Dear County Gardens Trusts Chairs, Main Contacts, Planning Volunteers

You may see in the media that the Government is today announcing that the Gardens Trust’s role as a statutory consultee in the English planning system is being removed. Thanks to our collective efforts over the past year, some protection for historic parks and gardens will still be provided by our being notified of planning applications within parks and gardens but it is of deep concern that this will not include applications affected the setting of these special places.

You can read a full statement on our website at https://thegardenstrust.org/removal-of-statutory-consultee-role/.  The Government announcement will be published later today athttps://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforms-to-the-statutory-consultee-system

We understand the intention is for legislative change to take place over the autumn and be in place by end-2026 in order to achieve the notification requirement.

This is of course a deeply unsettling and disappointing development for us all. Over the coming days, weeks and months we will be discussing how to make the new system work operationally with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and Historic England. As you will appreciate, this will be an extremely complex piece of work but we will keep you updated as much as possible. Please rest assured that we have absolutely no intention to stop fighting to protect historic parks and gardens, and that County Gardens Trusts will continue to be key to this.

The past year has been an incredibly difficult one, and more challenges lie ahead. Today’s news is disappointing, but much has been achieved in the past year, not least of which is the unprecedented profile and support that the Gardens Trust movement now has, and the unity and determination with which we go forward.

We simply cannot thank you enough for all that you do, and all the support that County Gardens Trusts have shown over the past year. We could not be a stronger team to take next steps together.

We realise that you will have lots of questions but at this stage we simply don’t have the answers so will be working hard to get these. We will be back in touch as soon as there is more to share.

In the meantime, a key calendar date is our conference New Town Landscapes on 23-24^th September, which is an opportunity to showcase our ability to support and inform positive new development. Do please join us and show your support, via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-historic-landscapes-assembly-2026-tickets-1991306267651?aff=oddtdtcreator

Do please feel free to share this with your members. We will let you know if there is more they can do, but for now, as ever, are still seeking donations to help with this situation, via https://thegardenstrust.org/support-us/donate-online/

With very many thanks,

Linden

Linden Groves

Director, the Gardens Trust

Tasnim developed her love of horticulture at home with her mother, where she works both in the garden and on an allotment.

She has excelled in every aspect of her course, from practical hands-on skills working with plants and equipment, to a very high standard of content and presentation in her written work.

When she has completed her course, she hopes to work in a garden centre.

They are afraid that otherwise there is no substantial update on the government’s proposal to remove the Trust’s statutory consultee role. Last week they met at DCMS with the Heritage Minister, Baroness Twycross, and were encouraged by her interest, but the main driver, as you will know, is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). We are still waiting for news on the consultation timings, but it is looking increasingly likely that this will now be autumn.

Leaflet

The Green World of Brown Exhibition, Weston Park, Shropshire, 5 Aug – 26 Sept open daily 11:00 to 4.00 pm

This dynamic, mixed-media, free exhibition, The Green World of Brown, presented by The Landscape

Foundation (UK), explores how the most celebrated English landscape designer and early environmentalist Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown (1716-1783) remains the ‘Great Influencer’. Weston Park is one of Brown’s most beloved West Midlands landscapes.

The Green World of Brown focuses on a new direction to the Brown story by showing the works of a broad spectrum of creative people who have been influenced by Brown in the last 300 years in over 60 estates and public parks that are still enjoyed today.

Artists and craftspeople, painters, sculptors, poets, photographers, landscape designers, architects, engineers, musicians, even writers, editors, playwrights, actors and filmmakers, have all been inspired by Brown’s holistic, innovative, naturalistic approach to landscape, architecture and interiors.

If you don’t know anything about ‘Capability’ Brown this will be a great starting point – from his Northumberland farming origins, to being wowed by the beauty, scale and practicality of his inventive holistic designs. The first professional improvement practitioner to become Royal Gardener to George III recognised ‘There wants a good plan’. Sounds simple! We will endeavour to show just how he did it!

Venue: Rose Paterson Gallery, The Granary, Weston Park, Weston-under-Lizard, Shifnal, Shropshire TF11 8LE

Directions: Road: Weston Park is situated on the A5 at Weston-under-Lizard, just 30 minutes from Central Birmingham 3 miles off M54, Junction 3 and 8 miles off M6 Junction 12. You can also reach Weston Park via the M6 Toll Road.

Nearest railway station is Shifnal.

More Information: https://weston-park.com/the-green-world-of-brown-is-coming-to-the-rose-

paterson-art-gallery/

He is expected to complete the course three months early as a result of his hard work and dedication to his learning.
He will receive a bursary of £150 which he is planning to spend on plant irrigation equipment for his particular interest, which is plant propagation.

Connor Thompson is this year’s recipient of the Gardens Trust Brooksby Award.

Connor, who is an apprentice with Leicester City Council’s Parks and Gardens Team, attends College on day release and has made exceptional progress on his horticulture course.

He plans to spend his £150 Award on top quality gardening tools to use at work: secateurs and a saw.  

The Trust is delighted to be able to encourage and reward horticulture students in this way.

He has only lived there for 18 months, and it was the previous owner who was responsible for the alterations to the house and the garden.   He has not done anything and does not intend to change the garden, but leave it as left by the previous owner, although happy to care for it.  (the wisteria was a false clue!)

The house is a 1930’s very solidly built semi and therefore, has a generous sized garden with a large lawn and herbaceous borders giving the sense of a lovely, welcoming open space. 

Now, this is where the idea for Friends visiting each other’s gardens comes from, it’s not about how perfect they are, but about how we can help each other with advice and ideas on gardening matters.   Judith, who was with me, has lots of pots.  Peter wanted advice on what would be the best to grow in pots to fill his terrace, and so he can now visit Judith for her advice.

Elizabeth Bacon

Peter will be happy to see you offering Monday 17th June and Monday 1st July.   

Contact details   01509 212466 E Mail  peter@pfwd.co.uk

Whereas many members visit in April when the tulips are in full bloom, now there is a riot of colour from very different planting, but for me the most surprising of all was the Wildflower Meadow at the end of the garden.  Steve told me they bought the paddock 5 years ago, and the wildflowers are now getting established.   It took me straight back to my childhood when I used to pick Red Campion; Buttercups and Vetch and take these home to my Mum, who tried vainly to keep these alive for a few days. 

I was delighted to see ferns and hostas in a very shady area near the house, which has encouraged me to persevere with my own small attempt to create a fern area and I also saw some wonderful purple & white Tradescantia near their pond (the hard landscaping here was designed I am told by Sue Blaxland) which I hadn’t had chance to see in flower before.  I was also fascinated by the heating system for the Walled Garden, which I had heard/read about, but never had an opportunity to actually investigate before.  Thanks Steve.

There is an awful lot more to explore and enjoy (and I did) but even if YOU have visited previously, I would encourage you to make time to go again at a different time of year and see what other delights you can find.  

Diane & Steve plan to open their garden for the Trust on Sunday 16^th June and also on Monday 29^th July so an opportunity to see the herbaceous borders in full flower.

Judith Proctor

Contact Diane & Steve on 07579211629 or steve@horsfste.plus.com

I was lucky enough to be invited to visit Sue Blaxland’s garden in Syston and wondered as she is a garden designer, whether this would be a garden where there was a place for everything, and everything in its place. It was therefore a lovely surprise to find that some plants had been allowed to roam and self-seed so there is lots of interest and plenty to investigate.

Sue makes great use of colour contrasts and we laughed as she had well established plants using purple and yellow which were so popular at Chelsea this year! Her knowledge of which plants will work well together could give you inspiration should you decide to visit. She does of course know all of the names for each plant, shrub and tree and gave me some ideas of what might work well in my own garden for a shady, north facing space. I also loved her use of climbing roses and indeed have already sourced (and ordered) the Phyllis Bide Rose which I am hoping will arrive in the next few days so that I can settle this in before I join those members of L&RGT who are going to visit the Home Counties in early June.

If you are able to do so, find time to visit Sue’s garden on THURSDAY 18^th JULY. I hope you will find as much inspiration there as I did.

Judith Proctor

Contact details   0116 2609748 E Mail  sue.blaxland@gmail.com

When I arrived she was waiting for me on the pavement, where I was told that we have to go on a

short walk before seeing the garden.  Within a very few minutes we were in a wonderful green space,  Glen Parva Nature Reserve Trail, with tall trees and paths leading to the Grand Union Canal and the Great Central Railway footpath. This puts the garden in context.

Back in the house we see the small garden, which has a largish conservatory,  designed by Judith  which fits perfectly into it’s space.  There are a lot of pots waiting  to be filled and the planting shows real imagination and intelligence.  I will say no more about that,  as I want you to see it as I did for the first time. She has created a space which is secluded,  peaceful and very quiet, making full use of the tall trees from the spinney,  with the added bonus of extra bird song.  The relationship of garden,  conservatory and living room make a perfect whole.

Elizabeth Bacon

Judith will be happy to see you on  Tuesday June 4^th or Wednesday July 3^rd.   

Mobile 07415910994  Email  foxgloves241@googlemail.com