The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Saturday
GROWING CONCERNS
The sanctuary of gardens will be a great joy for many as we finally leave lockdown, says George Plumptre
A year ago to the day I wrote a column here setting out the unknown territory in which the National Garden Scheme found itself with all its gardens forced to close for the first time in the charity’s long history. Among all the pain and uncertainty, for our garden owners a regular pattern emerged. They found that while their gardens could not welcome visitors, they could offer vital continuity and reassurance to those fortunate enough to inhabit them. In the autumn we drew together people’s experiences into a report, Gardens and Coronavirus; two comments encapsulate the general mood: “My garden was the only place I wasn’t worried about Covid-19” and “The world is all right in the garden”.
When NGS gardens were able to open again from June 2020, with limited numbers and other restrictions, the impact on garden owners and visitors alike was profound. Many confirmed their visit to be the first time they had left their homes since the start of the lockdown; there were tears shed as the soothing surroundings of a garden allowed pent-up emotions to unfold.
Now, as we begin to cautiously plot our path out of lockdown and away from the grip of the pandemic, we want to welcome people to our gardens in increasing numbers. Some gardens are opening now and in the coming weeks, most will open from late spring through the summer. The anticipation is palpable among garden owners; they are like Henry V’s “greyhounds in the slips”.
The numbers open will be similar to a normal year – around 3,500 gardens in total. At the moment all NGS gardens in Wales remain closed, but we hope they will soon be able to open. In England, from the current “local-only, no refreshments and all tickets pre-purchased online”, we will move in step with gov
ernment milestones to increasingly relaxed travel restrictions, with teas and other refreshments possible from April 12, and being able to turn up on the day without a pre-booked ticket at most gardens from May 17 – although prebooking will continue to be an option.
From week to week the variety available to visitors is seemingly endless. There are exciting new arrivals opening for the first time, from tiny city spaces such as 152a Victoria Rise in London to spacious acres like Urchfont Manor in Wiltshire. They range from new groups like New Radnor Gardens in Powys, to allotments in Derby and Oswestry, sustainable natural spaces such as Cross Roads in Staffordshire and Home Farmhouse in Norfolk, or gardens with spectacular views like Raw Ridding House in Lancashire. And we welcome back many old friends, not least stunning Stonor Park in Oxfordshire, which last opened in 1932 when it raised £1 10s and its index card said “interesting house”.
Just a few days ago one garden owner with a wonderful snowdrop garden wrote to me of the limited access they had offered to local people through February: “The whole experience has been very good indeed. Even with snow up on the Downs and the ground frozen, folk turned up. The feeling of gratitude has been immense, along with comments about being privileged to be allowed to visit the garden. Being out and feeling safe was a frequent comment. We feel lucky to have been able to bring such obvious joy into the lives of people.”
The NGS looks forward to bringing more joy as gardens open in greater numbers and help to mark the return to normality for our society.