Elizabeth Robinson tends a Rhododendron
THIS GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND
KATHERINE TAYLOR explores the secret garden at Bromley House Library. It’s a city centre oasis
D
ID you know, there’s a little oasis of calm right in the centre of Nottingham? It’s a secret garden and the fact that only a few people know it’s there only adds to its charm. Where is it? Bromley House Library. A members only haunt for bibliophiles, founded in 1816 and located on Angel Row since 1822. The history of this beautiful establishment is another story – here we’re immersing ourselves purely in the delights of the outdoor room: its garden. Gardener Elizabeth Robinson gave me an
private tour, where I discovered there’s a tale behind every plant, many being firmly rooted through personal connections to the library itself. “I’ve mixed plants together to give it the feel of a Georgian garden,” says Elizabeth. “It’s a south-westerly facing, which is very sheltered by walls and tall trees. I want interest all year round with repeat flowering.” This is a multi-layered garden with something interesting to see wherever you let your eye roam. In fact, the more you look, the more you see. Nottinghamshire Today
132 NOTTINGHAMSHIRE TODAY
sent a photographer to their recent open day, the pictures you can see here. Elizabeth says of the central beds: “The box hedge is originally from my aunt in West Bridgford, she had lollipop-shaped topiary box, which I took cuttings from, growing it into this one. It’s taken about two or three years to get this shape, which I trim once a year, by eye.” Inside the circular hedge is Imperial Gem
Lavender, a twelve-foot peony tree (donated by a member) with winter jasmine growing up it. The centre bed is a herb garden. “It’s the most recent addition – two years ago, it was just bedding plants here”, says Elizabeth. “I was inspired by many of the old specialist gardening books within the library and included plantings such as sage, different sorts of mint, prostrate and upright rosemary, lavender, various sorts of thyme, chives, cowslip. Herbs grow very successfully here.” The aroma, particularly the Rosemary is pungent and fresh. On a central pedestal is a Heliochronometer , the pinnacle of sun
dials, presented by the Reverend White in 1836 when the Sundial Society was based here.
Th e r e ’s a wealth of plantings all around, including Fremontodendron ‘California Grey’ – a long-flowering, yellow shrub, Cestrum elegans with its red flowers and the densely perfumed Winter Honeysuckle. From all the selections, the garden provides fresh cut flowers for vases throughout the l i b ra r y. Towards the rear of the first lawn, I’m
invited to turn my attention from the flowers to my feet as Elizabeth points out ferns growing under glass. “Th e r e ’s basement cellarage below, hardly anyone knows about i t ,” she adds. Library members often donate plants to the garden. Elizabeth points out a few key ones: “These Pelargoniums in two pots date back to cuttings taken in 1880 and we have Rose Arabians Garbière growing along a trellis, donated by Library director, Mr Laird. They grow a delicate apricot colour. I take care to tie them in with the clematis, vines and jasmine to create a mix of different plants in
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