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Make a donation or fund a baluster to help us restore the Peto balustrade around the lilypond in the Italian garden. We need to replace 91 of the 134 balusters. A donation of £250 will fund a new baluster, and if you are able to gift aid your donation, it will add to the amount available to the Trust. For more information and payment details go to our fundraising page where you will find the donation form.
The lilypond within the sunken Italian garden is a key part of the Harold Peto legacy at the Gardens. Peto designed the Italian garden for the Countess in 1902 and it has been a place of repose ever since, for the Countess’ visitors, who included Trade Unionists, Labourites and local socialists as well as aristocrats; and the American and RAF airmen and women on the Great Dunmow airfield on the estate after her death. Following its rediscovery, visitors have enjoyed seeing the borders brought back to life by the volunteer gardeners and the Trust is now on track to restore the balustrade, so that visitors can once again pose by the pond!
The new balusters will be turned from hamstone from Somerset, to match the original stone. The restoration will be undertaken by stonemasons from our region, with the balusters turned by specialists near the quarry. The Trust will match the funding it raises so that it can complete the project in early 2021.