Whiting were recently commissioned to carry out works at the historic Petwood Hotel in Lincolnshire. The hotel, famous for being the home of the legendary RAF 617 Dambusters squadron also has another claim to fame; the gardens were designed by Harold Peto in 1912.
A qualified architect and extensive traveller, Peto (1854 – 1933) created fine gardens in England and the South of France, mainly in the Italianate style. His best known gardens are Ilford Manor, Wiltshire; Buscot Park, Oxfordshire; West Dean House, Sussex and Llancullin, County Cork, Ireland.
Our brief was to help restore some of the original features designed by Peto. Works included the installation of a replica “Temple of Atalanta” copied from historical photographs and restoration of the “Long Walk” pathway, lined with shrub beds and a horley festoon. The scheme also featured the restoration of the original terracing and balustrade along with some new works to upgrade car parking and a new formal entrance.
The majority of the work is now complete but further restoration to this historic venue may be planned for the future.
