Our Coast, Our Sea - GERTRUDE JEKYLL SET TO SPARKLE AGAIN

4 July 2011

GERTRUDE JEKYLL SET TO SPARKLE AGAIN

Great British garden maker Gertrude Jekyll is to be honoured with the unveiling of a new carved plaque to mark the centenary of one of her finest horticultural creations.

It is 100 years since work began on the walled garden designed by Gertrude at the National Trust run Lindisfarne Castle on Holy Island.

The eighth of an acre plot is probably her smallest project and is certainly the tiniest entire garden in the Trust’s portfolio.

But it is regarded by many as one of Gertrude’s most artistic creations, described by Lindisfarne gardener Philippa Hodkinson as a “little visual gem – an oasis of glorious colour and scent (in summer, at least) in the middle of a field.”

Now a specially commissioned tablet of Gertrude inspired by a sketch of her at work pencilled by her close friend, the architect Edwin Lutyens, is to take pride of place in the castle garden.

It will be officially unveiled on July 25 at a special Gertrude Jekyll Centenary Day in association with the National Gardens Scheme – the first time the organisation has worked with Lindisfarne Castle – along with a colour illustration of the original planting plan.

Philippa – a Gertrude Jekyll expert and Lindisfarne Castle’s gardener for the past nine years – will also be on hand to talk about the design and history of the plot.

The man behind the commemorative bas-relief of ‘Bumps’, Lutyens’ nickname for Gertrude, is Hexham-based sculptor David Edwick, who in the past has carved new effigies of kings and queens of England for the Houses of Parliament and helped restore many of London’s finest buildings and monuments, including the Victoria Memorial opposite Buckingham Palace.

Children’s book illustrator and author Cara Lockhart-Smith from Coldstream has created the colour drawing of the garden, which has now been mounted on an interpretation board for visitors to enjoy.

It was in the spring of 1911 that work began on the garden which is a short trek from the castle across a grassy expanse grazed by sheep. But July has been chosen to mark the centenary as it is at the height of summer that it comes into its own – the very time the Tudor built fortresses then owner, Edward Hudson of Country Life magazine fame, would come to stay.

Gertrude only visited Holy Island once in 1906 when she drew up the plans for her garden to complement Lutyens’ own work on remodelling the castle into an Edwardian home.

Nick Lewis, Lindisfarne Castle’s house steward, says: “It would appear the plans then stayed in Lutyens’ in-tray until 1911 when Gertrude’s scheme for what had been the castle’s old walled vegetable garden, was finally commissioned.”

Philippa adds: “It is a remarkable achievement and shows Gertrude was an artist in all senses of the word. She was very clever when it came to colour and had an artist’s eye. All the colours are just right; the blue of the cornflowers is a perfect blue, the Calendula the perfect orange.

“She made sure she used a very beautiful shade of each colour, so it really looks like a painting laid out before you.

“In July and August the garden is a riot of colour. But there is nothing vulgar about it. If you look at the garden from the castle you will see your eyes follow the hot colour. She used it to lead you around the space.”

Many stories abound about Gertrude’s unusual gardening techniques from her short time on Holy Island. She wanted to plant-up the craggy outcrop on which the castle stands, but unable to scale the steep sides conventionally, she instead apparently lowered a local boy in a pannier from the castle windows.

On another occasion she filled the muzzle of a gun with flower seeds and fired it at the castle walls!

Unfortunately, the salt air and harsh winds of Holy Island proved too much for the plants.

Her walled garden with its mix of sweet peas, cornflowers, chrysanthemums, clematis flammula and Gladiolus x brenchleyensis continues to thrive, however, although what visitors see now is actually only seven years old.

It was in 2003 that the National Trust decided to restore the garden to Gertrude’s original 1911 planting plan.

But as far as anyone knows, Gertrude never saw it completed. Nick says: “Gertrude was originally an artist, and as her eyesight failed she moved into gardening.

“But while it is thought she never visited Lindisfarne again, I believe she saw it in her mind’s eye; that she was able to visualise what she had fashioned.”

The memorial to Gertrude made from a reclaimed sandstone roof tile from the castle inset with slate, will sit in a niche in the wall overlooking her floral handiwork, while the interpretation of her plan will greet visitors to the garden.

Nick adds: “People have asked why we are doing this, but it is important to us that Gertrude’s legacy and memory lives on. While Gertrude designed an astonishing 400 gardens in her lifetime, she is not as well-known as she should be, rather like Lutyens.

“The public will be familiar with what Lutyens did, but not necessarily know he was the person responsible. They will go to London and say ‘take me to the Cenotaph,’ but not realise that it was Lutyens who designed it.

“It’s the same with Gertrude. People all over the UK still get immense pleasure from her gardens, but more often than not have no idea who was behind them. This is our opportunity here at Lindisfarne to really sing her praises and underline the major contribution she made to garden design in this country.

“While the garden here at Lindisfarne Castle is not grand – it has no dramatic plant combinations or outstanding landscaping and doesn’t take long to walk around – people can’t help but fall in love with it and want to return time and again.”