A RECENTLY restored children's flower bed has been 'a bit of a hit' with the public who have visited Endsleigh House at Milton Abbot this summer, according to head gardener Dave Allen.

Dave has been responsible for the restoration of the flower bed, or 'parterre', which took about six weeks to complete.

Most of the planting was copied from a print of an original watercolour of the parterre painted by the Rev John Cook Bourne. It involved moving eight tonnes of soil from the 27 flower beds and replacing it with ten tonnes of fresh fertile soil.

The parterre is an original feature dating back to when the house and gardens were first created at the beginning of the 19th century. The sixth Duke of Bedford and his Duchess, Georgiana, commissioned the design by Sir Jeffry Wyattville who was famous for his work on Windsor Castle later in his career.

Plymouth marble was used on the fountain which has suffered weather damage over the years.

The restoration of the parterre garden, which measures approximately 50ft by 32ft, cost £10,000 —the money was raised through the Friends of Endsleigh and sponsorship by the Exeter Investment Trust.

Summer planting includes an edging of alyssum, lobelia and ageratum with a mixture of gazanias, salvias, venidrum, petunias, brachychomes, marigolds and antirrhinums. Tulips are planned for winter and spring planting.

'Like everyone else we need to turn the heat up to get more colour,' said Dave. 'But the parterre has been a bit of a hit with visitors.

'We have replaced the original slate edging with slate from Mill Hill Quarry who supplied the slate for the original roof of the garden.'

Further plans for next year include restoration of a listed Grade 1 rockery and the replacement of several roundel beds.