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Garden Restorations

In the first of a series of articles on Garden Restorations, we look at the stunning revival of the Jekyll Garden at The Manor House, Upton Grey.

When Rosamund Wallinger came to Upton  Grey 18 years ago, she found a garden left derelict and weed strewn. She describes it as an "unkempt jungle". What she didn’t expect was to discover that  the "jungle" was in fact a shrine to the Arts and Crafts movement - a Gertrude Jekyll Garden.

As Rosamund explains: "Having put in a bid for the derelict house we went to the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) in London to discover why the house was listed Grade ll.  At the end of a  long description of the house and  its architect, Ernest Newton -  and its important Arts and Crafts owner Charles Holme,  one line at the end simply read  'Garden possibly G Jekyll'.. Gilly Drummond, who started the first of our Gardens' Trusts (Hampshire GT), put me in touch with Penelope Hobhouse, Jane Brown and Richard Bisgrove, all of whom knew the importance of the garden."It was amazing that none of the locals around Upton Grey or the Estate Agents had any idea of the garden's importance although it was known about in various gardening circles.

Thanks to the discovery of a full set of plans kept in the Reef Point Collection at the University of California at Berkeley, Rosamund was able to obtain copies and set about the restoration.

"I was at the best age to take on the work," she explains. "40 and children at school. I had given up my London work (running a cooking/catering agency) and I had plenty of energy.  More important, I had friends in the gardening world who put me in touch with other knowledgeable people.  Having this support I felt I had to struggle on - couldn't let them all down - and was inspired by their enthusiasm and encouragement."

It was Charles Holme, the editor of The Studio, who commissioned Jekyll to prepare a new garden at Upton Grey between 1908 and 1909. The four and a half acre garden  is considered one of her finest.

The most rewarding part of this garden restoration had to be the growing number of friends and gardeners from all over the world, as well as the media, who came to share in the pleasure of the results and encourage Rosamund and John.

The restoration work was not always easy. Rosamund recalls: "Sometimes at the end of a long, tiring day, when things were all seeming to go wrong, I would just collapse into bed exhausted. But next morning always seems to bring renewed energy, and a bit of humour, and there is the garden - much as before - just blown over, or drowned or dried out and almost longing to get back to life."

The garden is on a smaller scale than some of Jekyll's more grand commissions but contains all her hallmarks. To the front of the house she designed an informal garden much in the style of William Robinson. On the other side of the house she designed a more formal arrangement of terraces linked by stone steps. The detail to stonework, level and symmetry are all here as well as bold, unpretentious planting.

Finding the plants for the garden was made easier from 1987 onwards by the publication of The Plant Finder. This really useful little book helped Rosamund find suppliers and where only one of the plants could be supplied she was careful to eventually divide it or take seeds. Always one of the joys of gardening, dividing and cultivating seed, has meant that today very few plants need to be bought for the continuing maintenance of the garden.

"I keep spares of most plants in the kitchen garden" Rosamund explains. "I very rarely need to buy plants now, however, there are about 7 plants in the collection which are unobtainable, perhaps because Jekyll often used strong species."

Now much of the hard work is out of the way, the job of perfecting the garden can take place, and Rosamund is quite  clear about what that means: "Weedless, well staked, well manicured and healthy (not always easy). I am always playing the same instruments and the same tune but every year I am playing better and more tunefully".

All pictures courtesy of The Manor House, Upton Grey, Hampshire. A restoration of one of Gertrude Jekyll's 1908 Gardens for Charles Holme, (a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts movement.) For more information please access the Upton Grey Manor House web site.

© Reckless Gardener Magazine 2005 Mill Cottage New Media