Decision time, summer exhibitions, and prize-winning photographs

It's decision time.  Last year, the Garden History Society and the Association of Gardens Trusts voted in principle, to a merger of the two organisations. The final decision will be made during the AGMs of the two organisations at Newcastle University on Friday 24 July.

Members of a Transitional Committee have been working on the documentation needed before a decision can be made and the next step taken.  All the material can be viewed on a temporary website
http://www.agt-ghstogether.org/

Congratulations and a welcome are due in both organisations.  Congratulations to Dominic Cole (Chairman of the Garden History Society) for the OBE he received for services to garden conservation.  The big welcome goes to Caroline Ikin, the Association of Gardens Trusts' new Historic Landscape Officer.

You can find information about the counties in which Caroline is working at http://www.gardenstrusts.org.uk/hlp.html.  At the same time, catch up on the latest material available at the Historic Landscape Project Resource Hub.  It's easy to access and there's a mass of information to help County Gardens Trusts with their conservation work - everything from recruiting volunteers to understanding and preparing conservation management plans.

Equally easy to access is the recently created County Gardens Trust email discussion group.  Thank you Linden and Caroline for giving members a simple way to converse and to share news.  59 members and growing…

copyright Liz Ware

There's an unusual exhibition to enjoy at the Garden Museum this summer - Gnome and Away: Secrets of the Collection.  It marks both an ending and a beginning in the life of the Museum. The builders move in on 2nd November and its transformation into an even more exciting exhibition and education space will begin. This latest exhibition gives us a taste of what is to come.

'Gnome and Away' will include over 100 artefacts never displayed before.  As Christopher Woodward writes in the latest Garden Museum Journal, 'It gives a first glimpse of the collection that will go on display in the five new galleries that will open to the public early in 2017'.

From William Robinson's cloak to a slide box belonging to nurseryman and plant hunter, Peter Veitch, there's plenty to intrigue any gardener - and might even entice a non-gardener. http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/page/gnome-away-secrets-of-the-collection

Slightly further north, Compton Verney's summer 2015 exhibition 'The Arts and Craft House, is running until 13 September, 2015.  Part of the project is a recent commission by landscape designer Dan Pearson - to transform the West Lawn into a wild-flower meadow mown with a William Morris design.  It's a design that will develop and diversify in the years to come.

The commission is important for many reasons, not least because Dan is the first garden designer to have worked on the grounds at Compton Verney since Capability Brown.  Gary Webb, Compton Verney's Head of Landscape and Gardens, includes a video clip in his latest blog showing the way in which the clever design has been brought to life.  https://comptonverneylandscapegarden.wordpress.com/

Is a prize-winning photograph the result of technical know-how? Or does it also depend on a deep understanding of the subject matter? Many County Gardens Trust members will certainly have the latter when it comes to Capability Brown and his landscapes.  As part of the tercentenary Festival, International Garden Photographer of the Year has joined forces with the National Trust to present a special award - Capability Brown Today.  Keen photographers, whether amateur or professional will find details here http://www.capabilitybrown.org/news/international-garden-photographer-year-capability-brown-special-award

Chelsea Fringe, healthy gardens, Capability Brown Festival and a new banknote

This year's Chelsea Fringe may be drawing to a close but there are still plenty of events to enjoy - and not just in London.  http://www.chelseafringe.com/tag/chelsea-fringe-2015/   The fun started for Chelsea Fringe Henley almost three weeks ago with a gloriously sunny Floral Flotilla along the Thames.  If the forecast is to be believed, we'll finish with an equally sunny family and community day at Bosley Patch.                        http://www.chelseafringe.com/events/category/uk/henley-on-thames/

As always, the start of the Chelsea Fringe coincided with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It was encouraging to see the link between gardening and health being explored even more this year.  Garden designer and member of the Landscape, Gardens and Health Network, Juliet Sargeant, did a brilliant job working with the teams at Gardeners World and at Chelsea to publicise the importance of nature and gardens for our health.

It's crucial for the future of our parks and green spaces that both policy makers and members of the public grasp the message. It's easy for those of us who are immersed in the gardening world to think that it's common sense, but there are still plenty of people who don't spend much time outside. It's far more difficult for them to appreciate the link. The more media coverage the subject gets, the better.

The National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces now has over 5,000 Friends Groups registered - groups of people who want their local green spaces to be appreciated and protected.  The Federation's goal is to have a Friends Group for every one of our 27,000 urban green spaces. Do you know a park with a Friends Group who have yet to sign up?  http://www.natfedparks.org.uk/membership-1.html

Does Capability Brown deserve a place on the back of the new £20 note?  We have a few weeks left to consider - the deadline for nominations is 19th July.  There's a link on the Capability Brown Festival website and plenty of other Brown related news and events to catch up on too. http://www.capabilitybrown.org/news/capability-brown-next-ps20-note

Masses of opportunities for being outside and making the most of the good weather. A few dates for your diary:

 6 - 7 June, Bristol's Clifton and Hotwells' 2nd Open Gardens Weekend  http://www.cliftonhotwells.org.uk/greensquare.html

13-14 June, Open Garden Squares http://www.opensquares.org/

24 July - 2 August, Love Parks Week http://www.loveparks.org/home/1816

22 September, The AGT and Avon Gardens Trust Study Day, in conjunction with the GHS
'Lancelot 'Capability' Brown at Kings Weston: A Re-assessment Exploring his Legacy of Comfort and Elegance'

Museums, Parks and Capability Brown

Plenty of exciting things going on this month, not least that Capability Brown Festival 2016 has been awarded £911,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund  http://www.capabilitybrown.org/news/heritage-lottery-fund-awards-capability-brown-festival-ps911000-grant - don't forget to sign up to the website to keep up to date as events develop.  If you are in and around London it's worth finding the time to visit two garden-related exhibitions that have just opened.

Painting Paradise: The Art of the Garden runs at the Royal Collection until October http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/exhibitions/painting-paradise-the-art-of-the-garden-bp, while the Garden Museum's Education of a Gardener: The Life and Work of Russell Page is open until 1st June http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/page/russell-page-03-15-06-15.  In different ways and for different reasons, both exhibitions make very positive contributions to the future of garden history.

The Garden Museum's exhibition gives us a tantalising glimpse of the archive recently deposited by the children of Robert and Jelena de Belder - close friends of Russell Page.  Choose a quiet time to visit and enjoy having the space to really immerse yourself in the material on display.  Then re-read your copy of The Education of a Gardener with fresh eyes.

Think about the privilege and pleasure it must have been for all those involved with curating the exhibition. And of course, of the future generations of students, scholars and garden historians who may, in time, be able to access this wonderful resource.

Perhaps there will be a few more garden historians around the world in years to come as a result of Painting Paradise? This new exhibition shows us the rich variety of 400 years of horticultural art in the Royal Collection.

(copyright Liz Ware)

The paintings are impressive: from the magnificence of Leonard Knyff's View of Hampton Court Palace to the delicate beauty of Leonard da Vinci's seed heads.  But what struck me above all else was the breadth and depth, not only of the Royal Collection, but also of the subject with which we are involved.  Could there be an exhibition about anything other than horticulture that could transport us from the sublime to the practical and back again, and sometimes within the same exhibit?

Look out for Henry VIII's copy of Ruralia Commoda with its tips for growing giant leeks; the recently restored 18th century Sunflower Clock; and Queen Victoria's fuchsia inspired jewellery, adorned with her daughter's milk teeth.

It's good to think that by the time the exhibition ends in October, some visitors will have taken away with them a new curiosity about horticulture having experienced a little of the role it has played in our political and social history.

Lastly, but with great urgency, don't forget to sign the 'Save our Parks' UK petition before the General Election on 7th May.  If you've already done so, please pass on the link to someone who hasn't.  We wouldn't have the urban green spaces we enjoy today if it hadn't been for the efforts of previous generations.  Now it's our turn! https://www.change.org/p/save-our-parks-protect-and-invest-in-the-uk-s-public-green-spaces?recruiter=113025150&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

Time to wake up?

(Copyright Liz Ware)

Spring is on its way and
The Association of Gardens Trusts 2015 Yearbook is hitting the bookshelves of County Gardens Trust (CGT) members around the country.  In this year's lead article, Chris Beardshaw writes about the responsibility we all have to present and explain our heritage gardens and landscapes to a new generation.  The CGT articles that follow show the many creative ways in which we are taking that responsibility very seriously.

There's the Surrey Gardens Trust's development of  'Gateway' visits http://www.hha.org.uk/learning-and-outreach-2/heritage-for-all/gateways-gardens-trust.html; London Parks & Gardens Trust's collaboration with the Duke of Northumberland and his team at Syon Park; and Hertfordshire Gardens Trust's ground-breaking collaboration with the Woodland Trust at Tring Park. http://www.hertsgardenstrust.org.uk/index.html

From Somerset Gardens Trust's work with schools to Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust's Research and Recording project to record Aylesbury Cemetery, it's difficult to believe that such a wide variety of successful projects has been created - and all by volunteers.

Gilly Drummond (AGT President and Chairman of CB300 Project Management Board) also brings us up to date with news about Capability Brown Festival 2016.  How exciting that Alan Titchmarsh will be presenting a three-part series on Brown at Belvoir Castle for Channel 4.  How wonderful that so many events are being planned to tempt urban audiences to explore Brown's landscapes. http://www.capabilitybrown.org/event/capability-brown-festival-design-ideas-competition

The opportunities for waking people up, not just to Brown, but to all our historic landscapes and the  wellbeing we experience when we're in the natural world, are growing by the day.  Perhaps this is just the right time for the UK based and multidisciplinary Landscape, Gardens and Health Network to make an appearance?

Last year's Symposium on 'Healthy Landscapes' held at the Garden Museum was inspirational.  But, despite its fascinating content and excellent speakers, it seemed to me that something crucial was missing.  While the positive effects of landscape on our minds and bodies had comprehensive coverage, our spiritual connection with nature barely had a mention.

The recently established Landscape, Gardens and Health Network recognises that we need to take a more holistic approach.  It would be good to think that it in the near future it will be common sense to include an appraisal of spiritual benefits in any evaluation of a landscape, rather than pretending that they don't exist.

Penny Brohn Cancer Care Centre (copyright Liz Ware)

The Network's latest meeting and Seminar (held at the exemplary Penny Brohn Cancer Care Centre in Bristol) brought together a mix of gardeners, landscape architects, designers, academics and health care professionals to discuss their work and to make plans for the future of the network.

A website and an international conference highlighting current research are just two of the options being discussed.  There's no shortage of material.  The eight very brief presentations given by network members left me wanting to hear more from them all.  Why, for example, does designer Juliet Sergeant feel that an over-emphasis on the visual beauty of gardens may be leading us to underestimate their full potential?  How does a garden designed for dementia patients as described by Stephen Pettet-Smith differ from the hospice gardens designed by Kathyrn Aalto and Jeremy Parker?

Contact angiebutterfield50@gmail.com or hardyexotic1@btinternet.com for more information.

Landscapes for Everyone

2015 has started at quite a pace.  First up was the launch of Landscapes for Everyone: Creating a Better Future at a Westminster parliamentary reception  The Association of Gardens Trusts (AGT) is one of a consortium of 27 organisations asking politicians from all parties to recognise the importance of our landscapes. http://www.cpre.org.uk/resources/countryside/landscapes/item/3812-landscapes-for-everyone-creating-a-better-future

The consortium includes organisations such as Campaign for National Parks http://www.cnp.org.uk/ , National Trust and the John Muir Trust http://www.jmt.org/ . We are all determined that the impact of landscape on our well-being and quality of life shouldn't be ignored.  Nor should it be used as a political tool.

(copyright - Liz Ware)

As Peter Nixon of National Trust pointed out, the future of our landscapes must be above politics.  The challenges they face continue to grow.  Working together is the best way to ensure that our message is heard.

With that in mind, 2015 is the year in which the decision will be made on the merger of the AGT and the Garden History Society (GHS).  Members of both organisations are working hard to produce a robust business plan and a merger agreement.  The final decision will be made at the Conference and AGMs at Newcastle University in July.  Check http://www.agt-ghstogether.org/ for the latest news on the progress the Transitional Committee are making and to register comments.

Capability Brown Festival 2016 celebrations are just a year away.  If you haven't already done so, now is a good time to sign up for regular email updates.  Be prepared to be impressed with the creative ways in which we are invited to engage with Brown's legacy. http://www.capabilitybrown.org/

A cycle link between Brown sites and a short film on YouTube are just two of the many ways in which new audiences can begin to understand the scale of his achievements. http://www.capabilitybrown.org/news/new-ways-looking-brown

Approaching fast is the Capability Brown Tour at Trentham Gardens on 8 February - an opportunity to find out more about the restoration project taking place there.  Anyone keen to experience landscapes through the soles of their feet (should that be all of us?) will want to hear about future plans for Trentham's Barefoot Walk. http://www.capabilitybrown.org/event/capability-brown-landscape-tour

Around the County Gardens Trusts the research into Brown's landscapes continues.  A recently published book of essays (many of which were written by research volunteers) focuses on the botanical work of the 3rd Earl of Bute at Luton Hoo.  John Stuart 3rd Earl of Bute 1713-92: Botanical and Horticultural Interests and Legacy is edited by Charlotte Phillips and Nora Shane.
Email office@lhwg.org.uk for details.

Secret Gardens

The idea of a secret garden is always intriguing. For those of you near Bristol this weekend (16th-17th August) there's an opportunity to explore a few.  Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society (CHIA) are organising Bristol's first Open Garden Squares weekend. http://cliftonhotwells.org.uk/greensquare.html

As you know, London Parks & Gardens Trust organises the enormously popular Open Garden Squares Weekend in the capital every June. http://www.opensquares.org/ They're keen to encourage other towns and cities around the UK to join in and run similar weekends of their own.

The Lime Walk, St Andrew's Churchyard

Several Bristol based organisations were asked if they would start up the scheme in the city.  Only CHIS took up the challenge.  RoseMary Musgrave, Honorary Secretary of CHIS, says that they are 'starting small'.  They're concentrating on the 'Green Squares and Secret Gardens' hidden away in a square mile of Clifton.

Don't be fooled.  'Starting small' doesn't mean insubstantial.  As I discovered recently, this inaugural weekend is being held in a square mile crammed with unexpected treasures and fascinating history. Events are planned for all ages so there will be something going on for all the family.

The story of the walled kitchen gardens of Oxfordshire is no longer a secret.  A recent Oxfordshire Gardens Trust (OGT) survey has discovered that there were over 250 of them in Oxfordshire during the 19th century, many of which went into decline after The Great War. http://www.ogt.org.uk/

Volunteers involved with 'The Walled Kitchen Garden Project', the first county-based survey of its kind, have recorded over 200 walled kitchen gardens and have surveyed close to 90 in detail.  Their work has been summarised in an excellent (free) booklet.  Copies can be ordered from secretary@ogt.org.uk.

Autumn Dates for your diary:

16th September - 'British Gardens in Time ', RHS Lindley Library, 80 Vincent Square, London SW1P 2PE
Katie Campbell is well known to anyone who studied Garden History at Bristol University or Birkbeck College.  Katie will be giving an early evening talk at the RHS Lindley Library on 'British Gardens in Time'.  https://www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning/libraries-at-rhs/events-exhibitions

1st October - Hagley Hall; 'Paradise Regained', Hagley Hall, Worcestershire, DY9 9LG
There's still time to book for
the the next Study Day organised by The Association of Gardens Trusts and Hereford and Worcester Gardens Trust in conjunction with The Garden History Society.
Joe Hawkins, Head of Landscape at Hagley Hall will guide us through the recent restoration of George Lyttelton's 18th century park.

A double dose of Capability Brown

Capability Brown landscapes provided an impressive backdrop for two June events: Capability Brown Festival Information Day and the Garden Museum Literary Festival.

Compton Verney, the national museum and art gallery that nestles in 120 acres of Brown landscape, hosted the Festival Information Day. http://www.comptonverney.org.uk/grounds/default.aspx 
Brown landscape owners and managers, and the organisations involved with planning the 2016 Festival, were updated on its progress and had the opportunity to share ideas. http://www.capabilitybrown.org

Compton Verney - copyright Liz Ware

As John Phibbs pointed out, it's the scale and number of sites where Brown advised that made him so remarkable and worthy of celebration.  New information about his work continues to be unearthed from the archives by the County Garden Trusts. All the new material will be available  on the Parks and Gardens UK website. http://www.parksandgardens.org/projects/capability-brown

CB Festival Project Manager Ceryl Evans and her team are working towards the Heritage Lottery Fund 2^nd round bid in October. Among their tasks is the search for 12 Capability Brown sites that are easily accessible from urban areas.

Bettina Harden, founder and Chairman of the Gateway Gardens Trust, was one of several speakers who discussed ways in which new audiences can be encouraged to visit Brown landscapes. As Bettina pointed out, for some sections of the population, visiting a heritage site isn't an obvious choice. Often, people don’t know that such sites exit, and even if they do, they're not sure that they will be welcome in them.

In the last 10 years Compton Verney has increased its visitor numbers by 70%.  The advice of Head of Marketing, Sam Skillings, is to ‘keep it local’ and to focus on an area within 30 minutes drive.  Sam has the help of a team of volunteers who feel strongly about everything that Compton Verney has to offer. These ‘ambassadors’ carry out very successful marketing on a local level.

Another day, another Brown landscape.  Yet more idyllic surroundings and inspiring speakers but this time with a focus on thought-provoking books – it could only be the Garden Museum Literary Festival.  Petworth House, was the venue for the 2^nd celebration of all that is good in garden-related literature.

Petworth Park - copyright Liz Ware

Was it too much to expect perfect weather for 2 years in a row?  The sun shone on us for the entire weekend in the beautiful private gardens of Lord and Lady Egremont and their family. It was tempting to think, as Max Egremont discussed the fantasy English landscapes conjured up by WWI poets, that we too had stepped into a fantasy world. As the solstice sun fell over Brown’s Petworth Park, it was impossible to imagine a more perfectly English scene.

This magical weekend supported the Garden Museum’s development project. http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/page/garden-museum-the-future If you haven’t sponsored its Director, Christopher Woodward, as he prepares for his fundraising swim along the Thames, now is as good a time as any! http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/page/tradescants-treasures-thames-swim-2014

Looking ahead:

19^th -20^th September, The University of Sheffield’s Department of Landscape is devoting its Annual Landscape History Conference to The History of Groves. http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/landscape/index

A green future for our cities

A dazzling array of speakers at London Parks & Gardens Trust's 20th Anniversary Symposium, 'London's Green Future', left us with no doubt about the importance of keeping London as one of the greenest cities in the world.

A quick glimpse at the Trust's website shows an inventory of over 2,600 green spaces in the capital. http://www.londongardensonline.org.uk They will be even more essential when, as Peter Massini (Urban Greening Team Leader for Greater London Authority) predicts, London has a population of 11 million - a prospect that is a mere 20 to 30 years away.

copyright Liz Ware

Paul Lincoln from the Landscape Institute introduced us to the idea of 'liveable' cities.  Well-designed greenspace is, he says, 'a refuge and an asset'.  It's important that property developers understand that taking landscape into consideration increases saleability.

James Hitchmough, Professor of Horticultural Ecology at the University of Sheffield is working to find a balance between human cultural needs and enhanced biodiversity.  He encouraged us to be flexible in our city planting and not to get caught in the trap of thinking that only native is good.

Dusty Gedge, the Green Roof Campaigner and Designer, talked us through the benefits of green roofs. Cooling in summer and insulating in winter, they have plenty to offer an environmentally aware city. http://greenroofconsultancy.com

Tom Armour is working on Joanna Lumley's idea for London's Garden Bridge - 'the slowest way to cross the river'.  An exciting project, not least because the importance of getting the soil right for the plants has taken precedence over the structure of the bridge itself. http://www.gardenbridgetrust.org/index.html

It doesn't matter how forward thinking we are in our urban greening, without a constant stream of well-trained horticulturalists, creating and maintaining greenspace will be impossible. Leigh Morris, President of the Institute of Horticulture summed up the success of the Grow Careers initiative. Two years on, Careers Officers are realising that horticulture has something to offer everyone, whatever their level of intellect. http://www.growcareers.info

If your brain is in need of stimulation this weekend, and in the most beautiful of gardens, head to Petworth House for the 2nd Garden Museum Literary Festival.  A peaceful weekend beckons, where the only difficult decision will be deciding which of the extraordinary collection of speakers to hear. http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/page/a-friend-a-book-and-a-garden-a-festival-of-garden-literature-21-and-22-june-at-petworth-house

Healthy Landscapes

'Blue' landscapes are at least as good for us as 'green'?  That's just one result from the latest research on the benefits of spending time in the natural world reported at the Garden Museum's symposium on 'Healthy Landscapes'.

copyright Liz Ware

It was an excellent day of inspirational presentations, so why were some of us slightly uneasy?  Was it because, as one delegate pointed out, not all the benefits of time in green (or blue) space are quantifiable or easily collected through research?

We are having to play the numbers game to prove the value of green space to those who, until recently, were not prepared to listen. But is this a game that works well in a business setting but is lacking when we're discussing the natural world?

What happens, in our tick box culture, to a garden related project that has to justify its existence statistically in order to survive?  If it can't describe all the benefits it creates in statistical terms, will it receive the funding it deserves?

We're squeamish about mentioning it, but there is more to us than mind and body.  The connection between our soul and the soil has been recognised by man since the beginning of time.  If we ignore this fact when we are quantifying the benefits of green space we're leaving something vital out of the equation.  But there might be a solution.

Anyone who has ever been involved in buying or selling a business will agree that 'goodwill' is 'a thing very easy to describe, very difficult to define'. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/cgmanual/cg68010.htm As HM Customs and Revenue website points out, the fact that goodwill is difficult to show 'on a balance sheet does not mean that it doesn't exist'.

If we're not brave enough to acknowledge the spiritual value of nature just yet, can we at least ensure that this benefit (as difficult to measure and describe as goodwill) can be included in every assessment of healthy landscapes.  If we don't, some very worthwhile projects risk missing out on funding.

copyright Liz Ware

Whether you live in a green, blue or predominantly grey landscape, you will have noticed that we're having a bumper May.  What a joy to be surrounded by bluebells, cow parsley, hawthorn, cuckoos and swifts all at once - the entire month's delights in one sitting.

Of course, May also brings with it the excitement of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.  Anyone feeling the need for a break from the crowds will find an intriguing exhibition in the peace and tranquillity of the Garden Museum. http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/page/london-tree-week-knitted-trees-11-05-13-18-05-13

'Alan Titchmarsh: 50 years of Gardening' is running from 19 May to 31 August.  It tells the story of the changes that have taken place in gardens and gardening since the 1960s when Alan started work as a teenage apprentice in a municipal nursery.  This recent history is interwoven with a personal narrative, told through 101 garden-related objects.

Don't forget the Chelsea Fringe. http://www.chelseafringe.com/#  If you don't venture to London this year, there are plenty of Fringe activities happening elsewhere.  Look out for Bristol's Get Growing Trail http://www.bristolfoodnetwork.org/2014/05/bristols-get-growing-garden-trail-2014/  and events in Kent, Brighton and even Vienna.

Looking ahead to 21 and 22 June, Arley Hall and Gardens near Knutsford are celebrating their 20th garden festival this year.  Anyone booking a ticket before 16 June has the opportunity to win breakfast with Chris Beardshaw and with Lord Ashbrook, whose family have lived at Arley Hall for more than 500 years.  A good opportunity for a garden history conversation perhaps? http://www.arleyhallandgardens.com/win-breakfast-tvs-award-winning-designer-gardener/

George London, sunny Derbyshire and perhaps a revived County Gardens Trust for Nottinghamshire?

Melbourne Hall in Derbyshire is an excellent example of an early 18th garden. It's also a very appropriate place for a Study Day on nurseryman and designer, George London, in this, the 300th anniversary year of his death.  Last week, Derbyshire Historic Gardens, The Garden History Society and AGT Trustees, Joanne Kidd and Sarah Fitzgerald, gave us the chance to find out a little more about the work of one half of the 'great gardening duo', George London and Henry Wise. http://www.melbournehall.com

(copyright Liz Ware)

As with any stimulating Study Day, we left with as many questions as we were given answers. Who could fail to be intrigued to hear of the letters written to the 18th century owner of Melbourne Hall, the Rt Hon Thomas Coke, by his sister, Elizabeth? How fascinating it would be to learn more about the insight they provide into the house and gardens at Melbourne Hall in the early 18th century.

Melbourne is a survivor, not just in terms of its early 18th century design, but also as a result of its unusually well preserved archives.  More recent, but unfortunately less well-documented, are the many World War I landscapes and memorials that are scattered around the country.  The War Memorials Trust would like to hear about more of them and are asking County Gardens Trusts (CGTs) to register any that they discover. https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk

As always, CGT research teams are busy all around the country. Many are already working on the Capability Brown project.  Kate Harwood, who will be coordinating their research gets a mention in the latest Capability Brown 300 news. http://www.capabilitybrown.org/news/research-co-ordinator-association-gardens-trust

Given the new and exciting work involved in the CB300 project and the CGTs increased involvement in planning consultations, it's important that every county has a Trust to represent its interests.  Today, Nottinghamshire is the only county without an active Trust. AGT Chairman, Steffie Shields, and Historic Landscape Project Officer, Verena McCaig, would like to do something to help.

They're holding a meeting for all those interested in bringing Nottinghamshire's Trust back to life at Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus on 26th April (11.30 -13.30).  If you live in Nottinghamshire and would like to come along and find out more, please contact the AGT co-ordinator at the Gardens Trust email address available on http://www.gardenstrusts.org.uk/10-contact.html

In the meantime, enjoy National Gardening Week. There are plenty of events to choose from. http://www.nationalgardeningweek.org.uk

And for anyone who has forgotten, it's also Beanpole week.  Happy planting! http://www.beanpoles.org.uk

Spring, Working Together and an extraordinary swim

Can Business Meetings ever be uplifting? Perhaps it had something to do with the arrival of Spring, but the Association of Gardens Trusts' first Business Meeting of this year certainly was.  It's always a good time for the County Gardens Trust (CGT) representatives and our Working Together partners to share news of what is happening, but this year it seemed to be particularly positive and forward looking.

(copyright - Liz Ware)

Five of the Trusts are celebrating significant anniversaries.  Welsh Historic Gardens Trust http://www.whgt.org.uk and the Isle of Wight Gardens Trust http://www.iowgardenstrust.org.uk are 25 years old this year.  Hampshire Gardens Trust http://www.hgt.org.uk has been working with its county's parks, landscapes and designed spaces for 30 years, while Cheshire Gardens Trust http://www.cheshire-gardens-trust.org.uk is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

It's not so long ago that we were discussing the need to work more closely with The Garden History Society (GHS), Parks & Gardens UK and the Garden Museum. While discussions continue about developing a closer relationship between the AGT and the GHS, the Garden Museum and Parks & Gardens UK are collaborating on an exhibition.  Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the exhibition will focus on the impact of WW1 on gardens and gardening.  It opens in the Garden Museum in September, but there's still time for CGTs to contribute to Parks & Gardens UK's webpage dedicated to the project.  For more information see http://www.parksandgardens.org/about-us/working-in-partnership/288-gardening-in-wartime .

Many CGTs are already tweeting about their activities. An excellent pre-Business Meeting workshop organised by our Historic Landscape Project Officers will have given even more Trusts the confidence to sign up to social media.  Of course, our Working Together partners are making good use of it too. Have a look at Parks & Gardens UK's new blog, managed by Trustee, David Marsh. http://parksandgardensuk.wordpress.com

The Garden Museum's calendar is as busy as ever.  If you haven't booked a place at this year's Garden Literary Festival (21st-22nd June), there's still time to do so.  For many of us, last year's Festival (the first of its kind) was a particular highlight in an already spectacular summer. http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/page/a-friend-a-book-and-a-garden-a-festival-of-garden-literature-21-and-22-june-at-petworth-house

As the flood waters subside and some of us venture back along the banks of the Thames, Christopher Woodward, Director of the Garden Museum is planning to spend an inordinate amount of time in, rather than alongside, the river.  News of his previous fund raising swimming adventures has always made good reading. His next swim could be the most challenging yet.  Join us in supporting him and an exciting new chapter in the life of the Garden Museum. http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/page/tradescants-treasures-thames-swim-2014

Countdown to Capability Brown's 300th Birthday Celebrations begins

Congratulations to all those who worked on the Capability Brown 300 Festival (CB300) funding application.  Their efforts have paid off - the 2016 Festival will receive £139,200 development funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to help with the planning of celebrations all over the country.

You might not have realised that the Landscape Institute led the bid for funding.  It worked tirelessly on behalf of an extraordinary partnership of organisations - all sharing our interest in designed historic landscapes and of course, in Capability Brown.  Have a look at http://www.capabilitybrown.org  to see  who is involved in this once in a lifetime venture.  Even better, register to keep in touch with what's happening http://www.capabilitybrown.org/contact

(Cedar reflection, Compton Verney
copyright Steffie Shields)

What's next? Well, as our very active President, Gilly Drummond, Chair of the Capability Brown 300 Steering Group has pointed out, work has already started.  County Gardens Trust (CGT) volunteers around the country are already researching and collecting material about Brown landscapes from archives and libraries. Once collated, it will be easily accessible on the Parks & Gardens UK website. http://www.parksandgardens.org Anyone visiting Brown landscapes in 2016 will have the very best chance to understand the work of one of history's most influential landscape architects.

The programme of activities being developed will have something for everyone.  Yes, there'll be plenty to intrigue those who are already aware of Brown's work but there will be just as much to engage a new and diverse audience. With the help of  Brown site owners and managers, and with the support of volunteers, it's hoped that at least 150 of Capability Brown's parks and gardens will be open to the public in 2016. What a great opportunity to introduce people of all ages to the pleasure and increased well-being we can all share, outside, reading landscapes and exploring our  heritage.

A training day for CGT and NADFAS volunteers is being planned for later in the year. Keep an eye on the AGT website for further details.

Could Brown's capabilities have helped us with the current flood crisis? Floodwater in my part of the world allowing, I'll be heading to Compton Verney this week to see its 10th anniversary celebratory exhibition - the work of Henry Moore and Auguste Rodin, much of which will be displayed in the Capability Brown designed parkland. The exhibition will be open until 31 August, 2014. If you want to begin to understand Brown's work, this could be a wonderful place to start. http://www.comptonverney.org.uk/modules/events/event.aspx?e=250&title=moore_rodin

January blues?

It's difficult to write anything about January 2014 without commenting on the weather.  What a wet start to the year it's been.  The Thames in my part of Oxfordshire has doubled in width.  At the moment, my local park is completely submerged.  No doubt yours will be pretty soggy too.  Despite the mud, now is the time to start thinking about Love Parks Week 2014.  The website for this year should soon be up and running. Then you can start planning your events ready for July.

(copyright Liz Ware)

Our urban Parks are the subject of another initiative.  'Rethinking Parks' has been launched by Nesta, the Big Lottery Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund.  It's worth looking at the link to the website.  http://www.nesta.org.uk/search?search_api_views_fulltext=Rethinking%20Parks  While you're there, have a look at the Nana Cafe - winner of Nesta's Ageing Well Challenge - an inspirational scheme that allows older people to use their skills and to contribute to their local community by working in a Nana cafe. http://www.nesta.org.uk/search?search_api_views_fulltext=nana%20cafe How many of our local parks could host a similar scheme?  With a bit of imagination and some local support, a venue needn't be an issue - the latest Nana project in Clapton, Hackney is housed in refurbished public loos.

It's almost impossible to pick up a newspaper or magazine without reading about another study confirming that being outside is good for us.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/08/green-space-combat-depression-mental-health
Who would have believed that, just a few years ago, we were struggling to get anyone to take that message seriously.  It can only be good news for the County Gardens Trusts. If people appreciate being in the natural world there's a chance that they will also take an interest in and value our historic designed landscapes.  Perhaps this is the time to spread the word about what we're doing?
 If your County Gardens Trust is involved with an exciting project, or is celebrating an anniversary this year, please get in touch.

A Christmas Message from The Association of Gardens Trusts

Wishing all our members, friends and supporters a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy, and successful 2014!

Passing on the joy of gardening

Have you noticed?  Change is in the air.  Just 3 years ago the Association of Gardens Trusts (AGT) joined with other concerned organisations to discuss ways in which government and society could be encouraged to wake up to the importance of gardens and gardening.  A year later, Chris Beardshaw, speaking at the Institute of Horticulture AGM, reminded the gardening world of its responsibility to pass on the joy of plants and gardening.  Today, more and more individuals and organisations are getting the message and are joining in the debate.  They're asking questions and they're asking them loudly.

(copyright - Liz Ware)

An important trigger has been the recent RSPB research project. http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/355439-just-one-in-five-uk-children-connected-to-nature-groundbreaking-study-finds-  It looked at levels of connection between the UK's children and nature.  The results were predictable.  More hopeful has been the widespread reaction to the report.  In its wake comes 'Project Wild Thing' - a film with a mission - to encourage all of us, but families in particular, to 'swap screen time for wild time'. http://projectwildthing.com

As a recent article in The Guardian pointed out, all the indications are that this isn't just another 'protest' film that will disappear without trace in a month or two. http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/oct/24/project-wild-thing-review  It's backed up by a 'Wild Network' of charities committed to getting people outside. http://projectwildthing.com/organisations/join

In a similar vein, Kitchen Garden Magazine has just reported on a new television series that begins in December. http://www.kitchengarden.co.uk/news/great-british-garden-revivival- Almost every garden 'celebrity' that you can think of will be encouraging the population of Britain to get outside and get growing.  The message will soon become too big to ignore!

Spreading 'the joy' of connecting to nature can be done on so many levels and in so many ways.  Californian garden designer Topher Delaney endeavours to encourage change in 'one person at a time'. http://www.tdelaney.com/philosophy2.php

(copyright - Liz Ware)

As I watch the wide range of articles flooding in for next year's AGT Yearbook and read about the very many projects with which the County Gardens Trusts are involved, it strikes me that our approach is similar to that of Topher Delaney.  Somewhere, beyond all the noisy (and necessary) publicity, the CGTs continue protecting designed gardens and landscapes.  We go on educating and offering help to anyone who needs it.  In common with many other small charities, quietly and without a fuss, we're spreading the joy of gardening, just as we've always done, one project at a time.

 Perhaps the rest of the world is finally catching up!

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

'Love Parks Week' every week of the year?

How sad that GreenSpace (the national parks charity that launched and promoted 'Love Parks Week') is no more.  How fortunate that Keep Britain Tidy  has come to the rescue and that nearly 500 events went ahead during 'Love Parks Week' this year.

Keep Britain Tidy already supports the best of our parks and green spaces with the green Flag Award Scheme http://greenflag.keepbritaintidy.org. Earlier this month the charity neatly brought the two together when they held the launch of the 2013 awards at Victoria Embankment Gardens during 'Love Parks Week' celebrations. Starting with Tai Chi at 6 a.m. and finishing with 'Shakespeare in the Park', the day seems to have offered something for everyone.  It's worth checking the 'Love Parks Week' website to get an idea of the imaginative events that took place this year http://loveparksweek.org.uk/content/whats. There are plenty of ideas that could work in your local park in 2014.

(copyright Liz Ware)

Keep Britain Tidy is already looking to the event's future.  It hopes to form a new coalition of organisations that will support a year round 'Love Parks' campaign.  We'll be watching developments closely.  In the meantime, have a look at the Green Heritage Site section on the Green Flag Award website http://greenflag.keepbritaintidy.org/awards/green-heritage-sites/.  There might be a project in your county that fits the bill.

Looking forward to meeting some of you at Mile End for the AGT Conference.  Organised this year by London Parks & Gardens Trust, 'Eastern Promise- transforming London's landscapes from Abercrombie to the Olympics', will look at the development of East London's landscapes over the last sixty years. http://www.londongardenstrust.org No doubt it will be as stimulating as we've come to expect AGT conferences to be.

Gardens, literature, and memories

Can there be a more intoxicating mix for a relaxing June weekend than gardens, music, good food, and the chance to listen to stimulating speakers?  The Garden Museum's first Garden Literary Festival (could it be the first ever Garden Literary Festival?) was a weekend not to be missed. http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk With extraordinary generosity, Tom and Sue Stuart-Smith hosted the event in their family's garden at Serge Hill. http://www.tomstuartsmith.co.uk We were as inspired by their delicious planting as were by the variety of impressive speakers.

(copyright Liz Ware)

The weekend was a perfect reminder (as if we needed it) that people who work with nature tend to be an open-hearted, generous spirited bunch.  Many of the speakers have reached great heights in the gardening world but I didn't detect the slightest whiff of 'celebrity' in the air.  As Sue Stuart-Smith pointed out in her thought provoking contribution, 'Gardening for the Mind', those of us who work with nature are constantly reminded of the limits of our powers. Perhaps it helps to keep egos in check!



Childhood memories of gardens and gardening played an important part in the lives of many of the speakers. If gardening in childhood is a pre-requisite for speaking at future Garden Literary Festivals, then the Garden Museum would do well to look out for the children of Wicor Primary School in Hampshire. http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder/garden.aspx?id=29837

I visited Wicor Primary recently in preparation for an article.  I can't stop telling people about it.  It should be required visiting for every school and parent in the country. And perhaps for everyone else too! They've opened their grounds to visitors for the National Gardens Scheme for the first time this year.  You still have a chance to visit - this Sunday, 7th July.  Prepare to be impressed!