Groundwork done to open ‘secret garden’ to the public

Volunteer Catherine Palmer has helped to restore the gardens at Cusworth Hall near Doncaster.

AN ARMY of green-fingered volunteers are rolling up their sleeves to breathe new life into a “secret garden” which has been hidden from the public for decades.

Work is underway to redevelop a forgotten corner of the parklands which surround Grade I-listed Cusworth Hall in Doncaster. The two-hectare walled site pre-dates the building itself and used to boast a kitchen garden and pavilion, but has been closed off for many years.

Site-owner Doncaster Council has now recruited a team of local gardening enthusiasts to form Cusworth Hall Gardens Trust, who will work with staff on plans to create a new working kitchen garden and community green to complement the 18th-century Palladian style hall and existing public park.

Coun Bob Johnson, cabinet member for culture and leisure, said: “There are many people who have never seen inside the walled gardens.

“This is a great example of  the council and volunteers working together on a project which will benefit the whole community.”

The council’s announcement comes after Cusworth Hall and Park was awarded prestigious Green Flag status.