£480,000 lottery cash bid to revamp historic Coventry garden

£480,000 lottery cash bid to revamp historic Coventry garden

Postby dutchman » Sat Feb 20, 2016 7:29 pm

Plans to transform a historic Coventry garden could receive a boost if bid for half a million pounds of lottery funding goes ahead.

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Bosses at Coventry City Council are currently mulling over a possible bid for £480,419 to the Heritage Lottery Fund to improve Allesley Park walled garden.

The money would pay for shrubs, fruit trees and bulbs, new gates, a classroom, storage, paths, a pergola and benches.

The plans are set out in a council report headed A Vision for Allesley Park Walled Garden.

Keith Draper, chairman of volunteer group the Allesley Park Walled Garden Group, said: “The garden has gone through various stages of use over the years and 15 years ago we established a model garden in just one quarter growing flowers, fruit, herbs and vegetables much as they would have generations ago.

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“Our group of volunteers grow a whole range of produce organically that is sold at monthly markets during the growing season, making the project self­ sustaining.

“Education is high in our priorities and we devise horticultural projects for local schools as well as stage workshops on a variety of themes.

“The vision document that includes many new features in the garden – a pergola, rose garden, orchard, a classroom cum store and new paths to provide easier access around the site, will clearly make the whole project more interesting for the visitor.

“Gardening has a huge following and the prospect of a grant like this will enable the work in progress to be extended and better interpreted.

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“There is already considerable interest in the heritage varieties we grow and the new features will provide a whole range of possibilities for workshops catering for adults as well as children.”

The garden, part of Allesley Park in Allesley Old Road, Coventry, dates back to the 18th century when it was both a source of food and a status symbol.

It was created by John Neale who lived in Allesley Hall, a neo classical mansion demolished just over 100 years ago.

The mansion was replaced with the current Allesley Hall which is now a care home.

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