One of the finest gardens in England launches crowdfunding campaign to save its future

The Garden House, in Buckland Monachorum, Devon, is reaching out to friends, partners and visitors to ask for their support to help it stay open for generations to come.

The Dartmoor based charity has launched a crowdfunding campaign as part of Crowdfunder.co.uk’s Pay It Forward to raise £20,000 - vital funds it needs to re-open once the COVID 19 health crisis has passed. So far, in just its first weekend, the campaign has raised £12,000.

“The Garden House took the decision, with great regret, to close our gardens as we monitor the current public health situation - but a crisis such as this, and the knock on impact it can have, puts our very existence, as a small charity, at risk. So we urgently need the community’s support to help keep this garden open for future generations,” said The Garden House’s Chair of Trustees, Matt Jackson.

The beautiful Devon garden filled with rare and beautiful plants, is looked after by a small and passionate team of staff, students and volunteers, has featured on BBC Gardeners World and is a favourite of Toby Buckland and Carol Klein. It’s become famous for its annual Snowdrop Festival and stunning Acer Glades.

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/v8J_hrNUGds

The Garden House is owned by The Fortescue Garden Trust, a charity dedicated to continuing to look after the beautiful garden and preserve it for generations to come. The charity aims to be able to continue to share this unique and special place which brings the community together, nurturing a love for nature and educating young and old alike.

Now the team are hoping to raise £20,000 on crowdfunder.co.uk to help protect its future. People who want to support the Garden House can just donate, or they can pledge money in return for rewards: £10 pledged gets a tweet of thanks, £35 pledged will receive annual membership, there are also lifetime memberships, goodie bags and grand days out - for £1500 you can even sponsor a beautiful oak bench for The Garden House. Pledges also attract gift aid which increases the value raised for The Garden House.

On Crowdfunder there are a range of match funds - and The Garden House Team hope that with pledges from the crowd they can unlock match funding from Devon County Council and West Devon Council. “That’s why every pledge counts - it all helps us to unlock match fund, so we really hope people will pledge what they can. If you love our beautiful place as much as we do, now is the time to help if you can!” says Karen Willcocks. 

The house and gardens that form The Garden House were bought in the 1940s by Lionel and Katharine Fortescue. Over the next 40 years the Fortescues created a garden which was – and continues to be – viewed as one of the finest in Britain. 

The Garden House is now run as charity with a social purpose. It aims to help people in respect of:

• Education/training

• Arts/culture/heritage/science

• Environment/conservation/heritage

• Recreation

All money pledged will help to make sure The Garden House can re-open for the community - both locally and also nationally - bringing tourists into the area, providing jobs, student and volunteering opportunities and helping the economy.