Built at the forefront of the industrial and horticultural revolutions of the 19th century, Millichope Glasshouse marked an important point in the history of the development of glasshouses. Dating from the 1830s the glasshouse’s unusual curved iron frame was thought at the time to maximise sunlight to the growing crops, as it mimicked the curvature of the Earth’s surface. This curved structure led to great improvements in light levels over the standard pitched roof glasshouses that had gone before. Advancements in iron production enabled a strong and durable curved framework to be constructed, whilst narrow iron glazing bars, designed to hold the glass securely between, allowed maximum light into the glasshouse. This combined with a hot rear wall, to generate additional heat through a network of flues connected to fire pits (later coal fired boilers), would allow for the growing of much coveted exotics such as pineapples, melons and grapes.

In 19th century British high society, to present your guests with your own home grown pineapple commanded such prestige that country house owners readily invested large sums of money in the latest glasshouse technology – Revd. Norgrave Pemberton, Rector of Church Stretton and owner of Millichope Park at this time, was evidently out to impress.

Research is yet to identify the manufacturer of the glasshouses, as no maker list Millichope on their books. It is possible that given the rich industrial heritage that resided on Millichope Park’s doorstep, this Glasshouse was the bespoke production of an enterprising local iron founder.

Last in productive use in the 1950s the glasshouses had since fallen into a state of dereliction.

From Autumn 2015 through to the Summer of 2016 a major restoration project was undertaken to save Millichope’s curvilinear glasshouses from dereliction.

The enduring strength and resilience of the iron structure, meant that despite its age the frame was in remarkably good condition when restoration began. However, a more pressing issue was the rapidly deteriorating condition of the supporting back wall. In places the wall was beginning to bulge and buckle as a result from years of burning cheap coal to fire up the wall’s heated flue system. Impurities in the cheap coal had caused a reaction with the lime mortar, leading to its disintegration.

Work started by carefully dismantling the wall in the worst affected spots with timber props used to bear the weight of the glasshouse iron frame until the wall had been rebuilt to support the framework once again.

Once the glasshouse was structurally sound, years of rust and corrosion had to be painstakingly removed from the metal frame by means of grit blasting, an incredibly long and painstaking job, only to be followed by the equally painstaking task of painting.

But it was the glazing that proved most problematic. It was originally made up of over 12,500 panes of postcard sized hand-made glass overlapping each other. Each pane of glass had to be attached to the slender metal glazing bars by the narrowest fillet of putty and no clips. An extraordinary feat that took many months and much patience to complete. Remarkably, a third of the glass in the restored glasshouses was salvaged from the original 1830s hand-made panes.

This was all made possible by a team of volunteers who collected, cleaned and sorted some 4000 panes of glass. We thank Jenny Vine, Pete and Val Williams, Fiona Quayle, Alan Seal, Barrie Archer, Louise Bond, Claire Brentnall, Andrew Brown, Toby Barnett and Alex Shropshire under the guidance of archaeologist Jeremy Milln.

With special thanks to the skilled workforce of I.J. Preece & Son Ltd (in particular Mike Edwards and Mark Drury aka ‘Lofty’) and their specialist sub-contractors Peter Crownshaw (iron frame repairs) and the Stained Glass Studio (re-glazing).

The project was financed with the aid of grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and The Country Houses Association. We would also like to thank the Country Houses Foundation and Millichope Estate, whose support has enabled this restoration work to go ahead.

From Ludlow/Craven Arms please follow the B4368 heading towards Bridgnorth and pass through the villages of Diddlebury, Aston Munslow and Munslow. Once through Munslow, pass the gate house for Millichope Park on the left and the road bends sharply round to the left, with a terrace of 3 stone cottages with white metal fencing on the right. There is a staggered crossroads signposted left to Church Stretton and Rushbury. Take this left turning and the Walled Garden is through a large 5 bar gate up a steep farm track on your left about 50yds up the road (before you reach Home Farm and the Dovecote).

From the Bridgnorth/Much Wenlock direction, after the Much Wenlock road joins the B4368 at Shipton, head towards Craven Arms and through the villages of Broadstone and Hungerford. Once through Hungerford look out for the staggered crossroads signposted right to Church Stretton and Rushbury and take this turning. The walled garden is through a large 5 bar gate up a steep farm track on your left about 50yds up the road (before you reach Home Farm and the Dovecote).

Going through our favourite late season flowering perennials and grasses, to extend the garden’s interest right through summer and into autumn.

A move away from traditional municipal bedding schemes, this talk shows you a modern way to use annuals, biennials, tender perennials and bulbs in the garden for vibrant borders throughout the season.

Covering the principles of good border design: structure, balance, maintenance and above all the plants themselves – which to choose and inspiring ways to combine them.

A look at how we as gardeners need to adapt to face a changing climate. This talk is not just about looking at plant choices but out whole approach to gardening if we are going to be able to create gardens for the future which are rich in wildlife, sustainable in their horticultural practices and still stunningly beautiful.

A look back over the last 10 years of restoring the walled garden, from derelict wasteland to bountiful garden. Looking a some of our favourite plants throughout the year.

Using tall perennials to create an immersive atmosphere In the garden. Going through some of our favourite tall and even taller perennials and grasses and how we like to use them here at Wildegoose.