The Alnwick Garden
Encyclopedia
The Alnwick Garden is a complex of formal gardens adjacent to Alnwick Castle
in the town of Alnwick
, Northumberland
, England. The gardens have a long history under the Dukes of Northumberland, but fell into disrepair; they have only been revived over the past ten years, and now feature many different themes and influences, built around a central water cascade
. The final phase of development is still to come, which will include more gardens and an adventure play area.
, who employed Capability Brown, the celebrated gardener, to landscape the parkland adjoining Alnwick Castle.
The 3rd Duke
was a plant collector, and led a century of development at Alnwick - he brought seeds from over the world, and pineapples were raised in hothouses. In the middle of the 19th century, the 4th Duke
created an Italianate garden featuring a large conservatory, and at the end of the century, the gardens were at their grandest, with yew topiary, avenues of limes and acres of flowers.
During World War II’s Dig For Victory
campaign, the garden was turned over and provided food, and soon afterwards the austerity of the 20th century saw the garden fall into disrepair. It was closed as a working garden in 1950.
in 1997, and is being created by Belgian landscape designers Jacques and Peter Wirtz
. It is the most ambitious new garden created in the United Kingdom since the Second World War, with a reported total development cost of £42 million.
The first phase of development, opened in October 2001, involved the creation of the cascade and initial planting of the gardens. In 2004 a large 6,000 sq ft (560 m2) 'tree house' complex, including a cafe, was opened. It is one of the largest treehouses in the world.
In February 2005, a poison garden, growing plants such as cannabis and opium poppy, was added. May 2006 saw the opening of a pavilion and visitor centre, designed by Sir Michael Hopkins and Buro Happold
, which can hold up to 1,000 people. The pavilion and visitor centre feature a barrel-vaulted
gridshell
roof.
The garden now belongs to a charitable trust, which is separate from Northumberland Estates
, although the Duke of Northumberland
donated the 42-acre (17 ha) site and contributed £9 million towards the development costs.
Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle is a castle and stately home in the town of the same name in the English county of Northumberland. It is the residence of the Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman conquest, and renovated and remodelled a number of times. It is a Grade I listed building.-History:Alnwick...
in the town of Alnwick
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England. The gardens have a long history under the Dukes of Northumberland, but fell into disrepair; they have only been revived over the past ten years, and now feature many different themes and influences, built around a central water cascade
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
. The final phase of development is still to come, which will include more gardens and an adventure play area.
History
The first garden was laid down in 1750 by the 1st Duke of NorthumberlandHugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland
Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, KG, PC was an Engish peer, landowner and art patron.He was born Hugh Smithson, the son of Langdale Smithson and grandson of Sir Hugh Smithson, 3rd Baronet from whom he inherited the baronetcy in 1733...
, who employed Capability Brown, the celebrated gardener, to landscape the parkland adjoining Alnwick Castle.
The 3rd Duke
Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland
Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland KG, PC , styled Earl Percy until 1817, was a British aristocrat and Tory politician who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland under the Duke of Wellington from 1829 to 1830....
was a plant collector, and led a century of development at Alnwick - he brought seeds from over the world, and pineapples were raised in hothouses. In the middle of the 19th century, the 4th Duke
Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland
Admiral Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland KG, PC, FRS , styled Lord Algernon Percy until 1816 and known as The Lord Prudhoe between 1816 and 1847, was a British naval commander, explorer and Conservative politician.-Background:Northumberland was the younger son of General Hugh Percy, 2nd...
created an Italianate garden featuring a large conservatory, and at the end of the century, the gardens were at their grandest, with yew topiary, avenues of limes and acres of flowers.
During World War II’s Dig For Victory
Victory garden
Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Germany during World War I and World War II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply...
campaign, the garden was turned over and provided food, and soon afterwards the austerity of the 20th century saw the garden fall into disrepair. It was closed as a working garden in 1950.
Current developments
Redevelopment of the garden was instigated by Jane Percy, the current and 12th Duchess of NorthumberlandRalph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland
thumb|Portrait by [[Allan Warren]]Ralph George Algernon Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland DL is a British peer. He is the son of Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland and Lady Elizabeth Montagu Douglas Scott....
in 1997, and is being created by Belgian landscape designers Jacques and Peter Wirtz
Jacques Wirtz
Jacques Wirtz is a Belgian landscape gardener.Wirtz was born in Schoten, a suburb of Antwerp. His family were stockbrokers. He studied landscape architecture at a horticultural school in Vilvoorde. He was forced to work in a nursery in Germany during the Second World War. He started his own...
. It is the most ambitious new garden created in the United Kingdom since the Second World War, with a reported total development cost of £42 million.
The first phase of development, opened in October 2001, involved the creation of the cascade and initial planting of the gardens. In 2004 a large 6,000 sq ft (560 m2) 'tree house' complex, including a cafe, was opened. It is one of the largest treehouses in the world.
In February 2005, a poison garden, growing plants such as cannabis and opium poppy, was added. May 2006 saw the opening of a pavilion and visitor centre, designed by Sir Michael Hopkins and Buro Happold
Buro Happold
Buro Happold is a professional services firm providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of buildings, infrastructure and the environment, with its head office in Bath, Somerset...
, which can hold up to 1,000 people. The pavilion and visitor centre feature a barrel-vaulted
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
gridshell
Gridshell
A gridshell is a structure which derives its strength from its double curvature , but is constructed of a grid or lattice....
roof.
The garden now belongs to a charitable trust, which is separate from Northumberland Estates
Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle is a castle and stately home in the town of the same name in the English county of Northumberland. It is the residence of the Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman conquest, and renovated and remodelled a number of times. It is a Grade I listed building.-History:Alnwick...
, although the Duke of Northumberland
Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland
thumb|Portrait by [[Allan Warren]]Ralph George Algernon Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland DL is a British peer. He is the son of Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland and Lady Elizabeth Montagu Douglas Scott....
donated the 42-acre (17 ha) site and contributed £9 million towards the development costs.