The Menagerie, Part III

This is the third of a series of posts of The Devoted Classicist on the 18th century folly known as the Menagerie;  the first can be seen here and the second, here.  This essay reveals the garden and the auxiliary buildings as they appeared in the sales brochure by Estate Agents Jackson-Stops & Staff.

Arial view of the Menagerie and gardens.

Gervase Jackson-Stops bought the decepit folly in 1973 and planted the three allees in 1984.  Vernon Russell-Smith designed the rose garden in 1989.  With his partner Ian Kirby, Gervase further developed the gardens in 1992 and the implementation of the master plan continued with subsequent owners.

The east garden at the Menagerie.

A walled Kitchen Garden was added 2004-5, designed by one of Britain's most highly regarded landscape designers Jinny Blom.  Espaliered fruit trees line the walls that surround the garden filled with boxwood-edged parterres.  A central fountain in a fish basin is ringed by arched hoops covered in wisteria.

The fountain in the Kitchen Garden.

Two of the original ponds were re-dug at the ends of the side allees and each was given an arbour that was later developed into a thatched cottage designed by Charles Morris.  One pond is a water garden filled with native plants and the other, exotic.

The Gothick Arbour and water garden.

The Classical Arbour has Doric columns on one elevation and log columns on another.  The interior of the main space has a dome and was used as a chapel at the time of the photograph.  Also, there are two alcoves, one with a sink.

The interior of the Classical Arbour, used as a chapel.

The Gothick Arbour is more formal on one facade and more rustic on the other.  There is a built-in bed decorated with fir cones.  Used as a guest house, there is a lavatory, w.c., shower, and dressing room.

The Gothick Arbour guest house, interior.

The Gothick Arbour at the Menagerie.

Two timber buildings flank the gates to the Nursery Garden;  one was used as a Tea Room with serving counter and sink and the other was a Garden Store.  There is an aluminum green house and a Garden Office consisting of one large room with a central woodburning stove;  one of the two porches has been enclosed to provide a kitchen as well as a w.c and shower.

The Garden Office at the Menagerie.

A Garage has a Workshop and a Utility Room with a central heating boiler, deep Belfast sink, and plumbing for a washer and dryer.

All the photos are from the Jackson-Stops & Staff sales brochure that was thoughtfully provided by devoted reader Tom Barton of Dixie Graphics architectural signage.  Today some feel inclined to put a minimum size on properties to qualify as an "estate".  This is a good example of planning on only four acres.