Local places of interest
Sheepcote Green House
Sheepcote Green House is an atmospheric, old country garden, set in the three acre grounds of a former farmhouse, currently undergoing a gentle reawakening with wildlife in mind. Jilly McNaughton, a new EAGG member has written a lockdown blog on her garden www.thehabitatgarden.co.uk
The garden will be open together with neighbouring gardens at Sheepcote Green as part of the NGS Scheme on Sunday 30th May 1.00 p.m. https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/42171
I
Childerley and Gardens
The original house was built by the first Sir John Cutts in the late 15th century. What you see today is probably the remains of the south wing, much altered by the Calverts in the 17th and 18th Centuries, an extensive ‘Victorianisation’ in the mid-19th century, and more recently a few improvements by the Brooks and the Jenkins. The Jenkins’ came to Childerley in 1957. The long terrace walk, together with the moated walk, were part of the original Elizabethan house, the walled kitchen garden a Victorian addition, while the rockery garden with its curving paved paths was introduced during the Edwardian era. The only plantings that survive from these historical innovations are the box grove (in the middle of the White Garden), the mulberry tree in the aptly named ‘Mulberry Garden’ and the clipped yew sentinel opposite the entrance to the Chapel. The ancient horse chestnut tree in the North Garden is clearly a survivor but we don’t know exactly when it was planted. Today, Childerley is synonymous with its roses. The Rose Jungle and the Terrace contain a magnificent collection of Old and Modern Roses, usually seen to their best advantage from mid May to the end of June. Paths in the Kitchen Garden are adorned with tripods of ‘Altissimo’, and the walls with climbing roses. Here too, as well as fruit and vegetables, you will find numerous floribunda and hybrid tea varieties for cutting. Around the garden, there are a quantity of species and rambling roses, tumbling from trees, trellis’ and walls. A rarity worth looking out for in June is Burmese Cooper.
Cressing Temple Barns
Cressing Temple Barns is a site rich in ancient history. It was built in the 13th century and the magnificent Grade I listed Barley and Wheat Barns were part of a large farmstead built by the Knights Templar. These barns are now amongst the oldest timber barns and some of the few surviving Templar buildings in England. The original Walled Garden was built c1500-1600. The role of the Friends is: 'to conserve, enhance and develop the gardens at Cressing Temple, including the Walled Garden, the Cullen Garden and the Jubilee Orchard, as a unique historical, social and horticultural record and educational resource'.
https://thefriendsofcressingtemple.org/events-new/
Green Island Gardens.
is a little piece of heaven on earth! Green Island Gardens is 20 acres of private gardens, open for the public to visit in Ardleigh near Colchester. Professionally designed by its owner Fiona Edmond, the land is laid out as a series of structured gardens displaying a huge range of unusual trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs – ‘A Plantsman’s Paradise’. We have the national collection of Hamamelis and autumn flowering Camellias. Featured in Country Living February 2019, and recommended in Great British Gardens 2019 and Essex Days Out.
Visit Essex Gardens Trust website for newsletter and programme of talks
https://mailchi.mp/4d2310b52d8a/news-from-egt-13354056?e=c9f3cfbee5