Worth Abbey Quiet Garden Development

Worth Abbey
Quiet Garden

Development

Enjoyment
Gardening
Access
Seating
Pond
Drainage
Safety
Publicity
Finances

Development

Current Arrangements and Plans

Enjoyment

Everyday, many people (local residents, users of the livery stables, school staff) walk their dogs through the garden. Many others take a quiet walk or picnic to the - now very attractive - spot. Guests of the Centre for Spirituality, whether at Worth Abbey for the inside of a day, a weekend or a week, are often introduced to the garden as a 'place apart' where they can encounter God through the beauty of natural creation. Boys of the school go there under adult supervision for classes in art, biology and mathematical exercises. School parents and friends are beginning to appreciate the asset and to enjoy a walk 'down the hill' from the South terrace.

Gardening

Fr Patrick continues to work occasional afternoons. Fr Gregory helps, concentrating on clearing the Glen.. Longer-term guests of the monastery and some parishioners volunteer their time and energy. The regular use of the monastery powered lawn mower and strimmer has kept the rampant weed growth under control long enough to permit further work to be carried out on clearing the rock paths and garden rocks and growth areas. Any additional volunteer labour, depending on strength, skills or inclination, will be directed either to concentrate on weeding and replanting small areas of the garden or to continue clearing overgrown trees, shrubs and leaf-mould from the paths down the Glen (½ km valley to the South).

Steve Turner, the Head Groundsman, offers his advice and help. He arranges for the servicing of the mechanised tools and lends others when needed. Although we wish to avoid chemicals wherever possible, he sought advice on how to eliminate the Japanese Knotweed and found that even organic gardeners can find no substitute for systemic weed-killer. He is qualified and equipped to spray, ensuring that it is safe for pond life. Fr Luke, as manager of the Estate, offers help, advice and some professional labour, notably employing tree surgeons in the winter of 1998-9. A retired groundsman spends occasional time clearing weeds from the outside fences and neighbouring sewerage farm. Foliage needed for the annual Palm Sunday liturgy is cut from Box trees in the garden.

Access

Signposts, installed in the Summer 2000 guide casual visitors to the Garden. Previously it was open only "by invitation" to those who know it. The signposted route follows a gravel path (built for vehicular access to the sewerage farm) from the main car park through East Lodge, past the stables and through the field. (For map See Where) The more direct route from the South Terrace is open only to those with permission to pass through the school 'protected' space (for The Children Act) or the monastery private gardens. There is another track that links to the public footpath through the Estate to the West. This skirts the edge of a grazing field and passes a cattle grid and would need some work on it to make it truly accessible.

Seating

There used to be a metal ring-seat around the base of the weeping ash tree. This rusted and fell apart beyond repair. There are a few rocks that can comfortably be sat upon - in one case with a rock seat-back overlooking the smaller pond. Ideally some more provision for seating would enhance the opportunity for quiet meditation in the garden. Some simple constructions, ideally using locally grown oak, would be ideal. They would need to be fixed in some suitable way. Ideally a sheltered seating area could be provided, perhaps utilising a log structure and a turf roof, on the concrete base by the main track.

Pond

This is clearly the most attractive feature of the garden yet needs only occasional care. It is well stocked with goldfish and Koi, enough to attract Herons. Newts, frogs, toads, grass snakes have all been seen in the pond. In the summer, the House Martins that fly around the church roof use the pond for drinking 'on the wing' and many Dragon flies give a splash of colour. Wagtails are constantly seen dipping in and out of the water and lilies. At night the bats take over the air. Moorhen and Mallards make good use of the wild areas around the edge of the pond and the island. The island is expanding with overgrowing but attractive wild Iris. It is difficult to get at the wild growth around the edges of the pond and the weeds in the pond without a workboat that would need to be kept in the boathouse - properly secured. There is an excess of mud and weeds that will need clearing out from the concrete lining while protecting the water lilies, fish and other aquatic creatures. The brick dam between the ponds also needs to be removed.

Drainage

The water supply to the pond comes from drains in and through the surrounding fields below the main house. Storm water from the 'Front Quad' emerges inside the fence at a broken drain and is directed down an attractive rock gully. Storm water from the church complex emerges from an ugly brown plastic pipe next to the original outlet from a silt trap which needs clearing out and reinstating. Water from field drains emerges in a few recently dug ditches. The original waterfall and wet-garden on the north of the smaller pond has no water feeding into it. A comprehensive review, with professional advice, of drainage into the pond needs to take account of all these sources of water and where it needs to be supplied to the pond. One winter project will involve extensive digging and laying proper drains to achieve this and to protect the garden areas from surface runoff from the fields.

February 2002

A new stormwater drain is installed and the outfalls and some of the surface drains are tidied up.

Safety

The rock paths are uneven and, in many cases, slippery. Warning signs are already placed at each entrance path. The slipperiness may be eliminated by regular use of a water jet spray that will need to be hired or purchased. There is a clean water supply to a cattle trough on the edge of the garden. The pump will need to be petrol-powered or a generator will be needed since the nearest electricity supply is at the sewerage farm, some 100m distant. The gaps between the rocks could be filled with suitable rock chippings once they have been cleared of weed growths. Modern safety recommendations about handrails may need to be assessed carefully, with professional advice, against the restoration of the open garden in its original Victorian style.

Publicity

So far, the existence and invitation to use the Quiet Garden has been made known by word of mouth to those already at Worth Abbey. A poster, leaflet and website can be produced to make it known further. Media publicity in TV and the local and national Press is currently being explored.

A News Release was issued in July 2000 to the local press and gardening magazines. Many people have visited the garden as a result. Several have expressed their support and enthusiasm for the garden itself and its use for prayer and reflection.

Finances

So far, this has not been an issue. All labour is voluntary and there is every reason to expect more in the future. The few professional commissions so far have been financed by Worth Abbey Estate - such as the tree surgeons and occasional use of a tractor for 'jungle bashing'. But the plans emerging now will be calling for some expenses for seating, drainage, rock chippings, signs, publicity, workboat, security, tool-shed and hire of water-jets, pumps, etc. Individuals not able to volunteer their labour may well be willing to subsidise some of this expenditure and local companies and Trusts may be willing to sponsor elements of the project. There is no need for any immediate injection of funds; work can proceed as funds become available. A financial system needs to be established to enable this to happen. (See Support)

Jesus said to them, "Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while." (Mark 6:31)

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