Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens are absolutely delighted to announce the award of a generous £89,300 grant from  HS2, marking the beginning of an exciting eighteen-month project entitled Restoring Nature, Creating Access.

This significant funding brings renewed hope and determination as we embark on vital restoration and improvements throughout our cherished historic gardens and city green spaces.

This grant will allow us to undertake a transformative project, including restoration of boundary trees, replenishing hundreds of metres of box hedging lost to BoxMoth, enhancing biodiversity, opening up new and improved access paths, and championing composting and sustainable practices within the Gardens and local community.

The funding is from HS2s Community and Environment Fund (CEF) which was created to provide benefits to communities along the line of route that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of the new railway.  Further information about CEF can be found at: https://www.groundwork.org.uk/hs2funds.

Head Gardener, Denise Seckham, shares her pride in the largely volunteer team’s resilience, as they thoughtfully balance the requirements of the historic gardens’ early18th-century design with contemporary environmental needs. The loss of the emblematic Box hedging in recent years has been a real test, emotionally and physically, but this new support inspires renewed efforts and optimism for the future.

Liam Byrne, MP for HodgeHill and North Solihull, whose constituency included the Gardens and Parkland says

“The work done by the charity on the Gardens and Parkland is inspiring. The funding from HS2 will provide much needed support for the Charity to continue to look after these valued and valuable historic green spaces. It will enable to continue expand

community participation and foster deeper appreciation of this unique natural environment by facilitating access to leisure and providing formal training opportunities.”

The CEF funding in combination with vital financial contributions from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust UK and The Rowlands Trust means our Gardens are now well-placed to tackle these challenges, safeguarding the historic character of the estate while embracing innovation and sustainability. The project is due to commence in early summer and will run through to the end of 2027, working hand-in-hand with our ongoing seasonal maintenance and the rhythm of nature itself.

The Gardens team is deeply committed to minimising disruption for visitors and ensuring that our vibrant calendar of events and activities continues uninterrupted.

Community engagement and volunteer involvement remain at the heart of everything we do, in keeping with our forty-year tradition, and we warmly invite everyone to keep an eye out for ways to participate as this exciting project unfolds. Together, we are shaping an inspiring future for Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens!

Helloes, goodbyes and a new Chair

Introducing fresh leadership and vision to the charity

We are delighted to announce that we have just welcomed landscape architect Angela Wolferstan of TeaselFinch as a new trustee and director of the Trust and appointed current Trustee, Bethan Collerton, as the Trust’s new Chair.

At the Annual General Meeting held earlier this month we also said a sad goodbye to Helen Johnson who has stepped down after six years. Helen’s heritage expertise, (as Community Engagement and Partnerships Officer with Staffordshire Archives & Heritage Service) as well as her clear, diplomatic approach has been of considerable value to the Gardens and the Board’s work over the last difficult years. A formal vote of thanks was passed – echoed with much informal agreement.

Although still a small group, the Board is confident that it is successfully building a set of diverse and relevant expertises (and shared passion!) which will help guide the Trust into its 41^st year and beyond.

We are particularly pleased that Bethan, (Head Gardener at Birmingham Botanical Gardens) has stepped up to the position of Chair of the Trust, a role that has lain vacant for over 6 years! Her willingness to take on this position of leadership indicates that the Trust is truly ready to grow and deliver on our goals – even in these tough times.

Each trustee brings a unique set of skills and valuable experience to our board. We are confident that their collective wisdom will further strengthen our organisation and help us achieve even greater success.

• Bethan Collerton (Chair)

Bethan is Head Gardener at Birmingham Botanical Gardens having moved from Yorkshire and working for English Heritage. She brings a wealth of practical and planning knowledge and is currently supporting our hard-working Gardeners weather the storm in the face of Box Moth and climate change affected growing. Trustee since Aug 2024

• Seb Lovell-Huckle

Seb is a senior arts leader with extensive experience of leading organisations. Currently Manager of Birmingham Opera Company, he has led a range of musical organisations in the region including English Symphony Orchestra and Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. He is an experienced trustee with excellent arts fundraising and governance experience his skills are very welcome.

Trustee since Aug 2024

• Ted Richards OBE

Ted’s connection with both the Hall and the Gardens Trust goes back a very long way. A senior engineer by trade, he once lived at the Hall itself during his apprenticeship with GEC. As well as serving as Councillor to the Parish and subsequently the Borough Council for more than 50 years (including seven years as Leader of SMBC), Ted has been a trustee since the formation of the Trust in 1985 and helped see the Trust through many developments and changes.

Trustee since 1985

• Angela Wolferstan

A landscape architect with experience in design of schools, hospitals and residential developments. Previously manager of a small estate and large country garden as well as being a lab biochemist isolating plant chemicals from British plants historically used for medicinal purposes researching their potential use as modern day medicinal drugs for cancer, HIV and diabetes treatment.

Trustee since Oct 2025

Looking Ahead

We are excited – cautiously- about the future and look forward to working closely with everyone in our new Board. Together, we will continue to champion our amazing historic, community and environmental asset.

If you would like to learn more about our trustees or get involved with our charity, please visit our website or contact us directly. Thank you for your continued support!

Being welcoming and getting on with everyone is a core value for us at the Gardens Trust. So it’s unusual for us to speak out publicly about our neighbours.

The large Castle Bromwich Conservation Area is a rather rare combination of important historic buildings and natural landscapes. The 60 acres is of national significance especially surrounded, as we are, by a highly industrialised cityscape. All of us who live and work within the Conservation Area have, to greater or lesser degree, a responsibility to look after our little bit of the history as well as looking out for the long term survival of the whole.

With 20 years experience within the wider heritage sector, I know personally how hard it is to ensure financial viability for the nation’s heritage. Historic England always advises that buildings and landscapes be put ‘to appropriate and viable use where possible’  in order to sustain the historic environment. A hotel is often a very successful way of ensuring listed buildings remain intact.

We think that this can certainly work for Castle Bromwich Hall and have always tried to work together with the owners and staff for the betterment of the whole.

The ‘temporary’ marquee

Having remained discreet, in public, about the marquee built by the hotel 6 years ago, without planning permission, we now feel it is time to speak out against the latest planning application.

Our general objection, in tandem with all the national and regional heritage organisations, remains the same now as it was in 2019 when the marquee, a ‘temporary structure’, was first built. The marquee is a visually inappropriate structure for the surrounding 18th century landscape and, positioned directly next to the Gardens’ public access, is doubly intrusive.

In addition to the general objection, we feel the operational management of the area has fallen far below acceptable limits. In our submission on the Council’s planning portal we also cite the increase in vermin, the lack of adequate sewage expansion (for which we often suffer as we are ‘down the line’ of the piping), the failure of management to prevent fireworks being set off close to a Grade1 building (!!) and the failure to keep noise levels and interruption within acceptable and legal limits.

Indeed, we were very surprised to read that the planning application asserts that the west side of the marquee is adjacent to 500m of parkland and therefore noise spill is not a consideration. This would seem to totally ignore the presence and experience of the Gardens’ 21,000 visitors.

We still fully support the Hall owners’ efforts to run a profitable business to improve the sustainability of the historic building. However, this can only be valid if the rules, by which the rest of us also have to comply, are respected and worked to.

We cannot see how the marquee, nor the way the events are run on site contribute to the longer term viability of the whole.

We are very aware of the growing disquiet among local residents about other unpleasant and dangerous behaviour locally.  It is in the interests of everyone, within and adjacent to the Conservation Area, that the Hall, Gardens, Church and Parkland are seen, and experienced, as blessings not curses. Working together, and within the shared rules, is essential.

UPDATE on the BoxMoth issue

Over the last six weeks –  aided by some strong and willing corporate volunteers- the Gardening team has finished grubbing out about 40% of our 1.2km of box hedging and topiary. 

The visual shock for visitors is great.  We are all experiencing the sadness – all the Gardeners especially.

The hedging is a fundamental design element for our early 18th century Garden. As our Head Gardener, Denise, says ‘in 1720 there was no Box Moth so historically accurate responses arent really possible.’

Taking advice from other heritage sites and working practically together the Gardeners do have a plan for the short term as well as the longer term. The first takes a lot of effort, work and time, the second will depend on us raising more money for replacement planting (we reckon about £40k).

See below for some of the mitigation work our marvellous team are involved with as winter approaches… Please be kind to them if you  catch them at work (we’re making sure there’re lots of supplies of cake and biscuits for their morning breaks) and please be patient with the changes that will have to be made in the Gardens we all share and love.

It’s not just the drought that’s making the gardens look very dry and brown this year. You’ll notice that much of our 1200 metres of box hedging and topiary is looking decidedly dry, bare and positively skeletal.

This is not just lack of water, nor is it box blight, it is the result of Box-tree caterpillar infestation, Cydalima perspectalis.

Many local people have been telling us of their own experience of the devastating effect of the Box tree Caterpillar. For the last two years we hoped we’d kept the box tree Caterpillar at bay. You will have seen the little green jars hanging from shepherd’s crooks around the Gardens over the last couple of years. These are part of our integrated pest management system which includes biological control and changes to cutting regimes. However, the exceptional dry and sunny weather this spring seems to have benefitted the moth -which has at least two, sometimes 5 reproduction cycles just in one season.

We heard from other colleagues in the heritage gardens sector just how quickly box moth could devastate hedges. But even we were shocked at the speed of change. Earlier this season our Gardeners started implementing their emergency plan. Identifying some of the hedges that could be replaced by fencing or other plants, they have grubbed out, or cut down to the ground, smaller hedges around the gardens. You may not have noticed the loss of small hedges in the Melon Grounds and around the North wall borders. We have concentrated on trying to save those hedges and topiary which epitomise the early 18th century style of the Gardens.

What will happen?

Unfortunately, it is likely that more than 1/2 or up to 3/4 of the hedges will not survive this summer. While some will revive, even if cut down to the ground, they will still be vulnerable to the box tree Caterpillar next year.

The gardens community across northern Europe have been experimenting and researching over the last five to 10 years on alternatives to box. Everyone recognises that there are very few other plants as flexible and as useful as Box – especially when it comes to heritage and historic garden style.

We’re still listening and learning from other places, in the meantime we are replacing some edging with hedge germander, Teucrium lucidrys, which while pretty, cannot be used as a ‘proper’ Hedge. We are also trying to raise funds to purchase thousands of Yew plants to replace at least the parterre on the far South wall border. This parterre is in the shape of our trust’s logo, so we can’t really lose it. We hope you will bear with us while we find affordable and resistant replacements.

The Box Moth was first identified in Britain in 2007 and has now reached most of the UK. Originating in warmer climes,  the Box moth is just one of many changes that are a result of climate change across the world. The moth has very few natural enemies, but there are sightings and observations that northern european birds are beginning to recognise the caterpillar as an acceptable food source. We can only hope that overtime adaptation will occur.

While adaptation often takes a long time to develop, there is hope. For example, the disease Ash Dieback devastated many trees over the last decade or so, but there are now signs that naturally resistant varieties of Ash are appearing.

In the meantime, the Gardeners will try to manage our hedging as well as they can and we will continue to fundraise for replacements. We are also keeping a weather eye  (sic!) out for how the drought this year is affecting the different varieties of apples and pears in our two orchards. Many of the trees are showing signs of acute distress and are dropping their fruit before time. How this will affect this years yield and the production of fruit juice we don’t yet know.

Our hearts go out to farmers across the country whose crops and herds are suffering already, with many winter crops, put aside for animals in the winter having already failed. We are proud to be able to preserve the biodiversity of ancient fruit varieties  through our two historic orchards. While we are not a Botanic or scientific garden, we hope we can nevertheless play some part in supporting future food security in the face of climate change.

Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens are celebrating receiving a prestigious Green Flag Award for the Parkland.

Castle Bromwich Historic Parkland has achieved the coveted Green Flag Award as it is officially recognised as one of the country’s best parks The historic parkland in Castle Bromwich, affectionately known as ‘Lady Brad’s’’ raises prestigious Green Flag Community Award after achieving international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

Castle Bromwich Hall and Gardens Trust is celebrating after receiving a Green Flag Award for the 30 acre historic Parkland it manages alongside the 350year old formal Gardens.

The site is one of 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award, which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

The news that ‘Lady Brads’ has met the standards required for the accreditation is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that care for the green space so that visitors and residents alike can enjoy it.

The 30 acre historic Parkland is just one section of a wider Conservation Area, the largest in the Borough and Constituency, in the built up area of East Birmingham.
Dating back over 400 years the Parkland is a valued piece of history and a vital space for nature in the industrialised landscape.

Olly Pickering, the Trust’s Parkland Manager commented, ”Over a period of just four years we have been able to stop the rapid decline and loss of some valuable habitats, restored wetlands and opened up pathways, making it good for wildlife and a much safer place for locals to spend time.”

“While both Birmingham and Solihull Councils retain overall responsibility for the open space”, says Olly, “it has been our independent Trust and local volunteers who’ve raised the grant funds from various resources and done work to restore and manage the Parkland.”

Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

“Quality parks and green spaces like the Castle Bromwich Parkland which make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

“Crucially, Castle Bromwich Historic Parkland is a vital green space for communities in Birmingham and Solihull to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under
licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and
rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the
management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

 

We are very proud to have won this Green Flag Award because it is the benchmark standard for the management of outdoor spaces around the world. Highlighting the hard work that has been put into caring for our green spaces.

More about the Green Flag Awards

 

There are many things involved in the management of outdoor spaces and visiting judges score a site based on a list of 27 criteria. Which includes what they on the day and the sites management plan.

 

• A Welcoming Place
• Good and Safe Access
• Signage
• Equal Access to All
• Appropriate Provision of Quality Facilities and Activities
• Safe Equipment and Facilities
• Personal Security
• Control of Dogs/Dog Fouling
• Litter and Waste Management
• Horticultural Maintenance
• Arboricultural Maintenance
• Building and Infrastructure Maintenance
• Equipment Maintenance
• Managing Environmental Impact
• Waste Minimisation
• Chemical Use
• Peat Use
• Climate Change Adaption Strategies
• Management of Natural Features; Wild Fauna and Flora
• Conservation of Landscape Features
• Conservation of Buildings and Structures
• Community Involvement in Management and Development
• Appropriate Provision for Community
• Marketing and Promotion
• Appropriate Information Channels
• Appropriate Educational Interpretational Information
• Implementation of Management Plan

To find out more about what a Green Flag Award mean please click here. 

If you love our Green Flag Award winning Parkland as much as we do consider donating. As a charitable trust we greatly appreciate any support that comes our way.