The history of Westbury Court Garden

Planting

Thousands of yew trees and holly bushes were planted to create a geometric pattern of hedges along with neatly shaped topiary.

The original garden was captured in an engraving by Dutch artist Johannes Kip in 1707 which shows the garden in a birds eye view.

Flowers, fruit and food

The garden was designed to be productive as well as pleasant. Cardoons, artichokes and asparagus were grown as part of the seasonal planting, while tulips, irises, crocuses and hyacinths were planted alongside vegetables and fruit trees.

These foods became known as the 'rich man’s food' as it appeared on the tables of the wealthier families.

The canals were stocked with fish for the table and there was a rabbit warren to supply meat for the kitchen.

Changing fashions

In the late 18th century formal gardens began to go out of fashion. Formal styles were gradually replaced with the more natural looking landscape gardens introduced by the popular gardener and landscape architect Capability Brown.

The Colchester family move on

In 1805 the Colchester family demolished their house at Westbury and moved to another residence in the Forest of Dean. They kept the garden at Westbury but maintained it in a more low-key fashion.

The family return

One hundred years later the family moved back, after building what was to be their last house at Westbury.

The water gardens enjoyed a revival and admiring articles appeared in the Country Life magazines in 1903 and 1908.

On the brink of destruction

The garden faced destruction in 1960, however, when developers planned to build houses on it. Fortunately the local council purchased the garden themselves.

The National Trust went on to purchase a portion of the land in 1967, which was achieved with the help of an anonymous donor.

The garden in 1967

The garden had declined into a poor condition: the canals had become silted up, the flower beds were overgrown and the Tall Pavilion had deteriorated due to a lack of maintenance and weather damage.

Research and conservation

Conservation work began on the garden to bring it back to its original design. Detailed archive material and the engraving by Johannes Kip were helpful as part of the work.

Discoveries

Research found lists of plants that had originally been planted in the gardens along with their costs.

It's been possible to discover how many plants were planted, where they were planted and how much they cost.

Westbury Court Garden today

The garden is now restored to the way it would have been in its heyday, during the 1720s.

The newly built Tall Pavilion displays the black and white engraved prints of the garden by Johannes Kip back in 1707.

Restored plants

Many of the plants seen are authentic to the period and style of the garden. These include tulips, medlar fruit trees and neatly cut topiary hedges.

The vegetable plots have also been re-introduced and provide year-round fruit and vegetables.