Visit to the Lost Garden at Great Warley - Saturday 22nd February

The Lord smiles on the righteous, so it has been said, which makes one think what a righteous bunch we were, all twenty of us, the day we visited Great Warley, Saturday 22nd February, 2014. It was a glorious day, the sun shining on a doughty bunch of EFOGers. We made our way there (near Brentwood) using routes many and various but all seemed to arrive at about the same time. (The battle of the sat navs). Smiling crocuses lining the driveway (once the London Road) welcomed us.

Now a nature reserve looked after by volunteers of the Essex Wildlife Trust, it is more than that as one is walking through the remains of a great garden of the Edwardian era.

It was the garden of Ellen Wilmott one of the foremost plantswomen of her time. She had very close links to Kew Gardens and in its prime, there would have been some 100 gardeners employed there. Miss Wilmott died in the 1930s by which time the gardens had been deteriorating for many years. For the next forty years, it was left to slumber overgrown by sycamores, and the many “exotics”, giant hogweed, bamboo etc. introduced in Miss Wilmott’s time.

One follows paths concealed for decades, discovers the remains of her cold frame area and sunken greenhouses. One happens upon the C17th Walled Garden and the line of 300 year old sweet chestnuts beside which there is a lookout where you can get a good view over to the Dome, Canary Wharf and St. Paul’s. This induces a peculiar feeling. The garden seems to be in a lost world of its own, so suddenly to be presented with a view of commercial London is a strange contrast.

The original garden plants have long been overwhelmed, just a few unusual trees remain. What has benefited from the neglect, are the spring bulbs. Over a hundred years ago, Miss Wilmott would have had her gardeners broadcast the bulbs. They would have been sent to her from who knows where. The bulbs would have been thrown in handfuls and planted where they landed. The spring bulbs which flower before the encroaching trees and thugs get started, have been happily hybridising and producing new types for decades. On our visit, the snowdrops were strutting their stuff. Big ones, small ones, doubles, variegated, all snowdrop life was there. In March, it will be the turn of the narcissus to be followed by carpets of bluebells.

It was a delightful day, a combination of welcome spring sunshine and the chance to explore a fascinating place. It gave me a good opportunity to share with the club members one of my “special” places. All topped off by a meal at the next door pub, the Thatcher’s Arms. For such a bunch of foodies, this was a good way to finish our visit.

Marian T.,  25th February 2014