Research & Conservation
The Research Group and HGT Conservation Officer work closely together, pooling expertise to protect what survives of Hertfordshire’s unique heritage of parks and gardens.
Good historical research led to the re-discovery of an important feature of the landscape designed by Charles Bridgeman in Tring Park – lost in scrub and woodland. In partnership with The Woodland Trust and the HLF we restored his rond-point high on the chalk escarpment and opened up a fantastic view.
At Panshanger Park research in the Hertfordshire Archives led to a book of estate accounts detailing the excavation of the lake designed by Humphry Repton in 1799. Amongst the extraction costs was proof that Repton himself was on site supervising the landscaping – rare evidence that helped convince site-owner Tarmac of the importance of the Broadwater and led the company to change its excavation plans.
25th Anniversary of the Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust
This is the 25th Anniversary Year of the Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust. They have an extensive programme of events throughout the year at venues across Buckinghamshire which are open to all. Please go to: https://bucksgardenstrust.org.uk/events/ The Links to the...
HGT 30th Anniversary Walks
To celebrate our 30th anniversary, HGT have put together two new walks in Hertfordshire. The first tracks the path of the Gadebridge river in Hemel Hempstead, passing through the newly renovated Jellicoe Water Gardens. The second takes in the landmarks of Letchworth...
Enticing Paths – A Treasury of Norfolk Gardens and Gardening
The Norfolk Gardens Trust is delighted to announce the launch of their latest publication. Enticing Paths, edited by Roger Last, looks at aspects of gardens and gardening in Norfolk over five centuries. It ranges across the whole spectrum of gardens and garden design...
New HGT Chairman – Sue Flood
It was a chilly and drizzly evening when we met at Benington Lordship for our AGM in early September. Thank you to all who attended. It was an honour and a real pleasure to be elected as your next chairman. There have been two lovely people previously in this role,...
Our Garden Galleries
We do hope you have stayed well, enjoyed the weather and your gardens and managed to remain positive in these strange times. HGT would by now have visited our first garden in Essex and been on the first walk to Forty Hall. If you are missing these and a fix of other...
Village 7 Gilston Garden Village
Here is the text of a letter The Gardens Trust and the Hertfordshire Gardens Trust have sent to East Herts Council Planners. Context: Recently HGT, following research by Anne Rowe and Tom Williamson were successful in having henry VIII’s great pond chain along the...
New book: Structure and Landscape
William Wilkins and Humphry Repton at Haileybury 1806‐1810 edited by Toby Parker and Kate Harwood The Study Day organised by HGT at Haileybury in 2015 presented new information about the construction of the East India College and its Landscape. These Proceedings of...
The State of our Parks
A report commissioned by The Gardens Trust written by Katy Layton-Jones with the assistance of others including Kate Harwood of HGT. Please download a copy: Uncertain Prospects: Public parks in the new age of austerity
Gobions Wood
The Research Group has undertaken surveys of Gobions Wood at Brookmans Park. Within this lovely wood lie the earthwork remains of a famous eighteenth-century garden designed by Charles Bridgeman for Jeremy Sambrooke and laid out in the 1720s. Visited by many notable...
Bridgeman rond-point restored in Tring Park
On 9 April 2014 the research team and guests enjoyed a great afternoon at Tring Park at the invitation of the Woodland Trust to celebrate the restoration of the Charles Bridgeman rond-point – ceremonially completed by the planting of the final tree by Lady Verulam. A...