News
HRH opens a garden in memory of one of England's first great art collectors at Arundel Castle
14th May 2008
The Prince of Wales today officially opened a garden in memory of one of England's first great art collectors, Thomas Howard 14th Earl of Arundel.
The Collector Earl's Garden was unveiled during an afternoon reception hosted by The Duke and Duchess of Norfolk at Arundel Castle in West Sussex.
The two-acre garden built on a former car park in the castle's grounds was designed by award-winning husband and wife team Julian and Isabel Bannerman, plus architect Russell Taylor.
Upon arrival, The Prince greeted designers and craftsman involved in the three-year project, before switching on the garden's "dancing crown" fountain in front of cheering school children.
During a speech, The Prince joked: "On account of the fact my ancestors apparently succeeded in locking up the Duke of Norfolk's ancestors rather regularly, I do find it even more touching that I should be invited here today to open this remarkable new garden."
Congratulating all those involved, he added: "I know just how difficult these sorts of ventures can be and how courageous you have to be.
"Here, we have an example how you can turn what used to be a car park into a garden of enormous beauty, amusement and timelessness."
The Duke of Norfolk also paid tribute to his wife Georgina as the force behind the scheme.
The Duchess said: "I'm really hopeful this garden will attract visitors from all over the world. It contains the only dancing crown in England."
The Bannermans were previously commissioned to create a garden at The Prince's residence in Highgrove.
They drew inspiration for their latest project's Jacobean design from the garden at the Collector Earl's former London residence Arundel House, devised by Inigo Jones.
Jones accompanied the Earl and his wife on a two-year collecting tour of Italy from 1613 before starting work on the original garden.
The Bannermans used this period of travel as a further creative source for their design.
Mr Bannerman said: "We have to go back in order to go forward. We have used sub-tropical plants strongly inspired by Christopher Lloyd's planting."
The garden's centrepiece is a green oak version of Oberon's Palace containing a fountain with a crown balancing on a jet of water.
The domed pergola and fountains are based on those seen in the famous Mytens portrait of the Countess of Arundel which still hangs in the castle's drawing room.
Earlier this week, the Bannermans won the Historic Houses Association Garden of the Year Award for their work at Haughton Hall in Norfolk.