Prior Park planting scheme complete

The National Trust has completed the planting scheme for the restored Wilderness area at Prior Park Landscape Garden, Bath. Following the completion of the hard landscaping work in the Alexander Pope designed Wilderness last autumn, work over the winter has revolved around planting the area around the restored Serpentine Lake, Cabinet and Cascade (pictured left).

The planting scheme is determined by the range of trees and shrubs that were popular in the mid 18th century, the period of the garden’s original creation, and includes species of Magnolia, Hydrangea, Hypericum, Rose as well as Ash, Laurel and Hazel.

Originally designed for Ralph Allen’s garden by Alexander Pope in the 18th century, the Wilderness is the final landscape of the restoration jigsaw that the Trust began 15 years ago. The Trust acquired Prior Park in 1993 and since then it has been working to restore the garden to what it would have been in 1764 - the year of Ralph Allen’s death.

Funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund of £483,000 allowed the Trust to restore Pope's Wilderness, excavating the Serpentine Lake, which had been in-filled in the 19th century leaving only a small pond. Excavations revealed the full length of the original lake and it has been reinstated along 100 metres of the Wilderness following the lake's original lines. The Lake's walls have been repaired and a new lining created.

New paths through the Wilderness have been laid allowing visitors access to new areas of the garden. The planting scheme, with approximately 1200 new plants, was completed early March, with volunteers undertaking a great deal of the work.

Matthew Ward, Head Gardener at Prior Park, says: "With the main structural features of the garden we had a considerable amount of knowledge and evidence on which to base our restoration work. With regard to the planting scheme, we have had very much a blank canvas with which to be creative. The result, as it matures over the coming years, is in the style of Ralph Allen's era and uses plants available at the time. As it thickens up, it will create carefully contrived areas - dense in places, contrasting with open, outward looking views to the pasture and beyond. "

Prior Park Landscape Garden, Ralph Allen Drive, Bath BA2 5AH. The park is open until 31 October 2008, every day except Tuesday, and from 1 November 2008 - 31 January 2009 on Saturdays and Sundays. Tel: 01225 833422 for further nformation, or visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk