Lentune Ladies Probus Club

Talk by Julia Baker and Mary Birch 

After our usual coffee and meeting with good friends we had a short AGM and then Julia Baker and Mary Birch introduced us to the famous Furzey Gardens. The two ladies represent the Minstead Trust which supports people with learning disabilities. 

Minstede appeared in the Domesday Book and the Compton family owned the village of Minstead and gardens from 1513 until 1921 when it was auctioned and purchased by the Dalrymple family. From this time the gardens were planted with rare plants from all over the world, collected by Hew Dalrymple, George Forrest and Frank Kingdon at different times. Many embossed lead plant labels have been found in the gardens dating from the 1920s. Other plants were added until 1939 and plants were sold to other gardens such as Exbury, with notebooks and invoices still possessed by Exbury Gardens.

Woodland areas were added and topsoil was transported by horse and cart, from Bartley Nurseries, owned by Hew Dalrymple. Arthur Knowlton, head gardener at Furzey for many years, kept detailed books and records from 1950s to 1970s. The planting began on the South slope near Furzey House. There were narcissus and heathers, some of which are still there. In 1930 the Gardens were opened to the public. They were famous for primula, camellia, rhododendron and pieris. The Dalrymple brothers eventually died and the gardens became overgrown and rundown. In the early 1970s they were put up for auction, destined to become a housing estate, with the 1560 thatched cottage due for demolition. 

Tim Selwood, a local young solicitor bought the gardens and set up a charitable trust with an intensive planting and maintenance programme. Tom Mason was the head gardener and Paul Turner, who still works at the gardens as a volunteer, was appointed as a young school leaver to assist him. In 1986 the Minstead training project was established at Furzey Gardens by Martin Lenaerts, a former Cistercian monk with a gardening vocation, working with five young adults with learning disabilities. Horticulture is known to offer real benefits through outdoor physical and therapeutic activity providing important work and social skills and an opportunity for meaningful activity.

The thatched properties are cared for by Master Thatcher Simon Simkinson and it was he who added the fairy doors!

The Gardens today also offer a café, art gallery, tree houses and fairy doors as well as the beautiful old cottage and a lake. Awards have been won at Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. Theatre productions are put on in the summer. The Real Jam and Chutney Company is very successful and many jars were purchased after this fascinating and inspiring talk. 

The morning ended with the usual excellent lunch and a convivial chat with friends.