HEADER
Aiming for
perfection
Not many gardeners have to contend with tanks, helicopters landing, marching bands or the presence of thousands of pairs of feet impacting on their lawn. For the Government House head gardener, Stuart Crossan, dealing with that type of problem is all in the day’s work. He spoke to Alasdair Crosby
‘T
he thing about gardens is that you can choose what to do and what to change, as you are always trying to achieve perfection. You never get there, but you are always aiming for something that is quite spectacular, always trying to improve it.’ The head gardener at Government House, Stuart Crossan, was describing his working philosophy on a sunny day in late April. The area he cares for comprises one of the largest gardens in the Island - 12 acres that include lawns, woodland, valleys and two ponds, a walled kitchen garden and herbaceous and shrub borders… but it is no more than a 15-minute stroll from there into the middle of town.
In recent weeks the gardens have been made available for the public to enjoy. On 1 May there was an open garden event to benefit the Jersey Association for Youth and Friendship; and also, the Queen’s Birthday Reception a month later. Over the years, helicopters have landed on the lawn, parachutists have jumped on to the lawn, tanks have been driven on the grass and there have been bands Beating Retreat… not exactly things with which the average gardener has to contend. Stuart said: ‘From late spring throughout the summer, the garden is used constantly, so you can’t start taking the place apart and changing things in mid-season.’ Lady Dalton with gardener Stuart Crossan
18
