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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| The Gothick Arbour guest house, interior. |
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| 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.
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| 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.
