West Wight People and Place: Garden Manager Ellen Penstone-Smith
What gives an area its sense of place? The answer to this question might lie in the landscape or in the distinctive buildings of the place. Community interaction may also be important, as well as a sense of wellbeing and culture or the knowledge that people may hold for their immediate surroundings.
The strength and diversity of the local economy may also feature as well as any attachment that people hold for the area, be they visitors, recent newcomers or born and bred residents who can trace their family ties back generations.
In an attempt to answer this question, Pete Johnstone set himself a challenge and that was to find the sense of place of West Wight through photographing people living and working in the area and asking them about their connection to this largely rural area. This is Pete’s second West Wight People and Place challenge with this time having an emphasis on the Island’s Biosphere Reserve status acquired in 2019.
Meeting Ellen In the walled garden.
Farringford House and Gardens.
I met up with Ellen Penstone-Smith, garden manager at Farringford House, home to the Victorian poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, on a frosty winter’s morning. The last time I had visited the garden was in the previous summer and the walled garden, in particular, had been packed full of colour. On today’s visit the garden is wearing more muted winter colours.
The Oak poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
The Cedar of Lebanon standing next to Farringford House.
As we walked around the walled garden Ellen explained that she had grown up on the Island and had studied at The Isle of Wight college while also volunteering at Ventnor Botanic Garden.
Ellen explained: “I have many special memories of West Wight, especially spending time at Brook with my grandad and ‘Uncle Bill’, who was a lifeboat man and a local character. My father is a well-known chainsaw sculptor on the Island and our family goes back many generations. There are tales of suspected smugglers, but the family has a long history of working on the land in some form or another.”
The mature trees around Farringford House are a prominent feature of the landscape.
Aged 19, Ellen left the Island to study horticulture at RHS Wisley before gaining a coveted place on the Kew Diploma at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London. After graduating from Kew, Ellen worked on private gardens before taking a teaching position at Merrist Wood College in Surrey.
However, when the opportunity to live and work back on the Island came up, Ellen jumped at the chance. The job meant being outside battling the elements again, but it was a rare opportunity to start a garden from scratch. It had great potential to become part of the local community and a tourist attraction, which also attracted Ellen.
The greenhouse as seen in late summer 2017.
The greenhouse in winter 2022.
According to legend, Tennyson’s maid cried when she first arrived at Farringford on a cold, bleak, January day. When Ellen and her husband arrived on a cold, bleak, February day in 2017, Ellen said she felt empathy for what that maid had felt all those years ago.
“We had very few tools and the walled garden was just an empty field! So, we set about planning the garden and ordering plants. By May of that year we had planted out the two long borders either side of the central path in the walled garden.”
The Walled Garden and central path as seen in late summer 2017.
Ellen continued: “Part of our brief was to create a haven for pollinators, butterflies and to improve the habitat for wildlife. Although we didn’t know it at the time, this chimed well with the principles of the Island’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.”
“In setting up and managing the garden,” said Ellen, “we have tried to minimise our impact on the environment. Where possible, we have used peat-free compost; we use biodegradable or recyclable pots; biological controls; and compost our garden waste. Even the hazel around the garden is harvested from the estate.”
Ellen arrived at Farringford in 2017, and the garden is taking shape and becoming known. There are regular visitors who come to watch the garden change and develop over the open season, observe the flora and fauna or to walk their dogs around the estate.
“We have worked hard to make the garden a friendly and welcoming place,” says Ellen “and we have got to know quite a few locals from their visits to the garden. Many of whom now volunteer with us in the garden.”
Farringford House and the surrounding parkland with its mature trees is a prominent feature of the landscape and it lies within the Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. To the south, within a short walk lies Tennyson Down and the often wild and remote-feeling coastal path that runs from Freshwater Bay to The Needles. It is aptly named the Tennyson Heritage Coast.
New tree planting in the grounds is important to replace older trees and to improve the habitat for wildlife.
Ellen said that the exposed coastal position of the garden causes quite a few challenges. “Though the ‘borrowed’ landscape beyond the garden is stunning, with some great views. My style of gardening is quite naturalistic and rustic” she adds, “which suits Tennyson’s style perfectly.”
The view from Farringford House looking east towards Afton Down and the Tennyson Trail. Photograph taken in 2017.
“There are some paintings of the garden by famous Victorian artist Helen Allingham, which show quite loose cottage style plantings which we have tried to replicate. On a windy day you can imagine Tennyson making his way onto the downs wrapped up in his cloak and hat. There are beautiful coastal walks and a closeness to nature on this part of the island. I can see why Tennyson drew his inspiration from the estate and local landscape and made Farringford his home.”
For further details on Farringford House: Farringford Historic House and Isle of Wight Home of Tennyson
