Garden Tour: A rich history is Revived at Eltham Palace - glamorous socialites When Stephen and Virginia Courtauld the relocated Eltham Palace in 1933, they began to give the historic but dilapidated 15th century house , Art Deco fashion reorganize. The couple - two passionate gardeners - took the same approach vast garden of 20 acres of their new home, now, with the house, maintained by English Heritage
Christopher Weddell adviser upper gardens in English Heritage,. sharing a glimpse of the rich history and design of impressive gardens of Eltham, in which you can see features built when Henry VIII was living in the palace.
Christopher Weddell adviser upper gardens in English Heritage,. sharing a glimpse of the rich history and design of impressive gardens of Eltham, in which you can see features built when Henry VIII was living in the palace.
Chris Snook
Garden A look
Who lived here socialites Millionaire Stephen and Virginia Courtauld (between 1933 and 1944)
size garden 20 acres
Location Eltham, southeast London
designer more recently, Isabelle Van Groeningen, who created a vast herbaceous border measure more than 3m deep and 90m long into the ditch area south of the gardens in the plan theContemporary heritage gardens in 2000. 1930 mode garden designer Thomas Mawson, and the famous modernist architects Seely and Paget, who worked on the house, also influenced the redesign of Courtaulds.
This is interesting The history of the site dates back to the 11th century. A succession of monarchs property and renovated the property, and Henry VIII spent much of his childhood at home, and hunting in the surrounding park gardens.
Take a tour of the interiors of Eltham Palace
Who lived here socialites Millionaire Stephen and Virginia Courtauld (between 1933 and 1944)
size garden 20 acres
Location Eltham, southeast London
designer more recently, Isabelle Van Groeningen, who created a vast herbaceous border measure more than 3m deep and 90m long into the ditch area south of the gardens in the plan theContemporary heritage gardens in 2000. 1930 mode garden designer Thomas Mawson, and the famous modernist architects Seely and Paget, who worked on the house, also influenced the redesign of Courtaulds.
This is interesting The history of the site dates back to the 11th century. A succession of monarchs property and renovated the property, and Henry VIII spent much of his childhood at home, and hunting in the surrounding park gardens.
Take a tour of the interiors of Eltham Palace
Chris Snook
When the Courtaulds moved to Eltham in the 1930s, they designed parts of the new garden around a number of relics of medieval and Tudor buildings that survived on the site, including the 15th century Great hall 1 ranked class, seen in the upper left.
Chris Snook
While maintaining these old items, which include the medieval walls moat (photo above) and foothills, as well as remains of the sewage system Tudor, the Courtaulds created a new design and added several new features to the fashion of the time. These included a number of "rooms" open air - enclosed areas surrounded by trees or shrubs - and a rock garden.
Stephen was interested in alpine plants, "says Christopher Weddell, senior adviser at English Heritage gardens, the Rock Garden recently restored. "It was something that would be very good to him and his friends rock climbing plants they saw on their climbing adventures recall.
Stephen was interested in alpine plants, "says Christopher Weddell, senior adviser at English Heritage gardens, the Rock Garden recently restored. "It was something that would be very good to him and his friends rock climbing plants they saw on their climbing adventures recall.
Chris Snook
the view of the turning radius at the rear of the house reveals the 1st year listed Great hall, on the right, dating back to the 1470s Adjacent is the house built by Courtaulds in 1930
The tree is a lime. 'W e have pictures of what a young tree in this position, planted in time Courtaulds, Weddell said. 'Here, w e see a link between the design of the house and the design of the garden, he said. "The lime aligns with the waterfall cascading over the Rock Garden, which is on the other side of the house. There is an axis of symmetry -. if you had the rear doors open both before and you would see throughout the cascade
Discover tips to make a garden look bigger
The tree is a lime. 'W e have pictures of what a young tree in this position, planted in time Courtaulds, Weddell said. 'Here, w e see a link between the design of the house and the design of the garden, he said. "The lime aligns with the waterfall cascading over the Rock Garden, which is on the other side of the house. There is an axis of symmetry -. if you had the rear doors open both before and you would see throughout the cascade
Discover tips to make a garden look bigger
Chris Snook
This wall magnolia tree and rock face at Garden (see next image). "We know that the Courtaulds grew magnolias, the largest, which is now a regeneration strain increasingly against the great room wall because it was potentially damaging in the historic hall. Magnolia you can see was planted in the Royal Parks years after the Courtaulds had left, 'says Weddell
Additions years Courtauld -. The time that English Heritage restoration course aims to reflect - include an expansion of the ditch, the Triangular garden (a series of geometric beds possibly used for growing herbs because it was close to the kitchen), and a garden sunken roses. Virginia was fine in her pink, Weddell said. "She had a rose named after her, when they moved to Africa, and she bought Northern Ireland its roses, Sam McGredy in Portadown, one of the largest, hottest suppliers the day has increased.
The elegant couple also added a pool, tennis courts and greenhouses for orchids Stephen Courtauld. Stephen was very fond of orchids which he named after Virginia, 'Weddell added. "He has won awards for them RHS . The greenhouses are now part of the visitor center and c afé , although some are still in use by the garden team. The tennis courts are now a playground and while the pool was filled in 1960, hedges still characterize the region.
Additions years Courtauld -. The time that English Heritage restoration course aims to reflect - include an expansion of the ditch, the Triangular garden (a series of geometric beds possibly used for growing herbs because it was close to the kitchen), and a garden sunken roses. Virginia was fine in her pink, Weddell said. "She had a rose named after her, when they moved to Africa, and she bought Northern Ireland its roses, Sam McGredy in Portadown, one of the largest, hottest suppliers the day has increased.
The elegant couple also added a pool, tennis courts and greenhouses for orchids Stephen Courtauld. Stephen was very fond of orchids which he named after Virginia, 'Weddell added. "He has won awards for them RHS . The greenhouses are now part of the visitor center and c afé , although some are still in use by the garden team. The tennis courts are now a playground and while the pool was filled in 1960, hedges still characterize the region.
Chris Snook
The rock Garden was built from limestone Westmorland. "It is now a protected stone says Weddell," because of the fashion of the 1930s to dig to create gardens like this.
Chris Snook
in this view rock Garden , just to see the foot of the waterfall above waterfall on the right side.
nose around the house and you will find a book on rock gardens by Reginald Farrier on the bedside Stephen Courtauld. " you can still find copies of this line, "says Weddell.
nose around the house and you will find a book on rock gardens by Reginald Farrier on the bedside Stephen Courtauld. " you can still find copies of this line, "says Weddell.
Chris Snook
This is the Triangular garden. "We saw the structure of masonry network from aerial photos taken during the Courtaulds time," says Weddell. "It seems that the position of the grass is cool to Courtaulds, too, but it was difficult to see what it was planted.
Due to its proximity to the service wing and a kitchen, English Heritage has chosen to go with herbs, assuming it could have been a vegetable. "We also thought herbs help preserve the geometry," says Weddell.
Due to its proximity to the service wing and a kitchen, English Heritage has chosen to go with herbs, assuming it could have been a vegetable. "We also thought herbs help preserve the geometry," says Weddell.
Chris Snook
From this point of view of the Triangle Garden, you can see climbing clematis and camellias a from walls. "Again, Courtaulds reflects the interest in plants, said Weddell. "Instead of planting the matchy-matchy style they wanted interest in the garden and seem to have had eclectic taste.
Chris Snook
parts of the ditch, shown here, are filled with Isabelle Van Groeningen border vastherbaceous - - dry, while the south ditch filled with water. Virginia Courtauld kept Patagonian black-necked swans on the moat.
Christopher Weddell said there is a movie cine images of Courtaulds in this part of the garden with cherry trees, as seen here. However, he said, bay bank, visible in the background, was added after the couple times during the years when the Royal Parks gardens used as a training school for apprentice gardeners. The garden is 1930 likely to have less formal planting here, in the form of long grass and mature trees.
Christopher Weddell said there is a movie cine images of Courtaulds in this part of the garden with cherry trees, as seen here. However, he said, bay bank, visible in the background, was added after the couple times during the years when the Royal Parks gardens used as a training school for apprentice gardeners. The garden is 1930 likely to have less formal planting here, in the form of long grass and mature trees.
Chris Snook
here you can see "rooms" garden - areas surrounded by trees, often with a small bench in them. They were very popular for gardens in the 1930s "Now they are a little overgrown, Weddell said. "We are trying to restore them; we have recently revived the grass on both sides of the track. Overgrown holly bushes are much larger than they would have been in the period of Courtaulds, when I imagine they would have been much smaller and would have marked the end the shrubs forming the walls of the garden room.
Chris Snook
a view over garden rooms reveals the structure. "In the foreground, you have topiary and hedges," says Weddell. And Van Groeningen border, freshly planted when the photos were taken, is visible in front of the 100-year-old beech hedges neatly trimmed and sides of the aisle. On the left you can see a preview of the spurge of the border; colorful planting strip also includes geraniums, delphiniums and lupins.
Another Weddell function is eager to see restored here is the topiary that was so fashionable in the 1930s . The Courtaulds were drawings, including a topiary chicken, a bear standing on its hind legs, and a peacock. It is my ambition to get these back, "says Weddell.
Another Weddell function is eager to see restored here is the topiary that was so fashionable in the 1930s . The Courtaulds were drawings, including a topiary chicken, a bear standing on its hind legs, and a peacock. It is my ambition to get these back, "says Weddell.
Chris Snook
visible here is a bit of nascent herbaceous border, with an interesting and very old detail: the visible door on the right is a remnant of what was the sewer system palace Henry VIII. This connects the now dry moat to the south lawn.
In the background is the orangery, with a statue of the Courtaulds was transported to Eltham their London home (see image below).
In the background is the orangery, with a statue of the Courtaulds was transported to Eltham their London home (see image below).
Chris Snook
The statue was c ommissioned in 1930 and titled St George. This s by Alfred Hardiman (1891-1949) and originally featured a gilded bronze shield and sword, but the finish was gone. T are birds on the shield represent the British Commonwealth birds.
Chris Snook
below the statue is hollow garden where Weddell hopes to restore the rose topiary.
The pond once contained a replica of the sculpture of Verrocchio, Boy With fish, which Stephen Courtauld bought in Florence in 1925.
Build here on the left are the rooms of garden.
The pond once contained a replica of the sculpture of Verrocchio, Boy With fish, which Stephen Courtauld bought in Florence in 1925.
Build here on the left are the rooms of garden.
Chris Snook
Wisteria is Twine around six pillars, which have been recovered and reused here when the Bank of England, designed by Robert Taylor in the late 1700s, was demolished in around 1925.
Chris Snook
the bridge on the south ditch , which was rebuilt in the 1990s in the style of the design and Sealy Paget commanded by Courtaulds, based on 16th century brick pillars.
"If you were to continue in this way, says Weddell," you'd be walking along the same Henry VIII road took as he entered the palace through the park deer.
Tell us ...
What do you love about historic gardens - and the features you are most like right here? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
"If you were to continue in this way, says Weddell," you'd be walking along the same Henry VIII road took as he entered the palace through the park deer.
Tell us ...
What do you love about historic gardens - and the features you are most like right here? Share your thoughts in the comments below.