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Bridge End Garden is a real jewel and an environment of great charm
on the north side of Saffron Walden. Its tranquillity and beauty
make it very worthy of a leisurely visit. Careful restoration has
replicated garde ning
techniques and designs typical of the Victorian era. You can see
a variety of horticultural interests that include a maze with its
formal clipped hedges, herbaceous borders, scented roses, traditionally
trained fruit trees and greenhouses containing Victorian Orchard
and Citrus collections.
The Garden is Listed Grade 2* and is very important visually and
historically. Nearly all of the garden was laid out by Francis Gibson
in the mid 19th century. The Gibson family were eminent bankers
and brewers in Saffron Walden at that time.
The Garden is divided into a number of “compartments”,
each with a different design and with a different landscape function.
For example, there is the sunken Dutch Garden, which consists of
geometric swirls of box that have been restored based on a drawing
by the famous Edwardian landscape architect, Gertrude Jekyll, who
visited the garden in the early 20th century.
There is also the Wilderness Area, Poets Corner, the Walled Garden,
the Central Lawn and the Maze. The Walled Garden was restored in
2007. Here you will find a range of Victorian species of fruit trees,
a collection of Victorian rhubarbs, an Auricula display in season
and two greenhouse collections of miniature orchard and citrus trees
grown in pots.
The Garden is open to the public free of charge. Opening times of
the Walled Garden and Maze may vary dependent on season and circumstance.
Please contact the Tourist Information Centre on 01799 524002 for
more information on opening times. Most of the garden, including
the toilets on site, is wheelchair accessible and there are many
seats throughout.
The nearest public car park is at Caton’s Lane (CB10 2DU).
However, if this is full please use the Swan Meadow car park (CB10
1BX) close by, or the Common car park (CB10 1JH) which is about
10 minutes’ walk away.
Further information is available at www.bridgeendgarden.org and
www.visitsaffronwalden.gov.uk
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