Outing to Compton Acres

Deep mist and heavy rain, wellies left at home, after all it is July. Drip, drip, drip from the overflowing guttering and heavens above, in front of me is a sign about Compton Acres having the invasive Curly Waterweed, it was certainly watery but I couldn’t see many weeds! 
Pippa took us on our walk through all the gardens with their many educational notices about protecting and conserving wildlife, birds and woodlands, marine plastic pollution and a happier one about its own bee colonies. 
Designed in the 1920’s by Thomas William Simpson, a margarine magnet, and constructed under supervision of his head gardener, Arthur Middleton, five contrasting garden designs were created.  Since then the gardens have experienced periods of neglect, change, restoration and reduction in size for housing development, being owned by the current owners since 2003.

Visiting first the small formal Roman Courtyard Garden then into the gloomy Grotto and out into brightly planted and spacious, classical Great Italian Garden with its Italian Villa, temple, columns, statuary, topiary and fountains, as well as 1,260 begonia planting, is supposed to give the feeling of arriving under Mediterranean skies.  Passing putti this upper terrace leads to a small richly foliated pond and somewhat darker, centrally bedded, Palm Court with antique well head and unhappy lionAll of the construction had been carried out by hand on the dry, sandy heathland.

The Wooded Valley set below Scots Pines with meandering paths between cascades, rock outcrops and woodland pools, offset by rhododendrons and camelias.  Where shady glades are planted with low woodland loving plants and spring bulbs. The bog garden is below the original entrance above steep steps.  The whole garden is miraculous as it weaves its way around building development which is hidden by foliage.

The Rock and Water Garden was created using hundreds of tonnes of limestone and sandstone rock, has picturesque scenes through tunnels, over bridges and pools, reflecting the sculptures and ornamental trees as well as three hundred different kinds of rock plants.

The Heather Garden was originally the summer home of Thomas Simpson’s cactus and succulent collection but lost to WWII.  Later the garden was redesigned into a heather garden with rock outcrops, it has over a hundred different plant forms, the occasional dwarf conifer and grass clumps.
The Memory Garden, has a sad story as originally a picnic arbour, but altered to commemorate the death of the owners’ children, one as a WWII pilot and their two daughters of polio.

The design and construction of the Japanese Garden with its serpentine paths and large koi pool, tea and summer houses were supervised by Japanese craftsmen and the artefacts imported from Japan and with many of the plants being of Japanese origin.  The tea house being one hundred years old is too vulnerable to visit but is a stunning focus point for the surrounding wisteria, azaleas, maples, cherries and other Asiatic shrubs.  The storks, stone frog and broken bridge together with the gate, where the dragon tries to catch the dove, all relate to superstition and mythology.

Compton Acres has something for everyone whatever the weather.  The piece de resistance to my eyes was the koi pool in the Japanese garden, created in a relatively small area, with its lush surroundings I felt transported into another land, the rain seeming to add authenticity.
Throughout all the gardens are antique statuary and modern sculptures, some from far-flung continents or local artists, including Bridport’s own Brendon Murless.

Photos & Text by Sarah Herring