| THE GARDEN HISTORY SOCIETY Charity No. 1053446‘The orchard walls are high and hard to climb...’Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet, Act II Sc. 2
fruit in historic gardens In association with Historic Royal Palaces
Saturday 15 November 2008 9.30 - 4.30
The Garden Room, Hampton Court Palace
Speakers Mark Bradshaw, Lyveden New Bield Susan Campbell, Walled Kitchen Garden Network Giorgio Galletti, Historic Garden Consultant, Florence Joan Morgan, Pomologist and fruit historian Sandra Nicholson, Writtle College Neil Porteous, Ballynatray Estate, Ireland
Tickets, to include coffee, lunch and tea: £49 Contact: Gwenneth Raybould, Events Committee, Garden History Society’ 020 8761 6565 or <[email protected] |
An Invitation
Truro Decorative and Fine Arts Society invites you to two of their forthcoming meetings to be held at the Mylor Theatre of Truro College.
November 12th, 7pm, An Artist’s View of 19th C Rural Britain - Idyll or hard labour? by Felicity Herring.
December 10th, 7pm, A Christmas Anthology by Brian Cairns.
Guests are charged £5. Coffee and biscuits served prior to lecture, in refectory.
Please contact: Sue Grace on 01872 553192.
AGT Holidays 2009 to visit GARDENS in ITALY
Gardens of Lazio and Tuscany: 17th - 21st May Gardens of Siena: 26th - 30th May
For a detailed itinerary and costs contact: Polly Burns Tel: 01787 370953 [email protected]
News from the Recorders’ Group
After almost four years of hard work recording and researching the gardens at Pencarrow, Pam Dodds and Angela Stubbs, assisted by David Burdekin, have the successful completion of their record in sight. In many instances, we’re hampered by lack of information but in this case Pam and Angela found they had “an almost excessive amount of sources to consult” as a result of having access to the unusually rich collection of Pencarrow’s family archives. These were made available to them by the archivist Dr David Donaldson, one of the Friends of Pencarrow. Having done a spot of proofreading for them, I can vouch that as well as being a valuable resource, the record is a fascinating and enjoyable read.
In September, a group of us visited the Micropropagation Unit at Duchy College, Rosewarne. Ros Smith who runs the unit gave us a detailed demonstration of the valuable work she carries out there, propagating plants affected by or at risk from Phytophthora ramorum.The CGT gave £500 to this enterprise and the Tanner Trust might be funding a student helper for two days a week.
We’re about to start work on a couple of new records, one of them a very exciting site in east Cornwall. If you felt you could help, I’d love to hear from you. In any case, don’t hesitate to contact me if you would like to join the group or would like more information about the work we do.
Please contact me, Trish Gibson: [email protected]or phone 01208 880308
The Devon Gardens Trust Meeting at Lakeside, Roadford Reservoir, Lewdown, October 11th.
The Chairman, Clare Greener, and Vice-Chairman, Janet Anderson, kindly invited members of the CGT to attend their Autumn Lecture. The subject of the lecture given by the acknowledged expert, Mr Jeremy Pearson, National Trust Curator for Devon & Cornwall Historic Properties, was on the great gardens in the trust’s care ranging from Antony to Trengwainton and was illustrated by beautiful photographs. Jeremy Pearson, however, detailed the difficulties experienced in these gardens with current diseases and demanding visitors. We were reassured that though the diseases are serious and have sadly caused the loss of plants and trees, they are being most vigilantly monitored. The visitors, on the other hand, are being tempted to visit the gardens in all seasons by new planting and design, and a picture of Lanhydrock’s herbaceous beds exemplified this point. We also learnt of the invaluable work done over the years in the gardens and the glasshouses by the many dedicated volunteers. At the end of the lecture, the audience were most curious to discover which was Mr Pearson’s favourite garden: he was very tantalisingly noncommittal but I suspect that Antony and Coleton Fishacre vied for first place!
The meeting was an excellent opportunity to meet members of the DGT and, in fact, several members were interested to learn more about the CGT. All in all, it was a very pleasant afternoon and Roadford Lake on such a beautiful autumn day was a perfect backdrop to the meeting. Angela Stubbs.
The Way Forward
On October 10th, guests were invited to a presentation at Antony, Torpoint organised to improve the profile of the Cornwall Gardens Trust (CGT) throughout Cornwall.
President of the CGT, Sir Richard Carew Pole, welcomed all present and apologised for any disruption caused by the recent filming of “Alice in Wonderland” (due out in 2010). He drew attention to the important contribution that Pleasure Gardens made to the Cornish economy; not only from tourism, but also from the attendant requirements needed by the film and TV companies when they use the gardens for locations.
Dr Angela Stubbs, the new Chairman of the CGT, welcomed thirty-seven members and guests to ‘The Way Forward’ meeting and reminded everyone that 2008 was the 20th anniversary of the CGT’s formation. She suggested that the meeting was for enjoyment as well as networking to find out how the invitees could help CGT and vice versa. Guests included: Lady Banham (Chair Victoria County History Society); Mr John Berry (Cornwall Enterprise); Mr Ian Berry (Park Manager, Mt Edgcumbe); Dr Alyson Cooper (Conservation Team Leader; Carrick DC): Mr and Mrs William Croggan (National Gardens Scheme); Mr Colin Edwards (Chair, Cornwall Association of Local Historians); Mrs Christine Edwards (ex County Archivist); Ms Ruth Ormella Development Control Restormel DC); Mr Malcolm Price (soon to be ex Head of Development N Cornwall DC); Mrs Terrye Teverson (Prospective MP Truro & Falmouth); Ms Liz Norbury (Cornwall Today) and Ms Veryan Heal (CCC Archaeology).
In her introduction, Dr Stubbs announced that seventy-seven gardens of significance have been recorded to date by CGT - Pencarrow being the latest. The importance of this work is illustrated by the record of Duporth, near St Austell, where the house and garden were being cleared away to accommodate new development. The CGT has been able to work alongside Exeter University’s archaeological survey team and a record of the most important garden features was compiled otherwise there would have been no reference for the future. Other achievements of the Trust were listed, such as the successful introduction of educational gardening projects in primary schools. This scheme is to be extended to secondary schools in 2009. Bursaries are being offered for horticultural students, attending the Duchy College at Rosewarne. The CGT has also assisted in funding work on rare and vulnerable species at the micropropagation unit at Rosewarne. Two members of the recording team have begun the intensive task of submitting data to the Parks and Gardens Database UK.
Dr Stubbs introduced Sir Ferrers Vyvyan, who began his presentation with reference to the founding of the CGT in 1988 under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Carew Pole. Nigel Mathews, still serving on the Council of Management, was a member of that original committee which consisted of local authority representatives, garden owners and representatives from the Cornish horticultural world. Their vision was that Cornwall’s garden heritage could assist in unlocking economic regeneration for the county. It was originally proposed that a sum of £100,000 should be raised initially to be the bedrock in furthering the CGT’s objectives. Twenty years later, the trust holds reserves of around £70,000 to underpin its work. Sir Ferrers felt the trust should be congratulated on its fund and pointed out that other trusts had different funding streams - Devon had been helped with a generous legacy and Hampshire relied on a grant from the County Council. The CGT’s current aims were defined as:
To support and conserve Cornish gardens for public enjoyment and education.
To promote knowledge and awareness of the diverse Arts and Sciences involved in gardens.
Gardens in Cornwall have to withstand cultural, social and economic influences. There are many pressures imposed on the landscape and it is important to record what is on the ground today in order to help with the evaluation of garden land in the future. Sir Ferrers felt that recording gardens of the post Second World War period is very important. He stated that a record of Eden should be made and new gardens, such as Tremenheere, near Penzance, ought to be recorded as well.
It was reported that the CGT’s education programme has struggled with no representation at county level and has relied on interest by individual schools. Twenty six primary schools have benefited from visits by knowledgeable CGT officers and funding to start projects. Sir Ferrers acknowledged the Tanner Trust’s help with funding its education programme and pointed out that the CGT could help in accessing funding towards individual projects.
The value of linking in with local authorities was emphasised. The development of the university campus at Tremough was an example where there had been no awareness by management of the importance of the site and consequently no protection of plants like the original Hooker rhododendrons and important horticultural hybrids such as the ‘Beauty of Tremough’. Sir Ferrers said that the CGT had accomplished a great deal in 20 years but it now needed more manpower and regeneration. He proceeded to summarise some targets for the future:
Aims of the CGT following the Way Forward meeting
- To launch a campaign to make the general public, especially the younger Cornish generation, more aware of their garden heritage.
- To have a closer relationship with relevant local authorities - how can they help us and can we help them?
- To be seen as an authority to be consulted.
- To increase membership, especially of younger people.
- To increase the skills and expertise base of the Trust.
Comments from the audience:
Jean Sneyd talked about the value of conserving landscape to be easily maintained in the future. She pointed out that there were no longer the resources for teams of gardeners in a majority of cases and therefore bitty, labour intensive schemes, such as flower beds, should be phased out and the bigger picture taken into consideration.
Terrye Teverson agreed that children in school needed to be taught how their food was grown, how to do it themselves and how to cook the results. Offering her help, she stated that these basic life skills were gaining importance.
Veryan Heal also expressed an interest in creating a closer link with the CGT. The next guest speaker, Gilly Drummond, President of the Association of Garden Trusts (AGT), described her family home in Hampshire and its ‘Capability’ Brown gardens. She praised Brown’s understanding of the landscape when creating shelterbelts, levels and vistas. She echoed Jean Sneyd’s comment that landscape was becoming important again: “We need to record documents and physical features so that we can learn from the techniques of the past.”
Gilly said that horticulture was no longer regarded as a career route. In the future, students would enter horticulture via the Environmental Science route. Several regional Science Centres of Excellence are establishing themselves throughout the country and she asked if there was one in Cornwall. (Oxford and Southampton appear to be nearest).
Gilly acknowledged that all county gardens trusts had different characteristics, but shared aims. In Hants the trust was funded by the County Council and therefore had to justify its grant. This was achieved in a social context through work with schools; volunteers helping elderly people with their gardens so they could cope in their own homes; gardening as a therapy for the disabled and elderly and involving ethnic groups in garden visits. Doing these things attracted support to enable the trust to carry on with its more important historical work.
The individual gardens trusts throughout the country have banded together to form an umbrella organisation called the Association of Garden Trusts which works at a national level. It is currently monitoring the Heritage Protection paper which is going through Parliament (see www.helm.org.uk). The Parks and Gardens Database UK’s website was also promoted. The target is to have 7000 records by March 2009. She said that this database would be an invaluable source of information for conservation officers working in the local authorities who lack time and are under pressure to establish regional spatial strategies. At the touch of a button, such personnel could find out the historic features in the local landscape. There is huge pressure for infilling and developers should be kept out of areas of important garden land.
The CGT website was judged to be good (currently being reconstructed to make it even better) and should continue to evolve, perhaps with links to important local and national bodies. Links and networking to local history societies (a good source of recorders) and local authorities should be a prime aim; as should building relationships and creating awareness of what we do. Societies and authorities should be asked to join us because we need their professional expertise. In return, we may be able to supply them with information from our records. Communication with local groups, such as the WI, the Rotary Club and local businesses should be encouraged. The trust should communicate with university students and also planning officers, especially those within One Cornwall - through these connections, the CGT would be equipped with the knowledge of what is going on and be in a position to protect the landscape. We could possibly influence the development of new green spaces to reflect the local narrative. Watching what properties come to the market is also a useful way to keep an eye on garden land which needs protection. Gilly told a story of visiting a new owner who wanted to build a swimming pool in his historic walled garden. She managed to persuade him to move it to the orchard area by subtly pointing out that hordes of noisy children would be playing right by the house, thus illustrating that there are gentle ways to persuade.
Sir Richard spoke of the history of Antony House and garden. He emphasised that gardens are a great heritage asset which, as living things, changed through the centuries as they are cared for by the owners. It was important to record these developments as an indication of how the garden has developed and thrived through changes in taste, knowledge and usage. A history of the garden should encourage owners to continue to maintain and develop their priceless asset. In the case of Antony, he was able to point out where his family had not taken on some of Repton’s proposals and have subsequently added their own.
Nigel Mathews gave a vote of thanks to the speakers and guests also reminding the meeting that it was the work of the trust in recording Godolphin that led to the Countryside Agency giving a grant towards the conservation plan. Sir Richard then led the group on a garden tour which was followed by a lunch. (Report by Jean Marcus & Nigel Mathews)
and finally…….
David Pearce, Cornwall Gardens Trust Newsletter editor, is happy to receive short articles of information from members for publication in future Newsletters. These may be on any garden related topic, technical, personal experiences, humorous moments, cartoons etc. Please send articles to Sweet Thymes, Rose, Truro TR4 9PQ either by snail-mail or preferably by e-mail to: [email protected]
Alison Newton: The Journal of the Cornwall Gardens Trust 2008