Dorothy Clive Garden

The Dorothy Clive Garden is a charitable garden trust located in Willoughbridge, Shropshire, close to its Staffordshire and Cheshire borders.[1][2]

Dorothy Clive Garden
Interactive map of Dorothy Clive Garden
TypeLandscaped Quarry Garden
LocationWilloughbridge, Market Drayton, Shropshire, England
Coordinates52°57′23″N 2°22′05″W / 52.95639°N 2.36806°W / 52.95639; -2.36806
Area12 acres (4.9 ha)
FounderHarry Clive
OperatorThe Willoughbridge Garden Trust
WebsiteOfficial website

History

The garden was created in 1940 by Colonel Harry Clive.[3] Colonel Clive wished to provide his wife Dorothy, who was suffering from Parkinson's disease, with a 'series of interesting walks'.[4][5] The site of the garden was previously a sandstone quarry, with some nearby oak trees which provided a cover for the plants providing a protected area for flowers and plants.[2][5] Some of the first plants introduced to the garden by Colonel Clive included Exbury azaleas and Knaphill hybrids.[5]

In 1958, Colonel Clive entrusted the management of the garden to a newly created, small, independent charity, the Willoughbridge Garden Trust, which has managed the garden since then.[4] This trust employs a small team to manage and maintain the site, who also work alongside volunteers to run events and manage gardening and administration.[4]

The Garden

The waterfall feature inside the quarry garden.

The garden occupies 12 acres, and is separated into two equal-sized sections, with the tearoom, pavilion, and quarry garden entrance dividing separating the two sections.[4][6] The layout of the garden was designed by Colonel Clive to be a gentle walk throughout, for the benefit of his ailing wife, Dorothy, intending it to be a therapeutic garden for her.[5]

Plants including alpines, conifers, herbs, lavender, and rhododendrons can be found at the garden.[2]

Some other notable parts of the garden include:[4][7]

References

  1. ↑ "Dorothy Clive Garden". Retrieved 2024-03-10.
  2. 1 2 3 "Beautiful open gardens to visit in the UK Public gardens /RHS Gardening". www.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
  3. ↑ Dixon, Rachel (2016-05-20). "Top 10 secret gardens in the UK". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Garden | Dorothy Clive Garden". Retrieved 2024-03-10.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Gardeners' World". Gardeners' World. Season 2023. 5 May 2023. BBC. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  6. ↑ "Accessibility - The Garden". Retrieved 2024-03-10.
  7. ↑ "Dorothy Clive Garden, Near Market Drayton". www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-11.