Sue Spielberg working in her own garden: ‘increasingly it is creating habitats for wildlife and working with Nature that is holding my attention now.’
The Friends of Lydiard Park are working with St. Mary’s Church to beautify the historic churchyard, encouraging biodiversity, meadow planting and improving access to its numerous Grade II Listed table tombs. Garden and ecology adviser Sue Spielberg has been recruited to develop the plan and she has already begun surveying the site, looking for ways to harmonise its natural beauty and ecology with the need for public access.
The churchyard officially closed for burials in 1886 and maintenance falls on church volunteers and the small Lydiard Park gardening team. Over the years wildflowers have been planted but the hope is that more can be done to help them thrive. Some of the chest tombs are cloaked in brambles and views of the parkland obscured, though if you are thinking of visiting don’t be put off, there is still lots to discover and enjoy now.
St. Mary’s Vicar, Revd. Captain Clive Deverell says:
The Churchyard at St. Mary’s is an important place for many reasons. Visitors come for a variety of different reasons from a peaceful stroll to following our fun family discovery trails, researching their ancestors or posing for wedding photographs. Having an attractive eco-friendly care plan will help us make all these experiences as joyful as possible.
Sue Spielberg says she is looking forward to helping transform the churchyard. She studied horticulture at Kew and has written several gardening handbooks for The National Trust and designed planting schemes for both private and commercial clients. A dedicated plantswoman, Sue says she increasingly drawn towards creating habitats for wildlife and working with Nature.