Survey by the Surrey Gardens Trust

A copy of a survey carried out by the Surrey Gardens Trust entitled The Garden Cottage (Crooksbury House). A Survey of its Garden 1889-2006 by the Farnham Decorative and Fine Arts Society Group of Garden Recorders has been given to the Lutyens Trust to keep in the library at Goddards.

One aspect of the Group’s brief was to establish whether Gertrude Jekyll had had any direct input into the garden. However, although Gertrude Jekyll gave advice to Edwin Lutyens concerning the Crooksbury project, no documentation could be found directly connecting her with the design of The Garden Cottage garden.

Brenda Lewis, Chair of the Research and Recording Committee, Surrey Gardens Trust has written in the foreword to the survey as follows: ‘The project began in October 2002 with an introductory workshop in Garden Recording, initially looking at maps and other source material, followed by a site visit to the garden at The Garden Cottage, Crooksbury House, with the kind permission of the owners. The Group of Garden Recorders has produced a unique account of the garden’s history. Wherever possible they have tracked down previous owners, occupiers and
gardeners which, together with visual and descriptive records, has resulted in this report…’

We are most grateful to the Surrey Gardens Trust for giving us a copy of this very interesting and detailed report. Judith Blacklow who is a member of the Lutyens Trust, was one of the group that carried out the survey.