Date/Time
Date(s) - 10/07/2026
7:00 pm
Location
Kilmington Village Hall
Categories
The Gardening Club talk on 10th July was a change from our advertised speaker, but we were not disadvantaged as we were treated to a fascinating talk by James Cross, Head Gardener at The Bishop’s Palace. James was making a welcome return to update us on the development of this breathtaking 14-acre site in Wells and he took the opportunity to look back over the last 22 years since joining the Palace Gardens gardening team. Lottery funding has enabled work to be done to enhance the gardens and ‘to make them more interesting’! The 14 acres are looked after by a team of 20 gardeners including Jo Stevenson, Community Gardener.
The Bishop’s Palace has been home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells since Bishop Jocelin had it built and, between 1275 and 1292, the grand Chapel was built for Jocelin’s successor, Bishop Burnell with the Great Hall being demolished during the Reformation.
The gardens were created on top of an old river bed and, in the 19th Century, Bishop Law used the ruins to create the Picturesque-style Garden we see today, greatly enhanced by creative re-planting such as Rosemary euphorbia. On the north-facing wall is a range of peonies and hydrangeas. Dogwood and witch-hazel together create a stunning effect.
The South Garden has been transformed from a formal Dutch-style garden with parterres, topiary and an L-shaped canal to a picturesque and gardenesque-style garden. (Gardenesque being a 19th century landscape style where individual plant and exotic species are displayed as individuals rather than mimicking wild nature). James Cross was inspired by Victorian sketches to re-create the planting schemes of the beds and borders of the era.
The East Garden features a vibrant ‘hot border’ featuring Crocosmia Lucifer and Achillea ‘Cloth of Gold’ interspersed with blue Echinops and Helianthus ‘lemon Queen’. James points out that Irish Yews are the best replacement for Box and they form part of the East Garden along with stunning beds of Dahlias.
There are exotic borders where bananas and Cannas mix with agapanthus, asters and sedums while against the northern wall are David Austin roses ‘Malvern Hills’.
The Wells Garden takes its name from the springs which flow in the garden and which feed a series of man-made pools surrounded by lawns, trees and shrubs.
The Community Garden was originally the Kitchen Garden which has been transformed into a space with vegetable, fruit and flower beds, as well as a Victorian- style greenhouse, funded by the Lottery. This garden provides a place for volunteers and community groups to gather, learn new skills and contribute to the growth of the area.
The Arboretum was created in 1977 to commemorate the Queen’s 25th Jubilee, replacing part of the old kitchen gardens. The focus is on wildlife and the development of wild flowers and it is a picture in spring when there are drifts of snowdrops, banks of daffodils, flowering cherry trees, Bee and Pyramid orchids and Camassias.
Plans for the future include dredging the moat in 2027 and clearing away some trees to enhance the view of the cathedral.
James’ contribution to the Gardens has been considerable over the years and he painted a colourful picture of the huge variety to be seen in the gardens. There is so much to enjoy, not to mention visiting the Palace itself. His enthusiasm was such that a visit to Wells now seems to be a must! I can’t wait!