Bushey Rose Garden reopened after £1.5m restoration

Garden and greenhouse enthusiasts in Hertfordshire can now visit a famous horticultural site in the area for free.

The Grade II-listed Bushey Rose Garden was originally designed by Thomas Mawson and has recently reopened following a £1.5 million restoration, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) reported.

Created in 1913 in return for a portrait by renowned Victorian artist Sir Hubert von Herkomer, the garden later fell into disrepair after vandalism forced its closure.

However, a grant of almost £1 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and help from Hertsmere Borough Council and other parties has helped return the site to its original splendour.

The main features have now been restored as accurately as possible, with a Bavarian tufa stone fountain returned to working order after decades of neglect.

Work has also been carried out on the summer house, rose temple and red sandstone cloisters, while about 500 new roses have been planted alongside thousands of perennials.

The choice of plants was made carefully in order to stay faithful to Mr Mawson’s tastes, with the Bourbon rose Boule de Neige and Reve d’Or just two examples of his favourites.

Meanwhile, the RHS recently announced which plants it would be growing at its Garden Wisley trials field in 2011.