Quenington Old Rectory

Cirencester

April 20th 2008

10.00am - 400pm

admission £4

Quenington Old Rectory

The form of the garden was laid out by the Knights' Hospitallers in
the 14th century when, and I presume it was them,  the mill race was built
and the very sophisticated run offs into the Coln.  The large trees must
have been planted by the vicars who lived here until 1927 when it was bought
by my mother in law's family. Her mother, Mrs Cadogan, was a great gardener.
Lady Abel Smith, my mother in law laid out the sunken garden and some of the
borders.  25 years ago David and I took over the garden under the eye of
Esmee Bradburne who made the garden organic and brought it to life again.
She arrived here when she was 78 after amongst other things developing the
roof garden at Derry and Toms with Hancock,  laying out the British Legation
garden in Kabul and setting up her own organic commercial garden at
Hatherop. She trained Robert Wyatt who has been gardener here for 22 years.
We have now added a library to the garden buildings.

From Lucy Abel Smith,
Reality and Beyond,
Quenington Old Rectory, Cirencester. GL7 5BN
Telephone :         01285 750 358 Reality and Beyond: 01285 750 888
Fax: 01285 750 540

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