Gertrude's Munstead
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GARDEN PLOTTING by Sarah Langton-Lockton Gertrude’s Munstead Gertrude Jekyll’s finest gardens were made in collaboration with architect Edwin Lutyens he garden designer Russell Page contribution to garden design, but an Tobserved of Gertrude Jekyll in exploration of ‘some of the many 1962 that he could think of few English activities and enterprises in which she gardens made since her death in 1932 engaged’, the aim being ‘to paint a that ‘do not bear the mark of her teach- fuller picture of a remarkable woman ing’. For Christopher Hussey, Country who had “a passion for doing useful Life’s architecture critic, her ‘influence things” ’. In addition to gardening as a on garden design has been as wide- craft as well as an art form, and pho- spread as Capability Brown’s in the tography, Jekyll’s many works and 18th century’. Our gardens today, with endeavours included embroidery, their long drifts of colour, grey foliage carpentry and wood inlay, jewellery, used as a foil for brighter plants, our silver repoussé work, gilding, house- interest in the forms of plants and their painting and brickwork. role in softening the hard lines of gar- The book begins with a walk in the den structure, provide evidence of how garden at Munstead Wood, described she continues to inspire. by Gertrude Jekyll when she bought Gertrude Jekyll At Munstead Wood, the land in the early 1880s as ‘15 acres by Judith Tankard and Martin Wood, of the poorest possible soil’. It consist- made an expanding circle of artist first published in 1996, has been revised ed of a self-sown mixed wood, a chest- friends, among them Hercules Braba- and reissued, with some previously nut copse where the house would be zon, an English watercolour artist who unpublished photographs, by the new built and a poor arable field. All this had studied with Turner. Gertrude took independent publishers Pimpernel was transformed into woodland lessons with him and later acknowl- Press. The book, say the authors in the avenues, a rhododendron and azalea edged his role in helping her ‘under- introduction, is neither a biography of garden, ‘waving rivers’ of daffodils, fern stand and enjoy the beauty of colour’. Gertrude Jekyll nor a discussion of her and lily walks and banks of shrubs. Born in 1843, by the 1880s Gertrude Most famous are the spectacular Jekyll was settled into a life with gar- borders with their seasonal and single- dening and writing at its centre. She Product of the week colour plantings – of primroses or then discovered a new interest: pho- Michaelmas daisies – the spring garden tography. This, write Tankard and Joe’s Dexterous Gloves in brightest wholly devoted to plants that bloom in Wood, had ‘a profound effect on her pink are ideal for fine weeding. Size April and May, and the 200ft-long main artistic development, and one that medium, £4.95: 0333-400 1500, hardy flower border. helped to preserve the evidence of her www.harrodhorticultural.com As is often the case with great gar- gardening talent for posterity’. Some deners, Gertrude Jekyll’s passion for 2,000 black-and-white photographs gardening began in childhood. Her have survived, many of them of exqui- parents moved to the country when site texture and tonality. she was five; when her brothers went Among Gertrude Jekyll’s many away to school she was left to her own lively interests was a love of vernacular devices. Accompanied by her pony, architecture. In 1889 she met the young Toby, and dog, Crim, she explored the architect Edwin Lutyens. They ambled countryside and observed local gar- happily through the Surrey countryside dens. As she said later: ‘I have been in a pony and trap, looking at old cot- more or less a gardener all my life.’ At tages and discussing traditional build- 18, she studied painting in London and ing methods. ‘Thus began a legendary 40 THE LADY 7 AUGUST 2015 GardenPlotting .indd 40 03/08/2015 17:12 GARDENING Munstead Wood, the south front Under-gardeners with Gertrude in her garden The Great Pumpkin Glowing colours in the Michaelmas daisy border ‘Gertrude and Edwin ambled happily through the Plant of the week Surrey countryside in a pony and trap’ friendship and partnership that more than 400 gardens, although seldom wavered and ended only with records for fewer than 250 survive Miss Jekyll’s death in 1932.’ among her papers. Munstead Wood was one happy Her finest gardens were those where result, a house that expressed the char- the architect provided the basic layout, acter and personality of its owner, and the very best were in collaboration thanks to ‘a skilful architect, a deter- with Edwin Lutyens. Her guiding prin- mined client and good fortune’. ciple was ‘gardening for beautiful ef- The gardens at Munstead Wood fect’. Lutyens provided the geometrical extended to four or five acres and framework and architectural features, provided employment for a head gar- which Gertrude Jekyll’s cottage-garden dener and four under-gardeners. In planting style softened and set off.T he addition to the pleasure gardens, there gardens at Hestercombe House in was a large orchard, kitchen garden Somerset are perhaps the best of their and nursery. Gertrude Jekyll had her gardens that survive. own strains or selections of plants, and This is an absorbing and readable Leucanthemella serotina, the moon a nursery was a natural development, book, a genuine classic, which a short daisy, a favourite of Gertrude Jekyll, its main business being to supply review can only hint at. n has masses of white flowers on tall plants for garden-design clients. u Gertrude Jekyll At Munstead Wood stems. Prefers moist soil in sun or part Her growing myopia, which cut by Judith Tankard and Martin Wood shade. 9cm pot, £3.95: 01366-728401, short her painting, propelled her into (Pimpernel Press, £25). www.norfolkcottagegarden.co.uk garden design. She probably designed u [email protected] 7 AUGUST 2015 THE LADY 41 GardenPlotting .indd 41 03/08/2015 17:12.