At The Galleries in Brentwood, the meticulous restoration and conversion of a Victorian hospital in the Tudor style, City & Country Group discovered the original plans including detailed drawings showing formal gardens and “airing courtyards” designed for patients of the hospital.
These detailed proposals were never realised but they have now been included for the benefit of future residents as part of the extensive award winning landscape master plan. These beautiful landscaped and tranquil courtyard gardens now provide a space for the quiet enjoyment of the historic setting and form the focal point for the development.
The Galleries won a highly regarded Bali Award in 2007with the judges commenting that the landscaping scheme was: “a very impressive refurbishment of the Victorian Warley Hospital grounds with a visually stunning landscape reflecting the original designs of the 1850s”.
At Old Saint Michaels in Braintree we have reinvigorated the entrance by restoring the original gates and adding planting appropriate to the formal entrance. Rich and tranquil car-free landscaped courtyards have also been created replete with an array of established plants and trees.
The existing mature trees were carefully protected during the construction process, to allow them to become the focal points within the landscape. The extensive installation of bird boxes and the planting of native species will continue to encourage birds and other wildlife to the green heart of the development.The existing trees include some wonderful native species:
- Maple
- Birch
- Magnolia
- Crab apple
- An Indian bean tree
The courtyards have been carefully divided with new hedges and planting to create relaxed and intimate spaces. A number of the hedge lines subtly recreate the original subdivision of the courtyards. In its work house days the west courtyard was separated into individual yards for ‘1st Class Women’, ‘2nd Class Women’ and as a ‘Girl’s School Yard’; the east courtyard was split in a similar manner for men and boys. There were further segregated yards to the north, including a 3rd class for both men and women. Today residents will be able to enjoy the tranquility of the courtyards with their friends and partners without any segregation!
At King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst, the elegant gardens were designed by the highly acclaimed garden designer, Gertrude Jekyll. She worked closely with Percy Adams to allow the integration of the architecture and gardens that can still be seen today.
The gardens are an early 20th Century example of a therapeutic garden and are of considerable historic interest in their own right, which is recognised by their listing on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens. They have further significance in the combination of the Percy Adams and Charles Holden designed Sanatorium and the Jekyll designed landscape, their unity encapsulating many of the aspirations of the Edwardian era.
The gardens are a nationally important heritage asset, and a unique example of Jekyll’s belief in the benevolence of plants and their benefits to patients, in their restored form they will continue to deliver these benefits for both residents and visitors. Detailed planting plans, based on the original drawings will be drawn up to restore the original intention of the planting which in many areas has become impoverished, and it is intended to restore some areas of the garden which have been ‘lost’ for decades below car parks and hospital out buildings. Furthermore City & Country will reinstate substantial parts of the gardens that have been lost over time including the schemes for the entrance drive, and the west courtyard up to the chapel.