LIMITED COMPANY NO 6276519

BECOME A FRIEND OF OUR WALLED GARDEN  "TO CREATE A FREE PEOPLES GARDEN" 

 Help is needed to restore a lovely Georgian walled garden in the village of Elford near Lichfield. 

This Garden and the Elford Estate was gifted to Birmingham by the Squire in 1936. 

Following lengthy negotiations with Birmingham and with assistance of Councillor Mathew Ellis the opportunity now exists for restoration to take place. 

You can take a visual tour around the garden as it now is by clicking on "photos" and then "Tour around the garden".

At the moment it is an overgrown wilderness. It can be seen that the site has huge potential.  

If you click on "links" you can connect to our village web site for further history. There is a "playground" section which will show a previous  heritage project the the village completed.

The walled garden is of Georgian  origin and Grade 11 listed. At one time there would have been 1/2 mile of fruit trees around the inner and outer faces of the wall. There is also a Victorian gardeners cottage alongside the garden. An aplication is already with the National Tree planting sceme for an apple orchard. Land surrounding the garden leads to the bank of  the river Tame. The plan is to restore the structure  and pathways of the garden.  Fruit trees will be replanted around the walls.

Ultimately it is hoped to have a bowling green and tennis courts within the walls.

Partial cultivation of the garden will also take place. Walkways will lead to picnic areas by the riverbank.

The house will display history of the village and the Elford Estate.

Our  village school will be involved  and  schools from the wider area.  Education and awakening heritage will be central to the project.

Flat pathways would make  it ideal for physically challenged children to become involved. It is hoped that Swinfen Hall Young Offenders will take part in the project.

It is a unique opportunity to be involved in meaningful work that will show wilderness being turned to a thing of beauty. 

A society of "Friends of the Walled Garden" will be formed.

An annual  £20.00 membership will contribute to the upkeep of the garden. Anyone can join.

Those interested in phsically becoming involved will also be very welcome. A range of skills is required.

Funding has to be sought for the project. Likely avenues are being explored.  

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Become a "Friend of the Walled Garden". (What a nice present for someone - to feel that they have contributed to a part of the garden). Any donation would be very welcome. 

Physically become involved in "Community Building" Creating friendships and creating a peoples garden go hand in hand. Particular skills include gardening, plumbing, electrician, brickwork, carpenter and so on. There is also a lot of basic work that any of us can do. Businesses which have the  capacity to help would be very welcome. Spear and Jackson have already donated a number of handtools for the project.  A quantity of timber was also generously donated. Further tools are needed. Grasscutting machinery, mini digger, materials. Sometimes at the end of the tax year there is capacity for making donations. Any would be gratefully received and carefully used. we have formed a Limited Company and are appying for Charitable Status.l This is the second project that the group has taken on. The previous one a Heritage Playground was achieved at a fraction of the  real cost through people working together. You can join us in creating a "Peoples Garden"

"Together we can make it Happen"  

You can see a DVD of the vilage and the project in three parts by clicking on "LINKS". Our thanks go to Mick Cole who did the filming.