Gardens need some friends

In 2004, Jephson Gardens were judged by the Royal Horticultural Society to be the best public gardens in the country. Sadly I don’t think this could be repeated now as most of the gardens, particularly those near Newbold Terrace, look badly neglected.

By The Newsroom

Published 13th Oct 2013, 07:38 BST

I realise that the council doesn’t have funds to deal with the neglect and I am wondering if someone could be kind enough to start a Friends of Jephson Gardens Association to form a team of keen volunteers to make improvements. Unfortunately I am too old to get involved in much activity.

My wife, before she died 10 years ago, sometimes referred to as the ‘foxglove lady’ spent some years and many hours building up a natural collection of Digitalis - some 70 species and sub species - in the gardens.

These suffered vandalism and lack of council officials’ interest so my wife moved the collection to the Harris Gardens at Reading University where it is now thriving with the care of a friends society.

I believe that there is a horticultural society in Leamington but I think their main activities are talks and outings.

J.W. Jardine, Newbold Terrace East, Leamington

Gardens Leamington