Masterplan and Parkland Plan for Grade II Warley Place home of Ellen Willmot, of ‘Wilmott’s Ghost’ fame. In conjunction with our consultant ecologists, building conservation specialists, arboriculturists, hydrologists and farm advisors, our proposals integrated cultural significance farming and ecology. We worked closely with the Essex Wildlife Trust and volunteers, who have worked for years to save this important site. 

The combination of the rich ecology, veteran and champion trees with the garden’s cultural heritage shows how a significant historic landscape can be managed for access, nature and ecological benefit with a robust and creative plan. 

Ellen Willmott, famous plant breeder and horticulturist was amongst the first exponents of ‘wild gardening’. Her “right plant right place” mantra set the scene for ecological gardening as a synthesis of ecology and horticulture, thus its social significance is also of key importance.  . Our Warley Parkland Plan champions this ethos, provides a robust basis for decision making and prioritising of work, both capital, ecological and, maintenance. 

The strategy presents a number of different strands which make up a realistic vision for Warley Place, based on:

• Warley as a historic garden

• Warley as a spectacular plant-breeding enterprise:

• Warley as an early site for the wide-spread naturalising of plants

• Warley as a ‘romantic ruin’

• Warley as a nature reserve and with protected spp and SSSI status returned

• Warley as an accessible garden 

With our sub-consultant team we provided costings, proposals for veteran trees, hydrology, historic structures, landscape and ecological restoration, satifying for Historic & Natural England’s Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship.