MUSINGS FROM THE BOWER 30

Finally, this weekend, we had just a tiny glimpse of spring. With blue sky and sunshine, there was no way we could stay indoors so we decided to go and find some snowdrops to photograph. The beautiful gardens, created by Sir Frederick Gibberd, the planner of Harlow New Town, are situated on the outskirts of Harlow, and they had advertised that they would be open for three successive Sundays for snowdrop viewing, so that was where we headed.

The garden is charming, with a surprise at every turn – it is filled with sculptures and art works. Here are statues, urns, mobiles and other interesting items, such as a large, colourful metal bull. Mossy paths tempt you to follow them, and a stream reflects the trees overhead.  We didn’t venture into the woody depths, as they were extremely muddy, but even so, there was much to see.

Construction 11 by Tim Monks

Sir Frederick Gibberd was appointed master planner for Harlow New Town in 1946, and he must have been pleased with the result as he decided to live there. In 1955 he began to create the garden, in Marsh Lane. After the death of his first wife he later remarried. The new Lady Gibberd, being an active member of the Harlow Art Trust, had many contacts with sculptors and she and Sir Frederick bought or commissioned over eighty sculptures to enhance the garden. Sir Frederick died in 1984,while  his widow passed away two years ago. Now, the house is sometimes open as well as the gardens.

Bronze Dog (one of two) by Robert Clatworthy

The sculptures don’t dominate the garden, they enhance areas, or are weathered so that often, until you are almost on top of them, you don’t notice them. Amongst the pieces is a vivacious sculpture of a woman holding a baby. Another that caught my eye was of a woman holding a young goat. There were two bronze dogs, a shiny mobile, a bronze bull and a wooden deer, a stretching figure and even a head of Sir Frederick, perched atop a pot of ivy. I was very taken by a piece called ‘Construction 11’, by Tim Monks, made from steel and stained glass. The glass arrangement reminded me of an artist’s palette. The stainless steel mobile on one of the lawns was fun, and very elegant. Probably the brightest piece in the garden is situated right near the car park, and is entitled ‘Il Tractoro’. Constructed from painted copper sheet, it was created by Gabriel Underwood, and is a stylised bull painted in vivid shades of yellow, red and blue.

Mother and Child by Gerda Rubinstein

However, we had, of course, gone primarily to see the snowdrops and they certainly didn’t disappoint. From small clumps to long swathes, the snowy flowers were beautiful, and so delicate with their fresh green markings on the white petals. Some of the snowdrops were really large, others tiny. Later, we bought a couple of pots to take home with us. Incidentally, the café serves delicious cake and huge pots of tea!

Chinese Dynamic by John Mills

Harlow is renowned as ‘A Sculpture Town’ and  boasts a number of pieces of international importance. Perhaps the most famed is Henry Moore’s Family Group which is in the foyer of the Civic Centre, and which gazes impassively through the large glass windows at passing shoppers. My favourite piece is Solo Flight, an imposing, graceful stainless steel sculpture in First Avenue, fabulous when viewed on a summer’s day against a cobalt blue sky. I’m also fond of the small bronze boar in the water gardens.  I couldn’t resist a giggle when visiting Tesco last week as right outside the Church Langley branch is a larger than life statue of a bronze horse – rather unfortunate at the moment, given the ‘horse meat in beef ready-meals’ controversy!

Princess Daisy at the V&A Museum of Childhood

Recently I was asked if I would be one of the Guest Speakers at the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood, at a Teenage Doll Study Day next month. I’m really looking forward to it, and to meeting up with like-minded doll collectors. It’s quite a while since I last visited the museum, so it will be interesting to see it all again, especially ‘Princess Daisy’, a 19^th century wax doll with a magnificent layette – everything from a crib to a silver mug. The lucky baby has hundreds of items of clothing and accessories. All being well, I’ll be able to describe the museum in more detail next month after the event.

Apparently, this sunny spring-like weather will last till Wednesday, when yet another band of cold, wintry weather will sweep in bringing ice, snow and cold winds. Then let’s hope that is the last of it – I think we all deserve a proper spring and summer this year.

A mossy path at the Gibberd Garden