The walled garden in Carr Lodge Park is a 50 metres x 50 metres Grade II listed site and whilst originally cultivated to provide food for the occupants of the mansion was converted into a quiet area with Carr Lodge Park prior to being effectively abandoned over the past 20 years or so. During that time its walls had become overcome with ivy and brambles and weeds had grown to 6 feet high. Self seeded trees were left to grow wild and the garden has been used from time to time for illicit drinking and glue sniffing.
After our successful apprenticeship at creating new herbaceous borders and planting up the old rose beds with bedding plants during 2009. We were granted permission to start the first phase of bringing the Carr Lodge Walled Garden back into community use by clearing away the self seeded weeds, brambles and trees which had overgrown the garden over the past 20 years or so.
Gaining permission to start was delayed somewhat because of the need for Wakefield Council to consider the implications of the sale of the mansion house and whether or not the walled garden was to be included. Once the decision was made to exclude the garden from the sale and following representations through Councillor Ripley, the Council Cabinet member responsible for Parks and recreation, Cllr Hudson, gave authority for the work to start. Further consultation with Council officers, Friends of Horbury Park and the Horbury Heritage Group concluded with the Rotary Club undertaking delivery of Phase 1, which will also include putting a gate on the walled garden entrance to facilitate safe working for subsequent stages.