West Dean Gardens

At the beginning of October I made a return visit to West Dean Gardens, near Chichester in West Sussex. I had been there many years ago, before the current revitalisation works began and was looking forward to see the results. The two things that stood out most in my mind were the collection of antique lawnmowers, which then were housed in one of the old greenhouses and also the long pergola.

On my return I was pleased to learn that the lawnmowers now have their own dedicated space in one of the outbuildings, together with a collection of old black and white photographs showing previous gardeners hard at work. The pergola is now home to a collection of climbing plants, but unfortunately by the time we visited, the roses had almost come to the end of their flowering season. There were still a few blooms here and there and also a purple dusting of Verbena bonariensis.

One of the things that I didn't remember at all, was the collection of trained fruit trees. These have been coaxed into goblet shapes, as well as the usual espaliers and fans. Some still bore apples and pears of various shapes, sizes and colours, testifying to the skill of earlier breeders as they sought to prolong the fruiting season and to create varieties adapted to local surroundings.

A selection were on display in one of the old potting sheds, each one carefully labelled with their name, origin and earliest reference. I was surprised to see one that dated back to at least 1620! Unfortunately we had missed the annual apple festival, which had taken place the previous weekend, but I will make a note in my diary to try to attend it next year. Hopefully that will provide a chance to taste them as well as see them!

Another fascinating part of the gardens is the collection of greenhouses and cold frames. We probably weren't there at the right time of year to see them in all their productive glory, but there were still tomatoes on some of the vines and also the most unusual knobbly cucumbers I have ever seen!

Other greenhouses contained a collection of pot plants, including fuschias, streptocarpus and begonias.

In their own way, the greenhouses themselves are works of art, with their intricate ironwork and mechanisms for opening and closing the vents. Even the door handles were attractive in their own way.

Beyond the greenhouses lays the vegetable garden, which again is planted to provide produce all year round and which still supplies the restaurant. We had already eaten our lunch before we arrived, so we only had room for a snack. I can, however, heartily recommend the coffee and cakes!

The gardens form part of the West Dean Estate, with the current house having been built at the beginning of the nineteenth century by Lord Selsey to designs created by James Wyatt. An arboretum was added in the 1830s, which includes some of the earliest plantings of North American conifers in England. It lies on the opposite side of the valley to the house itself, but a footpath joins the two.

At the end of the nineteenth century the estate was bought by William Dodge James, an American millionaire and his Scottish wife. With the assistance of Harold Peto and Ernest George, they created a setting for the shooting parties that they enjoyed and also a spectacular garden, including the stone and flint pergola that crosses the North Lawn. Some of the trees were planted by visiting royalty, including King Alphonso of Spain.

In due course, the estate passed to Edward James, who unfortunately was unable to spend much time there. In 1964 he vested the estate in a charitable trust, the Edward James Foundation, which now continues the upkeep of the gardens. The house itself is used for education purposes, with a variety of over 500 artistic courses being offered each year.

It is also the venue from time to time of the Chichester Literary Festival and on two occasions I have attended evening talks by crime writers. The first was held in the library and featured local author Peter James. Naturally there were numerous comments along the lines of the Cluedo game, about the murder being committed in the library, with an assortment of different weapons. The second was held in one of the converted outbuildings and featured Mark Billingham. Both talks were extremely interesting, although I have to admit that holding the first in the library was far more atmospheric!

After sitting for an hour or so listening to tales of murder and mayhem, it was a little disconcerting to walk back to the car park in the dark and then drive along the unlit roads over the Trundle and then home.