Splendid Snowdrops in Dr Jenner’s Garden
Edward Jenner Museum
Dr Jenner’s House in Berkeley will be opening its garden once again as part of the National Gardens Scheme. After two successful Garden Open Days, visitors will once again be welcomed into Dr Jenner’s garden as part of this worthy scheme to raise funds for charities.
The snowdrops are already out in Dr Jenner’s Garden, and we may well see some daffodils and crocuses by the Garden Open day. The team at Dr Jenner’s House will be on hand to tell visitors more about the garden’s plants and key features including the medicinal herb garden, vinery and Temple of Vaccinia.
Edward Jenner was a keen gardener and one of his prized possessions was the vine which he nurtured from cuttings taken at Hampton Court Palace and which he planted in his newly extended vinery. To this day, it produces delicious grapes which are on sale at Dr Jenner’s House in the summer months.
Jenner is most famous for pioneering vaccination and visitors to his Garden will get the chance to step inside the unique, thatched summerhouse in the grounds. Used by Jenner to provide free vaccinations against smallpox in a bid to rid the world of the disease, the building was aptly named ‘The Temple of Vaccinia’.
Those who attended last year’s Garden Open Day will see one major change: our beautifully renovated boundary wall on the west border of the garden. Work to restore the wall was completed in the spring of 2012 after its collapse due to frost damage in 2011.
This year, visitors will also see the trench where Archaeology students from The University of Bristol began excavations in May 2012 as part of their annual field studies. The trench has been left open to enable students returning in May this year immediate access to the rich history beneath Jenner’s lawn. Amongst other finds in June 2012, the Team uncovered a Viking cloak pin and an Anglo-Saxon strapend with a zoomorphic (animal) head.
Helen Jeffrey, Education and Audience Engagement Manager said: The Garden Open Day gives visitors an exceptional opportunity to visit off-season and see Jenner’s garden begin to blossom whilst supporting an excellent cause.
There will be plants for sale, free children’s explorer trails, plus hot drinks and cakes to enjoy. Garden open 11am-4pm. Entry £3.00 for adults, children free. All ticket proceeds go to National Garden Scheme.
More information about 2013 events at Dr Jenner’s House can be found on the website below.
