The Porter's Garden > The Porter's Garden project > by Pauline Powell
The Porter’s Garden Project
by Pauline Powell
Introduction
During 1998/1999 Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust, in conjunction with English Heritage and the Hampshire Gardens Trust, commissioned Robert Camlin, of Camlin Lonsdale Landscape Architects, to design a garden on the site formerly occupied by the Dockyard Porter's garden as part of the “Renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour” Millennium project.Following the approval of the design and the initial laying out of the garden, The Friends of Porter's Garden, was formed, a group of enthusiastic local gardening volunteers guided by a committee and co-ordinator who took over the planting and gardening early in 2000. Their main objective was to recreate the Porter's Garden with reference to its historical, educational and recreational value.
The dockyard itself is situated in an area of Portsea with many flats and no gardens or green spaces for residents to sit in and enjoy. The Porter's Garden provides a haven of peace in the busy dockyard environment for workers, visitors and local people to enjoy.
The Enhancement Project
At its meetings, the committee discussed various ways to enhance the garden and decided on a programme which included the provision of wrought iron gates made by Peter Clutterbuck, a local craftsman/artist in iron. These were completed and installed in 2002/2003. A far more ambitious project was then embarked upon – the provision of sculptured seats made by a sculptor/stonemason Roger Stephens from Salisbury who would work in granite and re-use the granite blocks available in the dockyard which had once formed part of the cart tracks. The basis of the designs was to be the cross sections of the three historic ships, Mary Rose, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior 1860.Since the size of the blocks varied the size of the seats would be have to be different and fit into the available spaces along the dockyard wall. In addition it was decided to commission two large Georgian style terracotta urns made by West Meon Pottery and organise a competition for local schools to design a Tudor style Knot Garden, the winning design to be constructed and planted on one of the lawns around an existing tree. The final element of the project would be to create an Interpretation Panel to be placed close to the entrance gate to the garden to inform and explain to visitors the principles behind the planting and design of the reconstructed garden.
Finance
The gates were paid for by The Friends, Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust and Flagship Portsmouth, in equal parts. Because the sculptured seats together with the other elements of the enhancement project were a far bigger proposition, it was decide to seek a grant from an outside body. Two unsuccessful applications were made, first for a Local Heritage Initiative Grant and then, after taking advice from The Friends of King John’s Garden in Romsey to Viridor Credits and The Onyx Environmental Trust both part of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme. We succeeded finally and were granted £11,000.00 from The Onyx Environmental Trust. We also ran a Sculptured Seating Appeal ourselves and raised funds from donations. Hampshire Gardens Trust generously pledged £1000.00 for this appeal.Work began on the project on 18 June 2004 and after an “interesting” twelve months we celebrated its completion at our Garden Party on 26 June 2005. Figure 1 shows the newly installed seats with a very pleased looking Roger Stephens.
For more pictures and information visit our web site at www.hants.org.uk/portersgarden/
Figure 1. Roger Stephens with the newly installed seats 24 May 2005
Acknowledgements:
I should like to acknowledge the personal contributions of Rachel Bebb for her vision, May Bumford for her original research and Sally Hocking first Honorary Secretary and Garden Adviser extraordinaire of The Friends of the Porter’s Garden, of Hampshire Gardens Trust.Thanks are also due to Gilly Drummond, of English Heritage and Association of Gardens Trusts and June Parkinson, Hampshire Gardens Trust, Peter Goodship and Lorraine Carpenter, Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust, for their continuing support.
Also thanks to Dr Ann Coats, Co-ordinator and all members of The Friends of the Porter’s Garden, for their support, dedication and sheer hard work, without which the Porter’s Garden would not be possible.
Pauline Powell
Honorary Secretary to The Friends of the Porter’s Garden