Rescue plan to save Down’s lost gardens

Rescue plan to save Down’s lost gardens

18 January 2012

A CHANCE conversation during a birthday party has led to a concerted campaign for the preservation of one of Ireland’s most important gardens.

The walled Annesley Gardens, just a stone’s throw away from the picturesque Castlewellan Castle and part of the expansive forest park, had been in decline for several decades when former Castlewellan man, Jack Moore, returned home for the party.

He fell into conversation with a local woman who told him of growing concerns about the long-term future of the gardens. The historic conservatories and several grade B listed buildings, were in very poor condition and it was widely believed the Forest Service was preparing to embark on a wholesale demolition programme.

Briars grew through the valuable and important shrubs which had not been properly cared for in years; the once beautiful herbaceous borders were in tatters; paths were overgrown and the buildings and walls were in very poor order.

Jack returned home to England and got in touch with his brother, Simon, a professional garden designer in Suffolk. “He got on the phone and told me to get back to Castlewellan and do something about the gardens before it was too late,” said Simon.

He travelled over to Castlewellan in August and visited the gardens for the first time in over 20 years.

“I was sick and hurt and felt the wonderful memories I have of playing in the gardens all those years ago were being trampled upon,” he recalls. “Why hadn’t anybody done anything about this?”

Simon went back home to Suffolk but could not get the image of the gardens out of his mind and decided to embark upon a campaign of raising awareness of the problem.

He contacted various officials in several Stormont government departments and was told the Forest Service did not have any money to restore the gardens. In fact they said there was such concern about the structures such as the conservatories, they may have to be taken down.

“I talked to people from the Northern Ireland Heritage Gardens Committee who said unless someone took the project on board the future of the Annesley Gardens looked bleak.

“I left Castlewellan when I was 11 but Castlewellan has never left me so I decided to give it a go,” he said.

Simon is passionate about the gardens, which contain nearly 1,000 specimen trees, and believes major investment and a plan is needed to secure the future.

The result of almost five months of hard work by Simon is the imminent formation of the Annesley Garden Preservation Trust, a group of individuals with the power to seek much needed funding for the restoration project. The Trust will work with the Forest Service and Down Council to restore the gardens for the enjoyment of future generations.

Alongside the National Trust’s Mount Stewart and Rowallane Gardens, where over £10m is being spent on improvements, Simon believes the restoration of Castlewellan could lead to a unique tourism marketing initiative — Three of the Finest Gardens in Ireland.

The Forest Service will be asked to transfer ownership of the gardens to the Trust and is believed to be keen to see the group eventually take on the restoration of the entire National Arboretum.

Heritage Lottery and the Architectural Heritage Fund, among others, have visited the Annesley Garden and all are keen to see a wider community involvement in the project to help secure future funding.

“The bothy yard has a massive untapped potential which can be highlighted at the options appraisal stage, only if the commitment to transfer ownership is given,” said Simon.

“The tree collection is in remarkably good health, an area that the Forest Service should be rightly proud of,” he continued. “The rejuvenation of the shrub borders and herbaceous borders within the Annesley Garden will be challenging but not insurmountable.

“The Eucryphia Walk and the general maintenance and the presentation of the tree collection, properly managed under the advice of colleagues presently working for the National Trust at Mount Stewart and Rowallane, the RHS and committee members of Northern Ireland Heritage Gardens Committee, will place the Annesley Garden back in its rightful place as one of the truly great gardens of Ireland.

“This will help to restore the pride and fond memories shared by the countless inhabitants of Castlewellan and surrounding districts who are shocked and saddened by the present state encountered whilst visiting the Annesley Garden, and are at a loss as to why this situation continues,” said Simon.