Our work in the garden at Packwood

Carolean garden

The yellow border and double borders within the Carolean garden represent the team’s contemporary version of the ‘mingled style’ of planting. They are planted in small groups or using single plants repeatedly. The visual impact is emphasised by the contrasts in flower colour and the rhythm is created by the way the plants are arranged.

A ‘matrix’ is used to help keep the layout and rhythm of planting consistent within each section of the borders, without being monotonous and repeating plants at too regular an interval. This gives the team some flexibility to which plants are used, however architectural plants are often repeated to give structure and create a towering effect.

This style of planting is hugely labour intensive and requires horticultural skill from the garden team. They lift, divide and replant each year, and plants are supported through ‘pea sticking’ while also making sure they have a constant supply of back up plants available in the nursery.

Kitchen garden

When the team restored this space, the aim was to recreate what was once a vital part of the Fetherston family’s self-sufficient home at Packwood in the 1700s. Growing vegetables involves a lot of maintenance so the lockdowns and furloughing of staff in 2020 presented real challenges to their work.

In October 2020 work to restore the plots to their former glory began with significant clearing work and digging out of perennial weeds which had covered the once productive soil. The plots were then covered with a permeable membrane to suppress the weeds while still allowing air and moisture through.

The spring and summer of 2021 saw the team working hard to slowly bring the kitchen garden back into a productive space whilst still allowing wildlife to flourish. The café at Packwood is now able to once again take advantage of the homegrown produce.

Wildflower meadow

There are an abundance of meadows surrounding Packwood. One of the oldest continuously maintained is over 300 years old and located to the south-east and south-west of Packwood Lane in what is known as the Outer Court.

In order the maintain the meadows they are cut in the middle of July and all the hay is removed and composted. The garden team ‘top’ the meadows again at the end of August and give them their final cut in late October. This is done to reduce the fertility of the soil ensuring as little nitrogen feeds back underground. Usually, the poorer the soil the greater opportunity for diversity of wildflowers.

In sensitive areas close to the garden, you may find metal hoop-like barriers and some interpretation asking you to be careful to keep to the grass paths at their edges. These are our native flowers and can sometimes be innocently overlooked in winter when the meadows are short, and the footfall creates compaction, so the team try to protect them. Their importance has been registered with the Warwickshire Wildlife Association who survey the meadows to discover more about their flora and insect richness.

Conservation projects

Alongside the daily, seasonal and annual management of the outdoor spaces at Packwood, larger conservation projects have also taken place to help protect and restore the landscape at Packwood.

Thank you

With your ongoing support, we're able to continue our vital conservation work. Thank you for helping to protect these special places.