In our latest issue of Elite Insight we caught up with Paul Tattersdill, Estate Manager and Head Gardener at Tylney Hall Hotel & Gardens, to find out about a 30-year garden restoration project at the stunning Hampshire retreat.
Why did you choose this career?
I always knew I wanted the outdoor life - my parents were keen gardeners and I studied agriculture at college. Then I went on to work in commercial horticulture, but after I did some courses in landscape design, I decided that was more my bag.
How did you end up at Tylney Hall?
I was Estate Manager for a commercial landscaping company. I progressed up the ladder but the job became more desk-bound and I missed the outdoors. Tylney Hall was a return to more practical, hands on work.
Can you tell us about the restoration?
Tylney Hall was built in the early 1900s and originally had 66 acres of stunning gardens designed by Seldon Wornum, Robert Weir Schultz and Gertrude Jekyll. But when Elite bought the property it had been used as a school. The gardens hadn’t been maintained at all and when we started the restoration in 1986, they were in complete rack and ruin.
What sort of problems did you face?
The Italian Sunken Garden (pictured above), Rose Circle Garden and Walled Garden had all been severely damaged. The woodlands were overgrown and the ponds clogged. And Brent Council had even covered over the Italian Gardens with a tennis court!
Did you lead the project from the start?
No, that was Dominic Cole, a leading luminary in garden restoration and a big influence on me. He taught me not to be scared of being bold in times of change, that it’s ok to be forthright.
Have you had any major setbacks?
We had to deal with the 1987 storm – we lost around 380 trees then. When I drove to work that morning and saw the damage,I wept. It took almost 6 months to clean up. But the storm actually had a silver lining – it swept away a lot of the weed trees, allowing the landscape to return to long vista views.
Who or what inspires you?
Gertrude Jekyll, who designed the Wild Garden and Water Gardens. She was an artist and brought a painterly detail to things. Her herbaceous borders have a real sense of colour, it’s an artist’s point of view.
What’s been the toughest part?
Restoring Gertrude Jekyll’s herbaceous borders. To make them as close to the originals as possible, we had to source older types of plants from nurseries across the country. It’s almost like detective work! Once or twice I’ve taken a couple home and poached them in red wine and cinnamon, then served with ice cream. Delicious.
What’s your favourite part of the gardens and grounds?
The lower lake of the water gardens. It’s such a natural, pretty spot.
What are your goals for 2015?
We’re hoping to continue planting our Azalea Garden, which will be based on a cartwheel design.
What’s been the most rewarding part so far?
Dredging the four lakes – it made a huge difference. Also, finding the remains of the Italian Gardens beneath the tennis court. I truly believe that if we can get it back to its original condition, then it could be one of the best in the country.
Do you think the restoration will ever be ‘finished’?
It’s been almost 30 years and I still don’t feel that we’re finished. In a sense, a garden is never finished as it’s always evolving. However, I hope to complete all my personal projects for Tylney Hall - then I can sign off and say ‘I’m done’.
What’s the main thing you’ve learned from this experience?
That patience is a virtue!
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Warren Elliott, Group Marketing - Wednesday 15th April 2015