A multi-stemmed mock orange (Philadelpus coronarius) stands in front of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. The large white rose on the left is Rosa ‘Rambling Rector’
SHAKESPEARE’S GARDENS
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and after finding fame in London, returned to his home town in later years. The five gardens at Stratford-uponUpon represent the different phases in Shakespeare’s life. Now cared for by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the gardens are continually evolving to reflect the ongoing knowledge of his life.
V
THE GARDEN TODAY
Shakespeare’s gardens
isitors today enter the 5 hectare/12 acre garden through a walkway of sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus), trained up a framework of hazel twigs, cut from the garden. These heritage varieties change each year but always include the ones that arrived in Britain in the seventeenth century (‘Cupani’ and ‘Matucana’) and those with Shakespearian connections (such as whiteflowered ‘Romeo’ and ‘Juliet’). There is also salmon-pink ‘Miss Willmott’, named in 1906 for Ellen Willmott, the gardener who laid out gardens around the house. The three cottage beds devised by Ellen Willmott are still very much as they have always been. Plants are divided and redistributed, but many are the original varieties that she introduced, including columbine (Aquilegia), lungwort (Pulmonaria), delphinium, cranesbill (Geranium), gentian,
22
stachys, eucanthemum, oriental poppies (Papaver orientale) and primula. The style is relaxed, but, as with all large herbaceous borders, the gardeners at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage are always managing the growth, making sure that one species or cultivar does not threaten to spoil the cottage-style mixed planting. Beyond the flower gardens, a willow arch leads into the oak plantation – an area of woodland which provides a useful shelter belt for the garden. Originally, the woodland was planted with ‘nurse’ trees (here, pines) that help the trunks of the oaks to grow
Shakespeare’s Gardens revised edition by Jackie Bennett published by Quarto Publishing. Photographs by Andrew Lawson upwards and dead straight. The pines have now done their job, and fifty of them will be taken out over the next few years, allowing the garden team to augment the woodland understorey with shade-loving shrubs and put in a full range of woodland plants. Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) colonies have already been established and are increasing. A recurring feature at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage is the willow (Salix) – or osier – work, to be seen in screens, fences, tunnels, arbours and the crescentmoon sculpture by Tom Hare. The gardening team
Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are trained up a framework of hazel twigs along the path leading to the cottage gardens RETIREMENT
today
Examples of hazel and willow work in the garden of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
Exam
