Isabella Plantation

The Isabella Plantation is a 40 acre woodland garden set within a Victorian woodland plantation planted in the 1830's. It was opened to the public in 1953, it is best known for its evergreen azaleas, which line the ponds and streams and at their peak of flower in late April and early May. I was there in January and It wasn't flowers there. 

In the 17th century, this area in the south west corner of Richmond Park was known as The Sleyt. This is the name usually used for boggy ground or an open space between woods or banks.

By 1771, it is shown on maps as Isabella Slade . Isabella may have been the wife or daughter of a member of staff. But it is more likely to be a corruption of the word isabel, which was used as far back as the 15th century to mean dingy or greyish yellow - the colour of the soil in this part of the  park.

 

In 1831, Lord Sidmouth, the park deputy ranger, fenced off 17ha (42 acres) of the Isabella Slade . He planted oak, beech and sweet chestnut trees as a crop for timber and gave the area the name it has today.

 

The present garden of clearings, ponds and streams was established from the 1950s onwards. It is largely the work of George Thomson, the park superintendent from 1951-1971. Along with his head gardener, Wally Miller, he removed Rhododendron ponticum from large areas and replaced it with other rhododendron  species. They established evergreen Kurume Azaleas around the Still Pond and planted other exotic shrub and tree species.

 

The main stream through the garden from Broomfield Gate was dug in 1960 and the plantation was enlarged to include Peg's Pond.

More recently, in 1989, a wild stream was dug in the northern section and this has now been colonized by ferns, water plantains and brook lime. The Bog Garden was reconstructed in 2000.

[ https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park/richmond-park-attractions/isabella-plantation/history-of-the-isabella-plantation]

 I went to Isabella Plantation from Kingston via Richmond Park meeting very old trees and deers on my way. Old trees without leaves made majestic view of Richmond.

 Isabella Plantation was a bit grey without flowers but I enjoyed walking and taking some photos there. I think it would be better  to be there in spring time when there is colorful