Grotto
The Grotto is a stone folly which was previously overgrown with ivy. The woody vegetation growing within the walls was causing the stones to be displaced, posing a Health and Safety risk.
The works, which were completed in 2022 and cost £35,000, took 5 weeks to complete and aimed to restore the grotto to its original condition by installing stainless steel ties/cramps into the stonework and structure behind. The fence was removed to make the entrance more accessible and allows for guests to sit on the repurposed wooden bench made by the Forestry team and look out through one of Capability Brown's strategic viewpoints.
The Gardens team, was also involved in the relandscaping of the area, including erecting bat boxes to provided ecological enhancements to the site. Bats are a protected species in the UK so in order for the works to take place we obtained a special license and undertook the works outside the hibernation period between April to October.
First image shows the before, second after.
