Following on from the renovation of the Rainbow border last year, an assessment of the garden, as a whole, revealed many areas that had become tired, congested and infested with pernicious weeds such as ground elder, couch grass and convolvulus. It was clear that a major renovation was necessary. It was also clear that this presented an opportunity to make changes and develop the garden, further building on the foundation laid by Alison Ticehurst and the gardeners and volunteers who have carried on her work.
Ian, Norman & Stephen
Ian Roger of Roger’s nurseries in Pickering has become a friend of the garden and, upon hearing of the task we had given ourselves, introduced us to Stephen Bean. Stephen runs a garden design company and has a particular interest in walled gardens. He paid us a visit in late autumn last year with a view to offering some guidance on how to proceed. After a tour of the garden, seeing its potential and recognising that we are on the verge of something special, he wanted to be actively involved. After several visits either alone with his notebook and tape or accompanied by his design colleague, he presented us with an overall plan that would transform the garden over the next four or five years. The plan comprises a Gravel Garden, Arboretum, Wildflower Meadows, a Clematis and Rose Garden, the extension of the Hot Border up to the Orchid House and a further four new gardens.
The first priority was to be the entrance area as it is the first place people see when entering the garden and where they form that important First Impression. An open aspect was decided upon, with oak posts and rope swags to form a barrier and guide visitors through the entrance into the garden itself. This is to give the garden a cleaner, smarter and tidier look than the original combination of trellis, steel box section threaded with wire and aluminium gates and rails. Plant Sales benches and associated paraphernalia have been moved away and the whole area has been re-laid with self-binding golden gravel.
On the other side of the swags, a part of the Orchard Lawn has given way to a Gravel Garden of some 300 square yards which will be unashamedly modelled on, and inspired by, Beth Chatto’s acclaimed gravel garden which she created on her former car park. To balance this, the 100 foot Long Border, just outside the Vinehouse, has also been gravelled which, once planted, should give a pleasing view along the main avenue to the right of the entrance as you come in. In the gravel itself, permanent paths have been laid to create island beds and to allow visitors to meander through the planting. Anchor plants, which will give structure throughout the seasons, will consist of Ornamental Trees such as Tibetan Cherry, Snake Bark Maple, Golden leaved Alder alongside 6 feet tall Grasses, Cardoons and Shrub Roses which will give fragrant flowers in summer and colourful hips in autumn. Clematis will be allowed to scramble through them after the flowers fade. Vigorous, arching species such as Rosa Moyseii with a height and spread of 10ft will combine with grasses and strategically placed trees on the lawns to create a screen. The main areas of the garden giving visitors outside the ropes an inviting glimpse of what lies beyond…………… Remaining plants will be Herbaceous perennials including Euphorbias, Irises, Achillias and Eryngiums.
Figuring prominently, more grasses, herbs and bulbs will provide colour and interest from spring through to autumn. Meandering paths lead on to the Orchard and White Garden lawns. These lawns, together with the lawn adjacent to the Physic Garden, which is currently planted with apple trees, will be transformed into Wildflower Meadows. To avoid spraying off the lawns and starting from scratch, a range of wild grasses and flowers are to be sown later this spring into deep trays. When they are large enough to fend for themselves they will be cut into 3’’ squares and planted into the lawn as plugs. This will need to be repeated for several years to create natural drifts as in the wild. In addition, ornamental trees, something until now lacking in the garden, will be planted in both the White garden lawn and the lawn in front of the Physic garden..This year the grass will be allowed to grow to enable an assessment of what species are currently growing there. Paths will be mown through to provide walks for visitors. In the autumn and spring of next year, bulbs will be planted to extend the season.
Another area where obvious change is taking place is the former Foliage Border, with a hole cut through the golden privet hedge giving access to the lawn directly in front of the Orchid House. Trees will be planted into the border and, for the 2010 season, it will be sown with a Cornfield Mix. A grass path leads through the hedge onto the lawn and to, what will be, the 1914 Garden. This is to be a homage to the 19 gardeners from Helmsley Walled Garden, some of whom enlisted at the outbreak of the 1st World War and did not return. The garden is intended to be a Cottage Garden of that time with flowering plants and vegetable varieties that would have been commonly grown here at that time. Now at the research and planning stage, we hope to start work later this year.
The Symmetry of the garden allows the two gardens to be mirrored on the lawn area to the left hand side of the Rose and Lavender Border once 30ft of Laurel and the concrete foundations of long gone greenhouses have been removed.
Overall, an exciting and ambitious plan that will bring much change to the garden. The creation of new gardens will provide some more intimate spaces and allow a more diverse range of planting and, coupled with the flower meadows and ornamental trees, will greatly enhance the garden and its appeal to visitors. People identify with this garden. The most often quoted comment we hear is that this garden has a spirit and an atmosphere of its own and this has remained at the forefront throughout.
Written by Norman Potter, Head Gardener of Helmsley Walled Garden.
