The Bothy Gardens

I have had the opportunity to visit Burderop House on several occasions over this year, and very recently I’ve visited the Bothy Garden, which is on the edge of the estate. I didn’t even know it was there – it is beautiful, and the perfect place for me to visit as someone who isn’t keen on gardening one bit but loves to see gardens, flowers, shrubs and trees! I’m hoping to see far more of these gardens over the coming months.

It was back in 2021, that partners Jules Gilleland and Mark Wheeler, who is also known as ‘The Plant Hunter’, bought the site and are now investing into bringing a disused bothy and the surrounding Georgian walled garden back to life.

Jules and Mark aim to re-create a modern version of a walled garden and a Grade II* listed bothy, although still retaining its Georgian heritage and feeling. It will include greenhouses, the original Georgian one being restored, and others will be added to fit in with the style. There will also be flood plant beds, tiny classrooms for learning and nurseries for rare plants, including orchids.

What is a Bothy?

There are actually two meanings to the word – one: a basic shelter, usually found in the remote mountainous areas of Scotland, Northern England, Ulster and Wales, usually left unlocked for anyone to use free of charge if they are out roaming – given that the weather can be unpredictable making those landscapes very dangerous.

But the second, is what this bothy refers to – a term for basic accommodation, usually for gardeners or other workers on an estate. This is what this Bothy was used for during the Georgian period. Often workers would be housed in a loft area with the ground floor area being used for other purposes. These workers were servants and didn’t have the status of the Head Gardener, who would direct their daily tasks and who would generally have his own home elsewhere on the estate.

Walled Gardens

They are a feature of many large, old estate houses in the UK. You may be surprised to know, the walls were not built for security, but to protect the plants from winds and frost.

Many of the plants were bought from around the world, which meant plants, including fruit such as nectarines, peaches and grapes – not usually grown in the UK, could be grown and protected from the worst of the English weather. The reason walled gardens are built of brick or stone is because they absorb the heat from the sun, which is then slowly released into the garden.

At Burderop, work is well underway on both the garden and the bothy. Jules is an experienced designer and Mark an established horticulture expert, and also an experienced landscape designer and gardener, so the perfect couple for the job. When they bought the property, the bothy was being used as office space and for storage. Making use of all of their skills and knowledge and passion for the project, once the renovations are complete, the bothy will become their home.

­The old stone bothy dates back to the 1730s. Already, the interior has undergone an incredible transformation. The non-original flooring has been removed, the stone walls sandblasted and new insulation and concrete foundations installed. Underfloor heating is planned, along with polished concrete floors, which will accentuate the beauty of the old cottage.

Another aspect of the original building that is being salvaged, are the original wood doors; they’re going to be repurposed as sliding shutters. Many original stones are spread out across the site in random piles and most will now be reused too.

Jules and Mark have been equally busy in the garden too. Pathways and event areas are taking shape and much of the planting has started too.

The original greenhouse has also been revived, with the remaining glass removed, wood restored and new concrete flooring laid. Outside, the walls have been repointed. There’s still away to go but it’s thought this greenhouse will be devoted to growing orchids.

New fruit trees and shrubs have been planted to complement the existing ones. There have also been many days, taking care of the walls and removing the ivy that could further harm them.

The changes already taking place are wonderful, and it’s lovely to see a local, historical space coming back to life. I can’t wait to see the finished garden and cottage.

Jules and Mark want to share the garden with like-minded people who love gardening, nature, plants, art and wellbeing, and they hope people will take the opportunity to visit, work and maybe stay. With this in mind, the Bothy gardens are open to local volunteers for a day a month, and in the near future, Jules hopes to run art classes on the site for small groups. Those opportunities will be expanded over time.

You can follow the Bothy Gardens on Instagram, where Jules posts regularly about the journey so far. Also, if you’d like to find out more about volunteering opportunities and to register an interest in upcoming classes visit https://www.bothygardens.com/