Digging Deep With Master Gardener Andrew Turvey
It was a rather steamy afternoon at Hatfield House in August. One of ten Treasure Houses of England still privately owned, yet open to the public, this masterpiece of Jacobean architecture was built by Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury in 1611 and was the childhood home of Elizabeth l. Four hundred years later it is still occupied by the same family. Currently in residence is the 7th Marquess of Salisbury.
Hatfield House/North Side With Renaissance Fountain
There are forty acres of gardens at Hatfield House, exploding with whimsy and symmetry and grace. The legacy of the landscape is renewed as each generation honors a commitment to restore and innovate. The latest installation is a work in progress in the East Garden, where a seriously magnificent fountain is still in the design stage. I can’t wait to see it spout water! Also new, technology has just freed up precious gardening time, with the addition of two robotic mowers.
New Fountain Not Yet Operational/East Garden
Lucky me that I picked Wednesday for a visit, as that is the day the East Garden, the family’s private outdoor paradise, is open to the public. And that is where I first met Andrew Turvey, Head Gardener…on the steps in the East Garden as he was finishing up his day’s work.
Andrew Turvey and Beth Marlin Lichter Meet In The Garden
In retrospect, I did not spend enough time inside the house. The architecture, furnishings and collections of art, books and artifacts warrant a more thorough tour.
Interior of Hatfield House
Tea By The Hearth Would Be Nice
But I could not wait to get out into the gardens. I saw them first through a window…
View of The Gardens From A Window
As I walked and admired I lingered in spots that became my favorite, one lovely landscape after another, stunning in design and execution. I could feel the Romans in this garden. They were after all, the first English gardeners, having conquered Britain in the 1st Century AD.
Take A Seat In The Garden
One of only a few late afternoon visitors, I found myself alone in fanciful spaces, feeling very princess-like.
East Garden Path
Rather brilliant timing I think, that Andrew Turvey and I crossed paths in the garden. We began a conversation. I remarked upon the balance of formality and intimacy and told him that I had been a volunteer gardener on Alcatraz for several years. Many happy mornings were spent dead-heading pelargoniums in the middle of San Francisco Bay.
Author At Work/The Gardens of Alcatraz
Before we parted ways, the Head Gardener at Hatfield House invited me to come back, kindly granting me an interview for my blog, Call of the Couve. The very last day of my month-long visit in London with family, I took the train to Hatfield where Andrew Turvey met me at the Renaissance Fountain and then led me down a path to the toolshed. We sat there talking and occasionally he needed to respond to text messages. “Ah, the sheep have arrived!” He looked very pleased and relieved about that. I took pictures, asked questions, and then we went for a walk. Ever seen a whiteboard list of tasks which include, “build rope raft to island”?
Hatfield House Potting Shed Task List
Turvey explained to me that the gardeners must take care of their tools, and hanging them on the wall where everyone can see how tidy you are (or not) is motivational.
Gardeners’ Tools Hanging On The Wall
At thirteen years of age Andrew Turvey entered an agricultural school for boys, close to his home in the Quantock Hills of Somerset. One goes there with the intention of becoming a farmer, but the horticultural curriculum was most interesting to him. “I set out to be a farmer and fell in love with gardens.”
At the time of his matriculation, Andrew’s mother was the acting School Matron, and that circumstance led his teachers to bestow upon him the nickname, Matron Junior. Very impactful as well at age thirteen, was a television program he watched about the discovery and restoration of a forgotten Victorian garden abandoned since World War l, “The Lost Gardens of Heligan”. He says he knew right then, that he wanted to restore great gardens.
Gardens of Heligan
In rather meteoric fashion Andrew Turvey has made this happen. Foundation-wise his schooling was topped off with a 2-Year Diploma at RHS Gardens, Wisley, where he worked in eight different departments.
If you ask him which accomplishment to date he is most proud of, the answer is “my six years as Head Gardener at Myddelton House Gardens”. These were the gardens of Edward Augustus Bowles (1865-1954), horticulturist, writer, responsible for the term, “galanthophile”, which refers to passionate collectors of Snowdrops.
E.A. Bowles
Those harbingers of Spring sprouted up between the bricks in my mossy San Francisco garden, planted in 1929. Emerging from the cold earth, I thought them very sweet, impervious to Winter’s lingering chill and I tried not to step on them. But before my chat with Andrew Turvey, I had no idea that Snowdrops were so revered and coveted. Myddelton’s rare cultivar, ‘Galanthus Plicatus E.A. Bowles’ was acquired on eBay for a record-breaking 357 English Pounds and the annual Ultimate Snowdrop Sale at Myddelton House Gardens is a big deal. There is even a Snowdrop Day at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.
Snowdrops/Cow Hollow/San Francisco, California
E.A. Bowles would be proud of Andrew Turvey for having restored his beloved gardens to their original state. During Turvey’s tenure, foundations of glasshouses were discovered and subsequently rebuilt. Very gratifying. The Victorian era was known for its beautiful glasshouses and for its many advances in horticulture. During this time, British garden designer Gertrude Jekyll ( 1843-1932) created more than four hundred gardens in her innovative sought-after Cottage Garden Style, introducing colorful flower borders with a touch of wildness, breaking ranks with formality.
“There is no spot of ground, however bare or ugly, that cannot be tamed into such a state as may give an impression of beauty and delight”— Gertrude Jekyll
Chiswick Gardens Glasshouse (1813) Where The Beatles Filmed Paperback Writer
After our chat in the tool shed, Andrew and I went for a walk over to the Old Palace, built in 1485. Acquired by Henry Vlll to be used as a nursery for his children, this is where Elizabeth l grew up. It is a fine example of Medieval brickwork.
The Old Palace at Hatfield House
Along the way, we passed a tree with hanging fruit which looked over-ripe, rotten actually, but I was told it was just about perfect. “That is a Medlar” Andrew explained, which although dating back to ancient Persia, Rome and Greece, is not a fruit you commonly find on menus. An acquired taste he assured me as I photographed the tree, hoping we were not headed for Tea and Medlars.
Medlar Tree at Hatfield House
Having a glasshouse in England means you can grow anything out of season, from orchids and citrus to succulents. Lady Salisbury loves pelargoniums and in her conservatory they are plentiful.
Andrew Turvey in the Glasshouse
Her favorite is Pelargonium Tomentosum, Peppermint-scented Geranium, whose leaves are soft as velvet.
Pelargonium Tomentosum
The Gardens at Hatfield House are the domain of Lady Salisbury. Much time and thought are given towards their maintenance and development, with the collaboration of Head Gardener Andrew Turvey. They spend around six hours per week together walking the gardens, discussing possible projects and implementation, taking time to visit nurseries.
East Gardens of Hatfield House Including The Maze
With a staff of seven gardeners and a budding volunteer program, Turvey is getting the job done, and then some. A lover of trees, between sixty and seventy are planted each year. Tweaks and changes are ongoing and large projects take shape. In an effort to revitalize an area once known as The Wilderness, along with a name change, an effort is being made to draw more visitors there after a stroll in the formal gardens. Now called The Woodlands, they are undergoing a magical transformation.
Stewart At Work/Gardener/ Hatfield House
Andrew loves all plants, but is especially drawn to the quirky ones, like the carnivorous Pitcher Plant. He won’t commit to having an absolute favorite but can cultivate anything. “It’s always fun growing vegetables!” he opines with a smile.
Quite a place, this Hatfield House. In the end it’s a family home. I imagine that when the estate is closed to the public they do things like go rowing on the The New Pond, which was created in 1640.
New Pond
Obviously, family member Saul the Newfoundland, is very happy here. He too has favorite spots in the garden. This one is perfect on a hot Summer day.
Saul Lays Claim To His Throne At The Palace //Photo Credit:Andrew Turvey
During my next trip to London in the month of November, I hope to offer my services as a volunteer gardener. FYI, I’ve got Wellies, waxed jackets, gore-tex rain gear, beanies, fingerless gloves, and like being out in weather.
I am confident that Hatfield House Gardens will continue to delight under the thoughtful guidance and direction of Lady Salisbury, in cahoots with Head Gardener Andrew Turvey. The most interesting picture I took during our walk, is of him, sitting on a bench below the stone frieze of Queen Elizabeth. She is looking down approvingly.
Andrew Turvey and the Stone Frieze of Queen Elizabeth
One last bit to share about what happened when Andrew visited the United States. His good friend, garden designer Dustin Gimbel, invited him to come and help build a garden for the Annual Southern California Spring Garden Show. Dustin designed, Andrew built and their garden, sitting on a marble floor at South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa California, won First Prize. At this shopping mall teenage girls acquire their first Louis Vuitton tote. Sports stars walk into Rolex with girlfriends and walk out wearing matching diamond watches. South Coast Plaza is great people-watching if The Real Housewives of Orange County is your favorite t.v. show. Why do I know this mall so well? My mother lived nearby and loved to shop there with her Standard Poodle, Elmer by her side. I have not yet seen a picture of the award-winning garden in the mall, but would very much like to. Meanwhile, I keep looking through windows.
Sudeley Castle In The Cotswolds
Eileen Marlin and Elmer
