Local News
Bridge End Garden supplies Walden Local Food with Victorian varieties from the Kitchen Garden Karen, 28 April 2011
When a steel toe-capped Horticultural student, studying at
Writtle College, I often used to stomp over to Cambridge to share the weekends
with my sister. One fair Sunday we set sail across the Essex border for Saffron
Walden, amidst the chaotic excitement exuding from my shipmate
sibling. On a previous visit, to the town of pargeting, crocuses and mazes,
she had stumbled across a garden that “had my name on it”. It was
several years later we discovered our great grandfather had been head gardener
for the Barclay family a Brent Pelham, where our grandmother, Olive, was
born, a mere 10 miles away. So, on this day our eyes fell upon
the treasures of Bridge End Garden, a vision shared perhaps with ancestors
before. The day was hot. There was me, clad in a thick, leather bikers jacket
(not even the thought that I looked super cool stopped me from over heating),
with my sister, wondering, whilst wandering, who created this hidden garden.
Francis Gibson’s Garden
In 1805 Francis Gibson came into the world, a member of the Quaker family who helped to put Saffron Walden on the map. With his accomplished artistic flair and inspiration from horticultural fashions of that era, Francis skilfully wove formalism with naturalism to create Bridge End Garden. Perhaps the plethora of topiary box and yew trees, Formalism woven with naturalism that comprise the sunken Dutch Garden (photo below), are the most memorable? Also boasting, in true Victorian style - the Rose Garden, the Pavilion, the Wilderness, Poets Corner, a magical yew Maze and a walled Kitchen Garden and the luscious Central Lawn, it is no wonder the gardens were voted best picnic site in East Anglia 2010. Cucumber, indeed, sandwiched the ages together.
Much of the Gibson family wealth came from the banking and brewing industries. From 1870 onwards Britain’s grain cultivation fell dramatically as America moved to mono-crop prairie farming, and the British brewing industry suffered. With this resulting financial loss, Francis Gibson handed Bridge End Garden over to the town, from hay day to decline. The restoration of the Grade II Listed gardens began by the District Council in the 2002.
A second phase, concentrating on the walled Kitchen Garden (photo above), lasted just one year, from February 2007 to 2008, funded largely by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Kitchen Garden
50,000 Victorian bricks and five months building work truly compartmentalise
this kitchen garden from the six other areas. Now run by
the Town Council, for authenticity, signs are kept to a bare
minimum but the staff has a wealth of knowledge. 
Head
gardener Mark Ropkins (photo left), his trusty assistant
Dan Walker and a team of eager volunteers adhere to strict
Victorian methods cultivating only plants from that most
austere era. Yet, the natural characteristics of herbs and
vegetables soften the hand trimmed, box edged parterres that
attempt to contain them. Beds of long forgotten cultivars
of wanton rhubarb breaking the geometry. Two ornate,
white glasshouses stand proud in the centre of the garden.
The Citrus House holds a collection with zest, a range of
trees from the citrus family. Wanton
rhubarb,
breaking the
geometryThe Orchard House collection
echoes the fruits trees grown outside. Using the Rivers Method,
specimens are grown in bottomless pots and endure a drastic
yearly root slicing to control size plus encourage fruiting. A small
harvest is available two weeks earlier than their outdoor compadres.
Taking advantage of heat from the sun warmed red bricks, fruit trees are
wall trained, and also wired along border edges. Pruning 
methods
include fan, espalier, cordon, candelabra and step-over. There
are few existing records of Gibson’s planting list, however Saffron
Walden Metal Detecting Club turned up trumps, unearthing a few
of the original tree labels and thus cultivars to be hunted for
across the country. Lawn
dwelling trees include walnut, quince, medlar, crab apple and
an olive. Bees busily bustle from recently reinstated white wooden
hives, collecting nectar from a wide array of flowering plants.
The small formal pool provides shade, shelter and food for newts.
Large compost bays and the collection of rainwater encourage
sustainability. And where else could you see a finer example
of an Auricula Theatre?
The magic of community involvement
In their time the Gibson family helped the community in many ways, including the allocation of land for allotments. A sense of local ownership has grownTheir legacy of community involvement continues with the development of Bridge End Garden assisted by volunteer groups including: The Friends of Bridge End Gardens; individual volunteers; young offenders; those doing Community Service and, through North Essex Mental Health Partnership, those with mental health problems. With this work a sense of local ownership and educational opportunities have grown, and vandalism has greatly decreased. The garden also won a RICS Award in 2007.
The
gardens are now a popular backdrop for wedding photographs, a
mere hop, skip and a jump from St Mary’s church. A frequent venue for
outdoor entertainment, what better setting for Walden’s very own, terrifically
talented theatre company, The Pantaloons, performance of The
Canterbury Tales in September?
Walden Local Food
And
what part do we play, I hear you cry. Well, we are pleased to
announce we have the honour of selling all the Victorian varieties
harvested from the Walled Garden. Working closely with the gardeners
we will help select a medley of forgotten yet flavoursome varieties,
cast aside by large scale growers more profitable choices. The
Victorian fayre, from nine cultivars of rhubarb (photo left),
gooseberries, peaches, cherries, redcurrants, plums, apricots,
figs, to a wide range of apples; from herbs such as lovage, thyme,
and chives, to that Victorian favourite, sweet cicely, will be
sold from our Saturday market stall. Now you can’t
get much more local than that, can you?
Victorian varieties,
coming to a dinner plate
near you
Bridge End Garden is located on the south side of the town, with entrances
from Bridge Street, Castle Street and Catons Lane car park.
Entry is free.