David Henderson's Posts - goldenlaneestate.org2024-03-29T08:55:11ZDavid Hendersonhttp://goldenlane.ning.com/profile/DavidHendersonhttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2526925170?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://goldenlane.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=22c2h7yylxhts&xn_auth=noGolden Baggers trip to Wakehursttag:goldenlane.ning.com,2019-05-27:2323372:BlogPost:714762019-05-27T16:28:29.000ZDavid Hendersonhttp://goldenlane.ning.com/profile/DavidHenderson
<p><span>This year's Golden Baggers annual trip on Sunday 5th May was to Wakehurst in Sussex.</span></p>
<p><span>Wakehurst comprises a 16th century mansion house set in 500 acres of wild botanic garden, managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. </span><span>The gardens are designed as a living collection of woodland trees and plants including many rare species from across the globe which are grown especially for research, conservation and educational purposes. Different areas of the garden…</span></p>
<p><span>This year's Golden Baggers annual trip on Sunday 5th May was to Wakehurst in Sussex.</span></p>
<p><span>Wakehurst comprises a 16th century mansion house set in 500 acres of wild botanic garden, managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. </span><span>The gardens are designed as a living collection of woodland trees and plants including many rare species from across the globe which are grown especially for research, conservation and educational purposes. Different areas of the garden have been deemed climatically suitable for growing, variously, Southern Hemisphere trees, Asian rhododendron species and North American birches. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674953951?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674953951?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><span>However, a particular highlight for this trip was that we arrived at the height of Bluebell season with millions of delicate flowers carpeting the woodlands throughout the gardens. </span><span>Wakehurst is well set up for visitors of all ages with a number of garden walks of various lengths and degrees of strenuosity and it is a great place to picnic with a grassy glade being particularly popular. This had been left to grow wild but for a meandering path strip mowed through it as a form of land art. </span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2675041657?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2675041657?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a><span>Another unusual area is the rock walk, an outcrop of sandstone with seemingly ancient yew trees growing from the cracks.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674947943?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674947943?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><span>The far end of the gardens comprise a lake, wetlands, a</span>nd a stream, accessible across an extensive Boardwalk and creating a thriving environment for wetland birds and insects.</p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674958091?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674958091?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><br/> <span>Heading back towards the main house, the wilder, naturalistic forest slowly gives way to a more managed series of gardens culminating in a vivid formal display of Himalayan flowers.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674964261?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674964261?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a><span>A significant attraction in itself is the Millenium Seed Bank. </span><span>This is both a repository of rare seed species whose preparation and conservation could be viewed through glass sided laboratories (though not unfortunately on our visit) as well as an educational experience. </span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674965981?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674965981?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a><br/> <span>The various displays explain the huge importance of maintaining biodiversity and the threats to our ecology posed by global warming but also showcase the inherent beauty of the seeds themselves in a series of microscope enlarged images and displays. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674957743?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674957743?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674966842?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><br/> <span>It was also interesting to see what plants will thrive amid rising temperatures, higher CO2 and nitrogen levels and increasingly extreme weather patterns approaching the year 2050. We may get used to planting such as dwarf birches, cocksfoot grass and frangipani and should certainly look towards non invasive, pollinator-friendly plants that can survive on little water.</span></p>
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<p><span><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674966842?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674966842?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
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<p><span>Our final stop was at the nursery to bring home some new acquisitions for the garden followed by a nice cup of tea before heading home.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674968341?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674968341?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a><br/> <span>Great thanks are due in particular to Sue Pearson for doing all the organisational heavy lifting in order to make it a really enjoyable day out spent with friends and meeting more of our neighbours. Looking forward to next year's outing.</span></p>
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<p><span><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674976395?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2674976395?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
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<div class="adL"></div>Golden Baggers trip to Haddenham and Turn End home and gardenstag:goldenlane.ning.com,2018-05-14:2323372:BlogPost:648592018-05-14T07:47:15.000ZDavid Hendersonhttp://goldenlane.ning.com/profile/DavidHenderson
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541601349?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541601349?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="700"></img></a></p>
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<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541605048?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541605048?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a> Sunday 6th May was a beautiful day, perfect for a group of friends, neighbours, gardeners both expert and curious, from Golden Lane to visit the Buckinghamshire village of Haddenham, near Aylsbury. </span></p>
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<p><span>It is easy…</span></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541601349?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="700" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541601349?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="700" class="align-center"/></a></p>
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<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541605048?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541605048?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a>Sunday 6th May was a beautiful day, perfect for a group of friends, neighbours, gardeners both expert and curious, from Golden Lane to visit the Buckinghamshire village of Haddenham, near Aylsbury. </span></p>
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<p><span>It is easy to see why Haddenham has a reputation as a highly desirable place to live, though, as we discovered, Golden Lane Estate is not unique in having to deal with the pressure of new development on its doorstep. </span><span>However there is always more than one way of looking at things and the Haddenham community has the remarkable example of the Turn End houses and their shared garden in its midst. </span><br/> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541601349?profile=original" target="_self"></a></p>
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<p><span>At a time when conventional thinking had it that new development had to be planned around roads with identikit houses dropped on, obliterating the existing landscape and ecology, Turn End represented an alternative way, looking at the special qualities of the village, it's walled gardens, mature trees and modest scale as an inspiration <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541638039?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541638039?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a>for what is actually a very modern and quite high density insertion into the village.</span></p>
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<p>Turn End was instead planned around the retention of several existing trees, among them, large Oak, Chestnut and Walnut trees which provided a basis for the gardens and courtyards which every room enjoys, bringing nature to the heart of each of the three homes within the site.</p>
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<p><span>Turn End was strongly resisted by the local planners at the time it was conceived in the early 1960s and was only consented after many appeals while the entirely forgettable houses opposite were nodded through the system, wiping out an entire avenue of mature trees in the process.</span></p>
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<p><span>The houses and garden at Turn End are still home to their visionary Architect and Landscape gardener, Peter Aldington and his wife Margaret whose life's work they have been for some 50 years.</span></p>
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<p><span>A charitable trust has since been created to secure the future of Turn End, to promote the integration of building and garden design and enable public access to the garden for educational, creative and public events. As such, we were delighted to be invited to view both garden and house, hosted by the very wonderful Peter and Margaret Aldington, along with Turn End gardener Jackie Hunt.</span></p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541639076?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="700" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541639076?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="700" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><em>ABOVE<br/> Architect and garden designer, Peter Aldington, explains how the design of the houses was a response to the particular vernacular and scale of the village. The fundamental strategy was to retain and design around the many existing mature trees within the walled grounds of the plot.</em></p>
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<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541640301?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="700" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541640301?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="700" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><em>ABOVE<br/> A formal walled garden to the south. Plants can be bought from here and advice is readily given by Turn End gardener, Jackie.</em></p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541640871?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="700" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541640871?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="700" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>ABOVE</p>
<p><em>The spring garden with Turn End in the background</em></p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541667394?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="700" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541667394?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="700" class="align-center"/></a></p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2426186627?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="700" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2426186627?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="700" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><em>ABOVE</em></p>
<p><em>The houses are formed around landscaped walled courtyards bringing nature into the heart of the living spaces</em></p>
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<p><span>While Turn End is internationally acclaimed (the house is now grade 2* listed and the garden is on the register of parks and gardens of special historic interest), </span><span>it has also inspired some rather lovely initiatives within the community - a thriving allotment area and, most recently, a community orchard, planted in 2015 with rare varieties of apple, pear, cherry and more. The orchard was created on a plot provided as a Section 106 contribution by a housing developer building nearby. Fruit is shared freely by all residents.</span></p>
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<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541671438?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="700" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2541671438?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="700" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><em>ABOVE<br/> Expert volunteer Diccon, at the Townsend Community Orchard, explaining the many rare varieties grown including such evocative names as "Radford Beauty" apple, "Pitmaston Duchess" pear and "Merton Glory" cherry. Local biodiversity is thriving and Red Kites have returned to the skies overhead.</em></p>
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<p>The trip overall was both a fantastically enjoyable day out, and a truly inspiring experience, showing just what can be achieved with a clear vision and the determination to see it through. The perfect way to kick off summer and get out in the alotment,</p>
<p>A huge thank you to Anna Parkinson for the brilliant idea and all the hard work she and Anne Corbett put into organising this very special event.</p>
<p>More information on Turn End can be found <a href="https://www.turnend.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> and more information on the Townsend Community Orchard can be found <a href="http://ww.townsendorchard.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p>