In 2000 the original pear trees were removed because they had become entangled with the framework. The ironwork was repaired, and replacement trees planted. Recently these plants, grown on a poor rootstock, have declined, and succumbed to various fruit tree diseases.

In February 2024, our garden team planted 22 new pear trees, provided by the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale, and grown on a semi-vigorous rootstock, which should mean the trees grow strong and tall enough to once again cover the metal structure. The new underplanting was designed to better reflect the romantic, floristic Art’s & Craft’s style which influenced the design of Kipling’s garden, with an extended period of interest achieved through the careful selection of plants providing flower and leaf interest from March to November.

Len Bernamont, Gardens and Outdoors Manager at Bateman’s says: “Pear Alley is one the most significant surviving features of Rudyard Kipling's garden. The Queen's Green Canopy fund and a donation from the Eastbourne NT Association have provided us with an opportunity to restore this feature closer to the way it originally would have looked, and at the same time, introduce more blossom and variation in flower forms to provide forage for pollinators in the garden.”

Experimenting with fresh ideas

Gardens continually evolve, and our gardening team is always investigating new planting ideas, particularly in the Mulberry Garden which, although referred to as Kipling’s kitchen garden, was formal in design; the planting was largely a mixture of herbaceous perennials and shrubs with the clever use of fruit trees adding both structure and productive qualities to what was a very ornamental design. We currently use annual flowers and vegetables to reflect the same ornamental and productive qualities of Kipling’s earlier design.

‘Each year we conjure with new and varied planting combinations to create what we like to call ‘a fusion of food and flower’.’

– Len Bernamont, Garden and Outdoors Manager at Bateman’s

The challenges posed by flooding

One big challenge our gardeners face is contending with historic winter flooding of the lower parts of the garden from the River Dudwell, which flows through the Wild Garden.

Managing the water

At Bateman's, we are currently working with other organisations including the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Southeast Rivers Trust and Environment Agency to develop a natural flood management plan. Methods being considered include log bunds, which allow the river to flow freely at normal levels but during a flood, when the water tops its banks, they force it out into fields that have the capacity to hold it.

Creating new habitats

Tree and hedge planting will capture and slow more of the water running off the slopes, with depressions created in some of the fields, to hold even more water for longer. Not only will these actions mitigate the flooding, they will create new habitats for a variety of species, including wading birds.

Other challenges

Being open for 363 days of the year means we do all the garden maintenance, such as lawn repair, in public view. We carry out as much noisy machinery work as we can out of hours but working in view of visitors does enable lots of opportunities to engage with people hopefully allowing a much deeper insight into our conservation work.

Winter jobs in the garden

In comparison to the abundant, colourful borders and flowerbeds of summer, the winter garden at Bateman's can be less vibrant. However, our garden team can't afford to sit back and relax as there are a surprising number of jobs that need to be done during this quiet time.

Trimming the hedges

One substantial task that needs doing in winter is to clip the many yew hedges around the garden, as well as the rows of pleached limes on the lawn. This is carried out meticulously by our team of gardeners and opens up the views from the garden out across the estate.

Christmas

The festive season is a busy time at Bateman's, full of activity as we welcome visitors to enjoy our special themed Christmas events, activites and decorations.

'In January and February, the garden becomes Kipling's 'good and peaceable place' and visitors and staff can enjoy the tranquillity of their surroundings, while taking in views and the structural elements of the garden that can only be seen at this time of year. I love the view over the estate at this time of year; reminding me of the strong connection between the garden and the landscape that inspired so much of Kipling's later writings.’

- Len Bernamont, Garden and Outdoors Manager

Planning for next year

There are many jobs to do at this time of year, especially as the days get shorter. But while putting the garden to bed, the gardeners at Bateman’s are already thinking ahead to their spring jobs. They know it won’t be long until they see the first green leaves and developing flower heads of the snowdrops in January that herald the vibrant spring colour to come.

Our work on the estate at Bateman's

Conservation activities

Bateman's estate covers over 300 acres and has a wealth of different habitats for wildlife – hay meadows, coppiced woodland, ponds, streams and a river. Our team carries out conservation activities throughout the year to maintain these habitats and protect the wildlife living in them, including coppicing in the winter and restoring the hay meadows in the summer.

Pond improvements at Bateman’s

On the estate, there are 19 ponds (remnants of the Wealden iron industry) that became overgrown. Our team has worked hard to revitalise some of these to create a habitat to attract rare amphibians, as well as dragonflies and damselflies, with ponds at different stages of succession.

In 2016, we successfully applied for grant funding for work on three of the ponds on the Bateman's estate. Contractors de-silted the ponds, and some of the trees were cleared from around them to allow more light and warmth onto the water. This should increase the number of species and help amphibian eggs to develop successfully.

Great crested newts

One of the ponds previously dried out every summer preventing the successful development of young great crested newts. We installed a liner and, in 2019, we discovered that adult great crested newts had taken up residence for the first time. Two of the ponds are adjacent to public rights of way so can be visited easily.

‘Come nightfall in summer, you’ll find me treading carefully across the Bateman’s estate looking for rare great crested newt colonies. Summer is peak time to check in on the newts. At night, they swim in open water, displaying their jagged crest to attract females.’

– Kevan Gibbons, Ranger

Wildlife survey

As part of the National Trust’s work to help reverse the UK’s decline in wildlife, we have been monitoring the number of newts and other wildlife in the ponds since the project to revitalise them. During recent surveys, we’ve been thrilled to find dragonflies and damselflies in all the restored ponds. Encouragingly, great crested newt numbers are increasing too.

These are species we’ve never recorded in these locations before, so we can safely say the work we carried out has improved biodiversity of the network of ponds on the estate. We are gradually working on more of the ponds.

Winter jobs on the estate at Bateman's

Coppicing during the winter months

Coppicing is one of the ways we look after the woodland here at Bateman’s, using the ancient technique to create or restore habitats that will support a wide diversity of species, both plants and animals. It traditionally takes place from November to the end of March so that we can reduce the impact on the nature already living in our woodland such as nesting birds and ground plants.

As you’re walking through the countryside at Bateman’s on one of the waymarked estate walks, you may come across small areas where we are coppicing.

What is coppicing?

This practice can be traced back to Neolithic times and refers to deliberate felling of trees, with sprouts then growing from the cut stump (stool). It provides a sustainable supply of wood for a variety of uses. This continuous cycle of thinning and clearance followed by regrowth allows a mosaic of different habitats to form, encouraging new plant growth and insect activity.

‘Coppicing lets light into the woods, improving them for a range of wildlife including wildflowers, butterflies and the dormice we have discovered in the hedgerows.’

- Kevan Gibbons, Ranger

Supporting nature

We stack material from coppicing to create habitats for nesting birds and over-wintering newts and frogs. These piles also provide places for fungi to grow and insects to lay their eggs. Plants too – such as honeysuckle, bramble and travellers joy – will colonise these habitat piles, attracting invertebrates: butterflies, moths, bees, wasps and hoverflies.

Some of the coppiced wood is used in the garden for pea-sticks and other plant supports, or to protect new growth from nibbling by deer.

Thank you

With your ongoing support, we're able to continue our vital conservation work. Thank you for helping to protect these special places.