Shenley Park Walled Garden

Greenhouses and plant sales

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Inside of the Walled Garden, wherever there is a white wall a greenhouse would have once stood against it.

There were also greenhouses, cold frames and sheds located outside of the wall.

When the Trust was first started in 1992 most of the greenhouses were derelict and beyond repair.

However, by salvaging wood and glass from the greenhouses, three of the original eighteen were able to be restored to their former states.

The old heating pipes remain but for display purposes only as the boilers that used to pump hot water into all of the greenhouses have long since gone. These huge pipes that not only provided heat but also through parallel pipes with cleverly designed water troughs attached provided humidity. The pipes were once fed by an underground boiler house situated down from the Greenhouses near to The Bothy. Although it has since gone there still remains the coal shute grating that can be seen in the road. Nowadays we have to use electric heaters.

The image below shows the number of greenhouses that used to be here at the Walled Garden when it was a working kitchen garden.

Greenhouse plan during the time of Shenley Hospital

The brickwork of the greenhouses J, H, G and F was used to create a planted terrace (garden next to existing greenhouses). The central paths and tanks can still be seen. Opposite The Bothy which houses the Park office you can see a tiled floor which was a feature in all of the Victorian greenhouses.

Derelict greenhouses	Restoration of greenhouse foundations
Planting of newly created terraces	Greenhouse garden as is today

On the restored glasshouses there is an intersting feature of curved “beaver tail” panes of glass. These panels are designed to direct water down the middle of the pane, so helping to protect the wood from rot. All the rainwater run off is collected in tanks within the next glasshouse down for watering the plants.

On the area that is now a Plant Sales area there was once a very large greenhouse known as the ‘Banana House’. Unfortunately it was so run down it was not a viable option to restore and it had to be demolished. In its place we have created an area where you will have the opportunity to purchase a plant that you will have liked in this Walled Garden. All proceeds from these sales will go directly back into the funding of the Garden.

Banana house - since demolished	Plant sales area on the site of the Banana House

Together with this area the lower greenhouse has been renovated into a display greenhouse to allow the chance for the public to see the fine details that went into the building and design of these glasshouses.

Upper greenhouse	Hanging Baskets sold by the Trust

Upper greenhouse

As the lower greenhouse is heated over winter and the hottest in the summer we can grow more sensitive plants

For groups of 4 or more people we will give you a guided tour of the Walled Garden, greenhouses and Park itself for a donation.

Please follow this link for more details.