Gardens and commemorating the First World War

Given the vast numbers of people who were involved in the First World War, most of us have a personal link to the events of 1914-18. Certainly, every village, town and county has a story to tell - and so do our gardens. As the four years of Commemoration approach there are plenty of opportunities to do some research and to share what we find.

The Imperial War Museum is leading the First World War Centenary Partnership - a network of cultural and educational organisations. At the moment, the Museum itself is only partially open while the new First World War galleries are prepared, but the website is up and running -  http://www.1914.org .  Have a look and see whether there are any opportunities for your County Gardens Trust to get involved.

(copyright Liz Ware)

During 2014, an exciting exhibition at The Garden Museum  will uncover some of the stories that have been overlooked by military histories. Russell Clark, Curator of Exhibitions, is collecting material that explores the role of gardening during the First World War. What, for example, was the impact on large estates and designed landscapes as the men who worked in them went off to fight? How were the lives of the women who replaced them transformed? It will tell the little known stories of the Trench Gardens and of the men who grew flowers and vegetables at the Front. If you have stories, objects or photographs that would help, then please get in touch with Russell at the The Garden Museum.  http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk

If you are interested in researching or caring for war memorials, English Heritage has a useful pdf on its website that will help:  http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/conservation-management-war-memorial-landscapes/conservation-management-war-memorial-landscapes.pdf

If you find a subject worth researching, or an educational project that you would like to run, how will you fund it? The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) is making £1m available for each year of the Commemoration to fund projects relating to the war. They say that the application procedure is quick and straightforward, so why not have a look - http://www.hlf.org.uk/HowToApply/whatwefund/FirstWorldWar/Pages/FirstWorldWar.aspx#.UmgBDBb3Bz8

Capability Brown and AGT Celebrations

The Association of Gardens Trusts is 20 years old!  We celebrated at our Annual Conference in East London.  London Parks & Gardens Trust treated us to a look at the regeneration that has taken place in East London's designed landscapes over the last 60 years.  From the restoration of Victoria Park http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/451-500/461_parks/victoria_park/history.aspx to the soon to be completed Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk, this area of London has been completely transformed.

The regeneration of Mile End Park started in 1995. http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/451500/461_parks/mile_end_park/history_and_background.aspx.  Part of the brief was that it should be built in consultation with the local community and that it should be sustainable.  Mike Rowan, Head of Parks in Tower Hamlets until earlier this year, talked us through the process.  Today, the park caters for the needs of a very diverse group of visitors and in an inspirational way.  It left many of us pondering the lack of similar opportunities for young people in rural areas.

(copyright Liz Ware)

Regeneration hasn't been easy.  Fortunately, there have been enough people with vision to carry these enormous projects through.  Visiting the Thames Barrier Park and the Olympic Park today, it's difficult to believe that the land on both sites was ever heavily contaminated.  Over a million cubic metres of soil had to be cleaned on-site before the Olympic Park could be built.

Olympic Park landscape architects Andrew Harland and David Thompson talked us through the next stage of the project: transforming it into the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.  The vast areas of concrete that were needed to cope with the many thousands of Olympic visitors can now be reduced and replaced with something more inviting. http://www.willerby-landscapes.co.uk/were-back...at-south-park.html

In Canary Wharf, building up towards the sky and putting car parks and shopping malls underground leaves plenty of space for green squares at ground level.  It was a curious sensation to stand in the peaceful, undulating landscape of Jubilee Park, designed by Jacques and Peter Wirtz, and watch the madness of retail therapy taking place in the shopping mall below.

What else are we celebrating?  The launch of the Capability Brown website.  Have a look and see which organisations are partnering us in the preparations for the Brown Tercentenary.  2016 will be such a great opportunity to get people engaged with designed landscapes.  It's a chance to open people's eyes, not only to Brownian landscapes, but also to the diverse range of designed landscapes that exist on their doorsteps. http://www.capabilitybrown.org