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Gardening in the UK

Derek Jarman's Garden

21 years ago

I'll be down near Rye this weekend and fancy going to see Derek Jarman's garden near Dungeness. As I believe it is now owned and managed by his partner, can anyone tell me if there is any scheme for opening it to the public? Or do you just walk by and rubberneck - I don't want to intrude on anyone's privacy, though I assume it must be near a public road. Any information welcome.

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Comments (5)

stephenpope2000uk
21 years ago
No boundaries or fences - just endless shingle beach - so you can diplomatically take it all in from the single-track tarmac road out front. Slightly embarrassing if HB's at home, I suppose. Poor guy must be sick of the rubberneckers. You can't easily miss Prospect Cottage - it's just as you'd expect from the book - but there is one other dead trendy looking cabin on the same stretch of road, complete with jet-black clapboard and designer glazing, plus cute retro Airstream caravan (sorry, TRAILER) outside. They're probably the sort of hot-shot architects who are on first name terms with Tony, Cherie and Richard Rogers. Their weekend shed is better than most people's homes.

If you're in the vicinity, Christopher Lloyd's Great Dixter is only ten miles north-west of Rye at Northiam...

Steve - Brighton, Sussex Coast, UK

PS I'm a tree fern and rainforest guy myself, and don't normally have a lot of time for blasted shingle deserts (or lowering nuclear power stations), but Derek J's 'garden' - if that's what it is - is a lovely and original creation.
garden_nerd
Original Author
21 years ago
Thanks, this is what I needed to know. Should be looking pretty good in early May.
I was planning to take in Great Dixter as well, Christopher lloyd is one of my gardening heroes.
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stephenpope2000uk
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If you're going to check it out, it's the Dungeness Road south-east out of Lydd. Once past the coastguard cottages, the road narrows to a single-track lane - Prospect Cottage is about 400 metres down on the right...maybe the tenth property you pass. The sculptural driftwood out front is the giveaway, although there is some imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery copying by the neighbours!

To be brutally honest, there's not much planting to see really. You won't hang around Prospect Cottage for more than a few minutes. But the whole Dungeness environment is so stunning that it's worth the trip anyway. The sea, the shingle wasteland, the strange cabins, corroding fisherman's junk, the self-seeded salty plants, the FABULOUS narrow-guage railway and tea-shop terminus, the lighthouse, the zero-CO2 emission nuclear facility...etc. The place as a whole justifies the trip - Derek J's garden is just a bonus.

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stephenpope2000uk
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Heartened to read your support for Carol Klein on the other thread. She's too good for GW (and, regrettably, for some of us lot on this forum). Personally, I think she looks (and sounds) great. I suspect working on the programme might not be doing her conscience any good, though, and her discomfort is all to visible. Needs the money, I expect.

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garden_nerd
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21 years ago
Greatly enjoyed both gardens - noone was home at Prospect Cottage which made me feel better. The cottage two doors down has a sea-junk garden which was very interesting and worth a look as well. The egg and chips at the railway cafe were of high quality and the whole landscape fascinatingly ugly.

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Visit as soon as you can before it all changes forever.

Next on my list for this summer's visiting are East Ruston Vicarage and Will Giles' tropical garden. Anyone got any thoughts on these or other favourites they'd like to recommend?

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