Sun, 01 Jun 2008
Manmade in Britain
This week, I had the quiet pleasure of walking through the perfectly prim Abbey Gardens in the historical town of Bury St Edmunds. This rather grandiose park is the epitome of British municipal gardening. Even after a weekend of torrential rain it was disturbingly perfect, having the look and feel of being planted only five minutes ago (but the gardeners and groundsmen were suspiciously absent, perhaps they work only at night). There was an eerie mood of enforced restraint, a you can look, but don't touch about it. This is a green-fingered cultural oasis akin to the surreal world of the Stepford Wives and The Prisoner. There could be no carefree skipping across the grass or leisurely picnics, as a medley of beds and borders of the most unnatural shapes and designs surround you at every turn, planted with the most mathematical precision. I half expected a loud halo to sound from within the primulas and shout at us keep back! should we linger too long or even dare to touch them.

Abbey Gardens appears to be the gardening equivalent of microwave ready-meals, perfectly packaged and proportioned, packed with artificial flavourings and colourings, gardens-to-go for tired and hungry eyes. This municipal style of gardening is quite disorientating and a little uninspiring in its vain efforts to look pristine, although high praise must be given to those that meticulously tend these verdant symbols of respectable Britishness; but within this very orderly planted environment any connection to nature is hopelessly lost beneath the gaudy glitz and glamour, there is little space for native flora or fauna to give a truer sense of place. However, it's still worth a visit if you are passing by and have an hour to fill, so if this sugar-coated horticulture seems appealing this summer, then read more about the Abbey Gardens history here, and there is even an Abbey Gardens webcam for the curious; I'll be checking it out daily for any signs of wildlife...

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