The National Trust’s ‘Gardens and Landscape Parks Policy Paper’ (1993) outlines the position of historic gardens within the National Trust’s duty of care, where conservation is concerned with preserving maximum significance from the past to the future. Ensuring the transfer of maximum significance from the past to the future depends upon a variety of different factors.






These include:

• the resources and skills available
• effective and consistent management
• continuity of purpose
• a recognition that, while change is an inevitable part of the nature of the Gardens, large-scale restorations or recreations will be appropriate only rarely
• the quality of staffing
• the quality of research into the Gardens’ history and its current features

There should be a Conservation Plan for every park and garden, which should be managed according to a long-term plan . A Conservation Plan takes account of:

• the unique character, significance, and situation of any gardens
• the full history of the gardens, their design and style
• their contents, especially their plants
• the influence and taste of former owners (in the case of Ayscoughfee Hall, Maurice Johnson)
• present and proposed uses of the Gardens; the impact of visitors; the social value of the Gardens
• the interests of nature conservation and archaeology, environmental impact
• statutory listings and protection; planning considerations
• management constraints and resources, including health and safety considerations

The Conservation Policy for Ayscoughfee Hall Gardens is based on conserving their character as an early 18th-century garden with municipal overlays.

Plant Collection

Proper conservation of a garden is impossible without a thorough knowledge of its plant collection and a plant survey is an essential tool in the conservation process.

Two main principles govern Planting Policy. The first is that any plants used should be period-appropriate (at Ayscoughfee Hall having due regard to the constraints indicated by Maurice Johnson’s scheme). The second is that any plants used should survive, i.e. that due regard should be paid to climate, shade, and competition from other plants. The overall objective should be to preserve what survives of the original plantings in any given area of the garden, replacing where necessary, and attempting as far as possible to re-introduce the full range of original plantings.

Criteria for plant choice within the Planting Policy:

1. Replacement plants should, wherever possible, be of the original genetic material
2. New plants may be introduced where they are known to have been grown in historic planting schemes; this may be ascertained by plant lists, plant purchase accounts, photographs and other visual records, details of visits to the Garden, letters, etc.
3. Plants may also be introduced where it is known that they would have been available to those who laid out a given garden area at that period to which conservation and restoration has been deemed to be most appropriate
4. Plant labelling is used to record plant collections to ensure their permanent preservation, to support the keeping of accurate records; and to offer plant information and education to the public that will add to their enjoyment of the garden

Public Access and Facilities

The public’s demand for information must be satisfied while maintaining the spirit and ambience, historic quality and individuality of the Garden. It is important therefore to avoid detracting from the overall appearance of the Garden through excessive labelling. Not every plant in the Garden can or should be labelled: it is not a formal botanical garden. But plants that are of particular interest to the gardens, of particular historic interest, or of particular interest to visitors, should and must be labelled. Visitor information should also be provided through means such as leaflets, guides, exhibitions and audio systems if the labelling of certain areas is considered unsuitable.

Within the constraints of conservation, all visitors should be actively enabled to enjoy their visit, through a conscious effort to focus on visitor experience. There is no common prescription, each property offers a unique experience, may attract a different audience and will require a different approach. The information which is communicated must be accurate and presented in a way which enhances the visitors’ understanding of the property and encourages them to visit and make use of the property.

Signposting

For all forms of access, the key requirement is good signposting. The white on brown road sign policy has been amended recently making signposting easier. Signs should be sensitively sited and provide appropriate information clearly and simply.

Recommendations for Visitor Reception

Ideally a reception area will allow for:

• Efficient ticketing
• Security checks
• Cloakroom and provision of alternative footwear if required
• Advice and facilities for disabled visitors (taking into account current and possible future legislation)
• Information about education activities and facilities
• Telephone facilities
• Orientation and information on guide books and guiding services
• The property should present clearly the key features of the site at and before the visitor reception point

Visitor Orientation and Movement

A key requirement is the need to orientate arriving visitors on what to see, where to see it and why it is worth seeing. This is particularly important in the gardens where routes may not be so clear or easily signed. Visitors should also be made aware of the different means of interpretation available, e.g. guided tours and guide books.

Reception staff are best suited to do this, but may be supplemented by leaflet and orientation panels at the entrance with relevant signposts.