Herald - Issue 420

Page 48 • The HERALD • 10th March 2022 v SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES v A J GLEESON BUILDING & GROUNDWORK DRIVEWAYS EXTENSIONS BRICKWORK GROUNDWORK BLOCK PAVING Colours & Designs to suit your requirements Local Work Available to View CALL FOR A FREE QUOTATION New Forest & Southampton 023 8084 4180 Mobile: 07770 771475 Bramdene, Main Road, Dibden, Southampton | DOWN THE GARDEN PATH | BLACKFIELD GARDENING CLUB by Patricia Hedley-Goddard At the last meeting of Black eld Gardening Club the presentation was given by Julia Baker, ably assisted by Christine Bennett, which informed us of e History of Furzey Gardens, located in Minstead, on the edge of the New Forest. e Gardens began in 1921 when an aristocratic Scottish family named Dalrymple rst purchased the land in an auction. Currently it is run by the Minstead Trust, supporting people with autism and leaning di culties. It hosts many rare and exotic plants some bred by the original Dalrymple family especially by Hew Dalrymple who was well known for breeding freesias and auriculas. He also bred a small hardy da odil which is still in existence, primulas, camelias and cytisis. He lived at Bartley House, and his nursery garden was famous throughout the plant world. Initially the land had a heavy clay base, and tons of top soil had to be brought in by horse and cart. Much of the local soil is/was acid, so azaleas and rhododendrons and ericas were planted in large swathes. Fortunately for the management of Furzey Gardens, an old notebook was kept which was written by ‘Arthur’ the Head Gardener who was in post when the gardens originally opened to the public in 1930. His meticulous entries into the book detailed what was planted where, and when. At that time there was a large rockery with many rare alpine plants planted in it. When digging the beds, the current Gardeners sometimes nd original lead labels (300 so far) still clearly marked with the Latin name of the plant and legible from when the plants were rst planted, sometimes 80 or 90 years previously. A few of the rocks still survive. In the 1920’s and 1930’s foreign travel became easier, and many of the famous plant hunters of the time, such as George Forrest and Frank Kingdom Ward risked their lives to bring back new specimens from China, Tibet and Burma. e seeds were grown at Bartley Nurseries and some of these original plants still survive today at Furzey Gardens. Frank KingdomWard was the man who invented the ingenious ‘Wardian Case’ which enabled him and his fellow plantsmen to successfully bring back live plant specimens from the wild. Sadly by 1972 the gardens were in a completely overgrown and neglected state and the land was divided into 3 auction lots some for building land. Fortunately a young 26 year old saw and fell in love with the neglected sight and managed to purchase the site which included the original Furzey House believed to have been built in the 1550’s. is young man was Tim Selwood, and he appointed a Head Gardener plus 3 disadvantaged 16 year old school leavers who started to bring the house and grounds back into some order. Within a year he started the Furzey Charitable Trust. Currently there are 30 disadvantaged persons working alongside 20 volunteers. In 2012 Chris Beardshaw worked with the sta to create a garden at Chelsea Flower Show which won an RHS Queens Diamond Jubilee Gold Medal. A erwards this show garden was transferred back to Furzey Gardens. e garden is always adapting and expanding and 2022 is the centenary year for the garden. It now has a café, gi shop and gallery and plants available for sale. For opening times and more information, visit: www. minsteadtrust.org.uk/furzey-gardens Next meeting of Blackfield Gardening Club is Tuesday 12th April for ‘Calshot – A Place in Time’ by Colin Van Geffen. Followed on Tuesday 10th May for ‘Plant Propagation’ by Ray Broughton. St Francis Church, Langley, at 7.30pm. All visitors welcome £2.00. All enquiries to club secretary Patricia Hedley-Goddard on: 023 8024 3795.