Victorian glasshouses at West Dean Gardens

Save the Glasshouses

120-year old Victorian glasshouses at West Dean Gardens, West Dean
Gardens, near Chichester, West Sussex PO18 ORX

It is over 120 years since the glasshouses were erected at West Dean
Gardens which are listed Grade II on the English Heritage Register
of Historic Parks and Gardens.  Designed by Foster and Pearson
between 1895 and 1901 the 13 Victorian houses are some of the finest
examples in the UK.  The jewel in the crown of the walled Kitchen
Garden, the magnificent glasshouses remain in constant use to this
day not only to nurture new plants but also new horticulturists
learning their craft.  The nectarine and late vinery house is in
desperate need of renovation.  It will take UKP40,000 to complete a
full restoration to bring the glasshouse back to life and preserve
it for the next 25 years and beyond.  "The West Dean glasshouses are
exceptionally important.  They must be preserved at all costs
because of their history, their central role in the story of such a
great garden and their continuing value for one of Britain's most
exemplary centres of practical horticulture." Robin Lane Fox,
Emeritus Fellow of New College, Oxford and Reader in Ancient
History, University of Oxford.

This year marks 25 years since head gardeners, husband and wife, Jim
Buckland and Sarah Wain, began the transformation of West Dean into
award-winning gardens, in the wake of the Great Storms of 1987.  In
the years since 1991, they have revitalised the 19th century
landscape and overseen tremendous changes which have brought the
gardens international respect for both the quality and variety of
horticultural practice.

A new photographic display will illustrate the highlights of 25
Years of Glorious Gardening in the renovated "mushroom shed" at West
Dean Gardens (1 April - 30 September 2016).  Free entry with a
ticket to the gardens (adult standard entry UKP8.50, children go
free).

Save the glasshouses appeal

This is what your donation will help to purchase:

    Nearly 2,000 metres of treated timber
    120 panes of glass
    70 litres of paint and primer
    100kg of putty

For more information and to donate to the Save the Glasshouses
appeal online visit

    <URL:http://www.westdeangardens.org.uk/appeal>


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 29:44
                   Distributed: Friday, April 8, 2016
                       Message Id: cdl-29-44-009
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