Chinese Wilson's Memorial Garden
Chipping Campden's tribute to Ernest Henry (E. H.) Wilson, inexhaustible early 20th century plant hunter in China.
Dec 29, 2006
The Wilson Memorial Garden, planted entirely with some of the over 1,000 species that Ernest Henry "Chinese" Wilson introduced to horticulture, nestles behind honey-colored stonewalls in the English Cotswold Village of Chipping Camden. Wilson (1876-1930) is the most legendary and horticulturally important of all plant hunters who journeyed through China at the turn of the 20th century.
This garden, dedicated in 1984 and slightly under an acre in size, was a belated 100th birthday tribute to Wilson by the people of Chipping Camden. Wilson was born on February 15, 1876 into a family traceable through Camden church records to 1627. Although Wilson's family moved to Warwickshire shortly after his birth, Chipping Camden counts Wilson as one of its most illustrious sons.
Entrance to the garden is through a Gothic-style arch spanned by a heavy wrought-iron gate and shaded by old trees that predate the garden. Only a plaque set into the surrounding wall distinguishes the garden entry from other entryways that front the Main Street. The Wilson Garden occupies the lower half of a former vicarage garden, now Town property, and insures protection of a splendid view of the St. James Church tower.
Red brick walkways, more than wide enough for two persons to walk alongside each other and flat enough for handicap access, arch around an ellipse of green lawn. Two chunks of rough local stone and several specimen plantings are the only embellishments here. Deliberately left underplanted, this open space leads eyes up to the impressive view of the St. James tower.
The majority of plants that make up the main display areas grow bewteen the surrounding honey-colored stonewalls and the walkways. Here are specimen trees and shrubs underplanted with regal lilies, Lilium regale. Clematis and Lonicera vines climb the walls behind these display areas. There are smaller walkways that lead to comfortable wood benches perfectly placed for rest and conversation.
This garden is not a luxurious, colorful one, and most of Wilson's introductions will never be those to capture the senses with showy and garish color. Most of them, vigorous growers when planted in acceptable conditions, tend to be subtly beautiful and capture interest in small ways:
- Unusually colored bark;
- Intriguing leaf shapes;
- Fascinating, though perhaps unobtrusive, flowers; and
- Interestingly colored fruit.
However subtle most of his introductions are, Wilson is reputed to have said that if he were remembered for one plant, he wanted it to be the regal lily, Lilium regale. A guaranteed attention-grabber, this lily is also probably one of Wilson's most valuable Chinese finds. It is easy to grow, deeply fragrant, and increases quickly by seed and offshoots.
This garden ought to be inviting to gardeners and horticulturalists who value Wilson and his introductions as well as to townspeople and tourists. Shade from the surrounding walls and mature trees on neighboring properties makes Wilson's garden a good spot to sit and relax. Members of the horticultural fraternity should be pleased to find gathered together in one garden so many of the Wilson trees and woody ornamentals that they have learned to recognize in a hit-or-miss fashion. Along the wall near the entrance gate is an information kiosk detailing the plants within the garden as well as facts about the life and work of "Chinese" Wilson.
Chipping Campden is located 36 miles (57.9 km) from Oxford, 12 miles (19.3km) from Stratford-upon-Avon, and 4 miles (6.4km) from Hidecote Manor Garden. A stop at the information kiosk on the Main Street will save hunting for the garden.
©Text and photograph by Georgene A. Bramlage December 2006. Reproduction without permission prohibited.
