The Abbey was built on Thorny Island in a marshy area outside the then City of London. The gardens were used by the monks to grow food and vines for wine.
Since taking over as head gardener Jan has tried to give the gardens a more historic feel. The buildings around them have protected status and this has to be factored into any improvements. The soil is very good but because of the buildings rain does not penetrate the area very well. As a result many of the plants used are drought resistant but in keeping with the historical nature of the site. During the Covid lockdown a resident Canon took on the responsibility of watering but many basic gardening jobs were not undertaken. After the reopening there was much catching up to be done.
All illustrations and photos shown here are by Jan Pancheri