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Gardens
The gardens are open to the public twice annually under the National Gardens Scheme.
You approach through the Upper Hall field. The monument was erected by
Scirard de Lancelyn (Fl 1093). The meadow walk is a double figure-of-eight, with excursion
paths to the oak, hawthorn, rose and beech hedge copses.
You cross a Ha Ha or sunken fence, the Woodland Walk is on the left.
The lawns have always been a major feature of the house, and were praised by
Nathaniel Hawthorne who visited the house when he was American consul in Liverpool in
the early 1850's.
The Walled Garden was designed as a traditional south-facing garden and is
divided into six compartments. It followed Loudon's plan, with vegetable beds in the
centre concealed by espaliered fruit trees and flower borders, with each bed surrounded by
box hedges. The first glimpse through the gate is intended to make you think of The Secret
Garden and to help you enter a world of make-believe, commemorating the works of
Roger Lancelyn Green, whose gardens these were and for whom they now form a living
memorial. The Alice in Wonderland Walk is planted with red roses on one side and
white ones on the other.
As in the story, a playing card can be seen painting one
of the white roses red, a tribute to Roger Lancelyn Green's life-long interest in Lewis
Carrol (he edited Carroll's Diaries and was his biographer and bibliographer).
The 'Cheshire Cat's Grin', by textile artist Judith Railton, can be seen in
the trees on the right hand side of the garden.
There are also two heads of Knights used in the Poulton Hall Centenary Production
of Alice Throgh the Looking Glass.
This fine sundial, which is as old as the building and which has always stood
on the same site, is in the centre of the garden.
An Egyptian obelisk recalls Roger Lancelyn Green's Tales of Ancient Egypt.
The domed Gazebo is adorned with motifs, the work of art students. The borders on either side
of the path to the Gazebo contain shrubs and herbaceous plants in cool colours on one side,
and hot on the other.
The Classical Garden has an arrangement of columns in one corner, a stone eagle, various
stone pots (including two new ones planted with Acanthus) and two sculptures which commemorate Roger
Lancelyn Green's Tales of Greece and Troy. The first is a silhouette of a Fighting Greek and Trojan
(shown above) made by John and Carol White, and the second a fibre art creation by Judith Railton
of The Golden Apples of the Hesperides, with the guardian snake below.
At the top end of the garden is a wood carving by Jim Heath, Jabberwocky, who comes 'whiffling through the
tulgy wood' and sometimes breathes out smoke - another Carrollian tribute.
The Central Beds are given over to roses, lillies and lavender and have paths of Westmorland slate.
In the centre of the rose garden is The Singing Rose (2003), designed and made by Cilla West,
daughter of Roger, to commemorate his book of poems with that title.
The carved oak Statue of Robin Hood with his bow of yew, by Jim Heath, in memory of Roger Lancelyn Green's
Adventures of Robin Hood.
At the far end of the Fountain Lawn there is a small Blue Bed planted with grape hyacinths, and nearby
the intricatly carved Storyteller's Chair, made by Jim Heath - incorporating Alice, King Arthur, a Greek
and Trojan, Sherlock Holmes, Mowgli and others - based on the bookplate designed for Roger Lancelyn Green by
Pauline Baynes (who illustrated the Narnia Stories of C. S. Lewis).
During the winter months there have been changes to the Japanese Garden. We have been influenced by the ancient traditions of Shinto and Zen gardens and inspired to create our interpretation . The Japanese garden tradition grew from Shinto symbolism. The Shinto religion had an empathy with the forces of nature, the seasons and the landscape. Water was a purifying agent. Later, there were the gardens of Zen Buddhist temples where the Karesansui style of dry landscape gardening developed. Here the presence of water is suggested by rocks and gravel arranged to symbolise seas, islands, mountains and rivers.
Cherry blossom, azaleas, camellias and bamboo represent the acceptance of the natural cycle, in contrast to the seemingly never-changing character of the rocks. Other plants to note are the Heavenly Bamboo (nandina domestica) and Fatsia Japonica, often found amongst the greenery of Japanese Gardens. Our bridge is red, a Chinese influence, which we could not resist, wonderfully vibrant in winter frost. A stone lantern recalls the lights in the ancient tea gardens.
There are three stone basins. Two hold miniature landscapes and the third represents the traditional water basin, here guests would rinse their hands in a ritual ablution.
Chinese and Japanese traditions have influenced us in creating the garden, but we have also expressed ourselves. We hope visitors will look at the rocks and gravel and imagine timeless landscapes on a grander scale, as we do, and find some pleasure or contentment there.
At the end of the garden, newly landscaped by Linda and Yorkie of Griffs Garden, you may sit on the slate seats near the 'blue' bed tended by Beryl Gregory and look at the garden made by Mue Benson which is Dave's Garden.
In Dave's Garden we celebrate the richness of life inspired by our friendship with David Gregory. Here there is a sense of warmth, fun and curiosity. His bicycle wheel represents his contact with his community, and is symbolic of the wheel of life. His cobbler's last reminds us of his ability and eagerness to repair objects and help people.
It is no exaggeration to say that Dave was interested in everyone and everything, but his view of life was influenced by his connections with India and Sri Lanka. Buddha sits in the shade of the trees. Visitors are welcome to follow the path to the stone seat and stay a while.
The glowing colours of India and Sri Lanka - red, orange, purple, yellow - are represented by red penstemons, crocosmia Lucifer, lobelia cardinalis, callistemon (bottle brush), purple and blue salvias, verbena bonariensis, heliotrope, tradescantia with the yellow fremontodendron and phlomis. Annual visitors, red and black poppies and cosmos which wave in the wind, intermingle happily with the permanent residents. The large catalpa (Indian bean tree) and the precious trillium (toadshade) are just beginning to settle.
Shiny baubles, crafted creatures from foreign lands and an Indian Elephant also occupy the happy place that is Dave's Garden.
Richard's Garden a simple circular brick plinth finished with slate on which rests the steel sculpture.
Natures Breeze: Inspired by observational studies of of the yucca and cordyline plants.
"Vision" The second piece, reflecting Richard's great passion for Sherlock Holmes , was influenced by a magnifying glass.
"Contemplation" The third piece, a seat, creates a place for repose and reflection.
These contemporary sculptures have been realised through the medium of stainless steel, a material which portrays characteristics of strength, stability and the clean, crisp lines of modernity.
The Witch's Garden, where a cut out figure of the witch flying on her magic broomstick is attached to the wall, while her ordinary broomstick, a cat and a bat can be seen below. The plants are black and purple, with the black strap-leaves of Ophiopogon, black Pansies and the dark-leaved Rheum among them.
The Pirate Ship (recalling Roger Lancelyn Green's fondness for J.M Barrie's Peter Pan - in which he acted and about which he wrote a definitive stage history).
The Sword in the Stone, made by Sean Rice (now best known for the Stations of the Cross made for the Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool). This recalls Roger Lancelyn Green's influential book about King Arthur.
In the Conservatory there are pictures of the gardens taken before and during the restoration, and the millennium Lancelyn Green Textile Hanging, designed by Su Jones. This is an original work in three panels reflecting some of the history of the house and interests of the inhabitants.
In 2001 a special sundial garden for the visually impaired, designed by Judith Railton, was installed in the Walled Garden with help from the Rotary Club of Bebington. It has been newly replanted by Chris Davis. Its theme is taken from an original children's book by Roger - The Land of the Lord High Tiger. The characters of Leo, Foxy, Squit Squirrel and the Phoenix from the story can be seen on the bench carved by Jim Heath, and a life size wizard, made by Leigh Stanley, presides over the sundial.
The gardens were selected as the Cheshire Life Garden of the Year in 2001 and in 2002 the garden celebrated 21 years
of opening in aid of the Scheme. We are very grateful to our gardeners, and especially to those who take on so much voluntary weeding and planting,
who tend the front lawns, wild-flower meadow and shrubbery, do the teas, and organise the parking.