Brochure Garden Uk 1

8/22/2019 Brochure Garden Uk 1

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A guide toVentnor Botanic Garden


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Ventnor Botanic Garden lies in

the remarkable microclimate at the heart o

the amous Undercli. This unique garden is protected

rom the cold northerly winds by chalk downs. Indeed, it holds

the warmth rom its southerly aspect so well that, combined with the

moderating inuence o the sea, rost is rarely known. When rost does occur

it is usually o short duration and not great severity. With an average rainall o28 inches its climate is more akin to the Mediterranean. This enables a wide variety

o plants considered too tender or much o mainland Britain to be grown. The garden

is unrivalled or its collections o subtropical plants grown unprotected out o doors.

Introduction


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Historical notes

The site o the garden was ormerly

the Royal National Hospital or Diseases o the

Chest. Founded in 1868 by the inspiration o Dr Arthur Hill

Hassall, physician and naturalist, it grew within a decade to bean important institution. For 80 years it was a major actor in the lie

o Ventnor. With the discovery o antibiotics or tuberculosis the

hospital quickly became redundant and soon deteriorated beyond

economic repair. It was fnally demolished in 1969.

Ventnor Botanic Gardens earliest incarnation, in 1970 as the

Steephill Pleasure Gardens, was based on the original layout o

the Victorian grounds, with its backbone o mature specimen

Thuja, Evergreen Oak and Cupressus. The historically important

plantings o Chusan Palm remain the only true garden eature rom

the Victorian age. The true potential o the site was recognised by

Main picture:Agapanthus

Inset: the Royal National

Hospital, Ventnor


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the late Sir Harold Hillier, the internationally amous plantsman o

Winchester. Bolstering the 22 acre site with tender plants rom his

nurseries, the task o building a new garden was undertaken with a

subtropical theme. The limiting actors o the site, shallow alkaline

soil and salt laden winds rom the south and west were dealt with

by a careul selection o plants and extensive windbreaks. Within

two years the plantings had created enough interest or the garden

to be ofcially opened and or the alteration o the name to Ventnor

Botanic Garden. In 1972 His Excellency Earl Mountbatten, then

Governor o the Island, perormed the opening ceremony. A ruitul

decade o planting then commenced, which led to the international

recognition o the garden.

During the frst ten years o the gardens lie the winters were

exceptionally mild and hardly a rost was recorded. Hilliers tenderplants ourished and the garden developed a reputation or

notable specimens o great rarity. However the 1980s provided a

very dierent scenario to these early successes. Firstly a series o

hard winters killed many o the tender plants. The ailing health

and subsequent death o Sir Harold Hillier in 1985 let the garden

without direction. Shortly ater this tragic loss, Roy Dore, South Wight

Borough Councils parks superintendent, retired rom post. By late

1985 all was not well at Ventnor Botanic Garden. Urgent action wasrequired to stop the decline; two bold decisions were taken. Firstly

to build a show house and nursery, thus enabling the production o

large numbers o plants or the garden. Secondly the employment

o a ull time curator with a remit to develop the show house and

ormulate a fve year management plan or the garden.

Simon Goodenough took up post as a curator in August 1986.

Unortunately ar rom taking an upturn in ortune the garden

continued to be blighted by climatic vagaries. The winter o

1986/1987 was the hardest that had been recorded on the Island or

150 years; nearly 40 per cent o the garden roze to death. Worse was

to come in the shape o the inamous storm o October 1987 that all

but destroyed the garden. The next two years were spent clearing

up, only or a urther storm to wreak havoc in January 1990. Almost

500 trees were lost as a result o the two storms. This eectively gave

Simon Goodenough a blank canvas with which to work.

From this point onwards the curator began to reresh the site

with strongly themed gardens in a style more akin to a modern

botanic garden, hence gardens with plants rom South Arica, The

Mediterranean, New Zealand, Australia and Japan developed. In

recognition o other roles o the garden, ornamental areas were

defned and traditional borders rejuvenated. Some parts o the

garden were made purely to revel in the ability to grow subtropical

plants out o doors. Other parts o the garden were themed towards

use as an educational resource. Appreciation o the gardens

history is paid with traditional areas o specimen trees in lawn, the

development o the Palm garden, and a garden that overall still has

the Victorian path system.

Perhaps most importantly the garden now is a orward-looking one.

It is in public ownership managed by the Isle o Wight Council

unlike many botanic gardens it is not associated with any specifc

academic institution. Neither does it have a deeply entrenched

history o garden design. Thereore ree o many o the constraintsplaced on other gardens there is opportunity to try new things,

experiment with plant associations and, importantly, maximise

the advantage oered by the microclimate and topography o the

site. A sel-imposed remit o providing a public amenity that can

be used or recreation, education and conservation, are the goals

aimed or. It is important to note that the Friends o the Garden

assist the relatively small numbers o sta both fnancially and by

volunteering. Community involvement being paramount to thegardens success but also a cornerstone o the ethos o the botanic

garden.

No garden that is active and developing stands still, and Ventnor

Botanic Garden is always dierent rom one year to the next. At

Ventnor each area o the garden is evolving and changing. In our

geographically themed areas we aim not simply to show as many

plants as possible, but to show them growing in relation to how they

would in the wild state, and to adapt the whole landscape to better

resemble this. Specifc collections under such management wax and

ebb but empirical numbers o plants are happily sacrifced i the

overall eect is that the garden looks natural.

Reerence to the map available in the Visitor Centre shows how the

garden is subdivided today. The notes that ollow give the garden

visitor an insight into the collections in each area, moving through

the garden in a clockwise direction. This suggested route is most

suitable or the disabled. Please note though that the nature o the

site is such that some steep gradients are unavoidable. These are

indicated by chevrons on the map.


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openedin 2007, the herb garden replaces the medicinal garden that was on this site rom 1987. The

herb garden primarily displays plants with an established history o use by man in felds beyond

the use solely as garden plants. Hence we have plants broadly categorised into medicinal plants,

culinary herbs, stimulants etc. The potential o the plant kingdom to provide us with cures or

many o the worst diseases known to man is being realised. Much eort is being put into the study

o ethnobotany (the use o plants by man). The destruction o vegetation seriously threatens thediscovery o potential drugs to the loss o plant species. Time is running out and action is needed

to prevent the urther loss o our most valuable resource plants.

The garden has been designed to require minimal watering in recognition o climate change;

ortunately the plants that are grown here preer dry conditions. Among these have been

interplanted more garden worthy cultivars to show the variety o development that has

been made by man through years o cultivation. The south-acing bank hosts a collection

o lavenders. The large decked area serves as a suitable seating area with views overthe palm garden or as a muster point or visiting groups. The garden is developed

in partnership with several organisations and one private beneactor.

The lower section o the terrace has a very large fg tree that is a remnant

rom the days o the hospital. The variety o the fg is Brown Turkey

and rom time to time a good crop is set. This tree is more than

100 years old.

Herb garden


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thispart o the garden

was developed thanks to a Living

Spaces grant awarded to the Friends o

Ventnor Botanic Garden. The success o South

Arican annuals and short lived perennials is

well established at Ventnor, so here we have large

expanses o both, sweeping down over hot south

acing terraces. The colourul display lasts into the very

depths o winter. We then enter a nail-biting period o

cold and damp which i extended could fnish the whole

area in such an event a back-up stock is propagated

each autumn to over winter under glass. Among the almostunnaturally coloured Lampranthus spp, look or Birds

o Paradise, rare Proteas, Red Hot Pokers and reed-like

Restios.

South African terraces

Main picture: Diascia

Inset (top to bottom): Lampranthus,

Kniphoa and Agapanthus


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this is one o the hottest parts o the garden in summer; it has very poor, stony soil. To

take advantage o this, the steep south-acing bank is planted with Eucalyptus to orm a

patchwork mosaic o oliage through which a rock ace is visible. This rock is man-made

and has been used to stabilise the shiting bank. Bottle Brushes and Tea Trees are planted

densely in the valley to resemble the scrubby habitat o these plants. Deep in the valley is

a soak away remaining rom Victorian days planted with erns that lead towards a dell o

tree erns. A bridge spans this glade towards the

Americas collection and the New

Zealand garden.

Australian section

Above: Callistemon

Right: Dicksonia


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At this lowest part o the garden the beds and borders are being given over to plants rom the continents o North and South America. An

understorey o bulbs, annuals and herbaceous perennials is planted through a mixture o trees and shrubs. Such plants as Salvia, Penstemon,

Gaillardia, Echinacea, Lupinus, Eryngium, Camassia and Sisyrinchium create a patchwork quilt. The larger woody plants include Luma apiculata,

Drimys winteri,Azara integriolia, Crinodendron hookerianum and Lyonothamnus foribundus var, aspleniiolius. As in many parts o the garden,

the plantings here are somewhat experimental. With such a variety o plants coming rom the United States and temperate parts o South America

there is a huge choice o plants; or this reason there will always be new additions to the Americas collections at Ventnor.

The Americas collection

Right: Eschscholtsia

Below: Fascicularia


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Walled border

Mediterraneanterrace

Mixed border

Palmgarden

Japanese terraces

The GreenHouse

Private nursery

Childrensplayground

Picnic Area

Cliff-top meadow

Coastalpath

Rock andscree bank

Visitorcentre

Caf

Car park


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New Zealand garden

Hydrangea Dell

Americas collection

Australiansection

Herb garden

Southern Hemisphere

Coach park

Ventnor

BotanicGarden

Toilets

Coastal path

Recommendedwheelchair route


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Adevelopment started in the spring o 1989 in the wake o the total destruction caused by the storm in 1987. The original plantings were made

to represent a thicket o New Zealand bush. Some cultivated varieties have been introduced latterly. Many o the plants here are o unknown

hardiness but are potentially useul or British gardens. The ora o New Zealand is rich and unique having evolved in isolation or millions oyears, because o this it has a distinctive look about it. No ewer than 80 per cent o New Zealands native plants are endemic, ie, occurring there

and nowhere else. Although ew have showy owers the variety o oliage colour, texture, and shape is unsurpassed. So many commonly grown

garden plants herald rom New Zealand. Brachyglottis (ormerly Senecio), Hebe, Olearia and Phormium to name but a ew. Seldom are they grown

in association with other natives o New Zealand, but here the opportunity to see them as a geographic entity creates an impression o the ora o

that ar distant land.

Climatically New Zealand is more akin to the Mediterranean than Britain, but the numerous microclimates caused by the topography there means

that there are many plants that cope well with our northern temperate clime. Many o New Zealands plants that we grow come rom areas o high

rainall. These plants thrive at Ventnor not so much because o rainall but due to the relative humidity that is kept high by close proximity to the

sea. Mist and og being requent in the spring and autumn months play their part in maintaining good growth on the New Zealand collection. The

potential use o New Zealands plants or gardens, particularly in the more avoured regions o the UK, is graphically illustrated by the collections

here.

The frst ten years in the development o the New Zealand collection has surprised us greatly; primarily in the speed o growth o many o

the plants and also the huge diversity o species that it has been possible to cultivate. It was anticipated that there would have to be a cycle

o removal and rejuvenation to maintain a diverse and active collection. However the time rame in which this cycle needs to be undertaken

is considerably shorter than expected. It must also be stressed that the experimental nature o much o this planting does sometimes lead to

unexpected result both o success and ailure.

The New Zealand garden


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thehydrangea dell is a cool shady walk

lined with Hortensia and Lacecap

Hydrangeas under a canopy o

Foxglove trees, Magnolias and the

rare Chinese tree Cinnamomum

glandulierum. The Isle o Wight

has a long history o growing

Hydrangeas; many cultivars

have been raised so only

a sample o the diversity

o this group is grown

here. Ginger Lilies

ower late in the

season. Earlier the

frst signs o spring

are shown as the

tree Magnolias

open their

huge blossom

rom

February

onwards.

The hydrangea dell

Let: Hydrangea


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oneo the ew areas o the garden surviving rom the days o the hospital. This area was ormerly known as the Palm Court due to the

presence o the specimens o the Chusan Palm Trachycarpus ortunei. These are the oldest palms in the British Isles, collected or Veitches

Nursery and presented to Queen Victoria who deigned that they be planted here. Although this area was badly damaged in the 1987 storm,

all the palms survived. So this part o the grounds was retained as a classic Victorian sub-tropical garden. During the era o the Empire the

importation o exotic plants carried on at pace. The owners o large estates vied with one another to create the most exotic looking gardens

by means o bedding out these tender plants. The use o colourul Canna, Kniphoa, Hedychium, and Watsonia, creates an atmosphere o the

sub-tropics reinorced with the exotic palm oliage. A ring o Agapanthus encircles the garden.

The

palmgarden


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Asouth acing terrace backed by steep rocky banks provides a setting suitable or the

planting o Mediterranean species. The landscape initially looks stark with ew plants;

this is because this area tries to convey the actual eel o natural Mediterranean scenes.

Dry gullies and rock-strewn ground typiy many parts o the Mediterranean; these have

been recreated, and sharply drained soil being ideal or these plants. More densely planted

areas display aromatic herbs and shrubs o the Macchie (the name given to the vegetation

typically ound in the Mediterranean) flling the air with the heady aromas caused by the

volatile oils they produce. The nature o the Mediterranean weather system determines that

the majority o owering coincides with the moist spring. The good collections o Cistus

make a fne display.

The Mediterranean oers interest to each o the senses; the oul smell o Dragon Lilies

at odds with the honey scented Mignonette, the course Echium and spiky Thistle, the

sound o scampering wall lizards through the lea litter. Even the taste o some

plants! The majority o our culinary herbs and vegetables originate in theMediterranean basin. The western end o the terrace has had an

olive grove next to vines covering an archway.

The Mediterraneanterrace

Main picture: Echium wildpretti

Right bottom: Lotus


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The mixed borderand walled borderAlong the central road an extensive mixed border has been developed and continues to mature and

change as new plants are introduced and others are removed. With the space provided the mixed

border is an ideal way to explore the ull spectrum o plants, rom short lived annuals and ephemerals to

trees and shrubs, interspersed through a rich matrix o herbaceous perennials, thus providing changing

displays throughout the seasons o the year. The mixed border is one o continuous change and is very

labour intensive or this reason.

The area that is known as the Walled Border was built in the 19th century during the period when the site

was occupied by the hospital. The south-acing wall was used or training ruit on particularly peaches

and nectarines although plums and pears were grown as well. This is one o the most protected areas

o the garden, so today is used or the growing o tender wall shrubs and climbers. Notable groups o

bananas ower and ruit regularly. The last stretch o the border hosts important collections o Salvias that

ower late in the season when many gardens are already in retreat rom rost.

Rock and scree garden

cacti and succulentsto the north o the green house a steep bank is gradually being converted into rock terraces with screeareas and paths traversing the bank. Much o the planting is experimental and on the verges o the limit

o what even the Ventnor microclimate will allow. Factors o hardiness beyond temperature have been

reckoned with, planting into sharp, rocky substrates reduces winter damp. Many plants usually only seen

in a dry collection under glass, ower reely out o doors such as Prickly Pear cacti, Agaves, Aloes and

Puya. Several groups o Washingtonia Palm have been successul, as have giant Eucalyptus, but a ew years

old.

Pictured: Opuntia


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The green houseand plant sales

Built in

1986 and opened in 1987,

the house is designed to reect the

curvilinear conservatories o the Victorian

era. The use o twin skinned polycarbonatesheeting removes the problem o glazing a

curved surace and adds the additional bonus

o energy efciency having less heat loss than

glass. During the past 15 years the opacity o t he

polycarbonate has increased and thereore light

transmission has been much reduced. The original

plantings inside had also reached a point in time

where major rejuvenation was required. During the

summer o 2002 it was decided to completely re-

landscape and re-plant. A bold and contemporary

theme was decided upon, combining many

environmental issues and portraying a story

o natures triumph over the worst excesses o

mankind.

The visitor enters the house through a derelict

mineshat that opens up to tropical heat. Plantsare growing everywhere in t he high humidity

produced by running water. Further in, a pool

o water containing 22 tonnes o heated water

shows the Giant Waterlily in the summer months,

with surrounding Egyptian Blue Lotus owers.

Climbers hang rom the superstructure and shy fsh

can be seen in the canal next to the boardwalk.

Upon leaving, the visitor can purchase a variety o

exotic and rare plants propagated on site, in order to

take a home a little part o Ventnor.


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The visitor centretheVisitor Centre, built with aid rom the Millennium

Commission has improved access to the lower levels

o the garden. It has also enabled the garden to

expand its educational role by providing a acilitywhere lectures and courses can be held. Two large

unction rooms with fne views over the garden are

available or private hire. Public exhibitions o local

artwork, crats and displays tend to be held around

school holidays, and have ree entry. A small, but

developing horticultural reerence library, based in

the centre, is available or public use. A git shop and

catering acility are also included in the centre.

Other areas andamenitiesthe southern edge o the garden comprises cli

top grassland and the sea clis; a cli ace backs thenarrow eastern end o this area to the north. Here

a large number o British native owers are ound

and in due course it is hoped to species enrich the

grassland to give a wildower meadow eect. The

western end o the meadow is designated as an area

or picnics and play including a childrens playground.

The grass in this area is maintained as amenity

grassland and will provide a marked contrast to thewildower meadow next to it.

Palm court cafthis cae/bar provides a range o snacks and cakes

as well as sandwiches and light meals. Situated in the

heart o the garden there is a pleasant sun terrace to

sit out on.


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Ventnor Botanic GardenUndercli Drive, Ventnor, Isle o Wight PO38 1ULTel: (01983) 855397

www.botanic.co.uk

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