Florentine Boar

In 1806 Joseph Strutt commissioned sculptor WJ Coffee to make a ceramic copy of the Renaissance boar sculpture in Marketo Nuovo, Florence. Originally located in the gardens at his house in central Derby, the boar was transferred to this site when the Arboretum opened in 1840. It survived here for a little over a century until being severely damaged by a World War II bombing raid in 1941, and was then removed. As part of the Arboretum refurbishments, the original boar was replaced by this bronze replica.

Fountain

This fountain was designed by Andrew Handyside in 1845. The lower
basin is the original but the stem above is a replica. Many of the
original urns in the Arboretum were also cast at Handyside's Derby
foundry, but few of these survive today. This crossing of the two main
straight paths was always intended to be a focal point of the park.
Loudon's initial suggestion for this site was stone seating and a statue.

# Building Strutt & Loudon's Vision

Completing the Arboretum required the skill and creativity of celebrated artists, architects and craftsmen.

The Pavilions, Grove Street Lodge and the East Lodge (now demolished) were designed by E.B. Lamb (1805-1869), an architect with a long association with Loudon. In keeping with the Victorian fashion of reverting to past architectural eras, each building reflected the traditions of previous historical periods. Grove Street Lodge was Elizabethan, East Lodge was early Tudor and the Pavilions were early Jacobean.

The fountain, which remains a central feature of the park today, was cast at Andrew Handyside's renowned Derby foundry, the Britannia Iron Works. The lower bowl of the fountain is original and the stem and fountain head are modern replicas based on photographs of the originals. Several of the original flower urns were also from Handyside's foundry, but only one survives today.

Historic photograph of the surviving Handyside urn

BELOW: Grove Street Lodge as shown in The Derby Arboretum, by J.C. Loudon, 1840

# Management of the Arboretum

J.C. Loudon laid down a set of principles for the design of the Arboretum which can still be seen today, in particular the use of mounds and ornamentation to create appealing promenades and strategic views. He also left detailed instructions for how the park should be maintained.

The Arboretum was designed to be relatively simple and inexpensive to maintain, but without modern equipment this still required a curator and two labourers in the summer (only one labourer was needed over the winter months). The lodges within the Arboretum were built as housing for these workers.

Pruning was discouraged so that the trees and shrubs could take their natural shape and growth patterns. Once trees had reached 40-50 feet tall, they were to be removed and replaced so that they did not crowd out slower growing and smaller species.

Some of Loudon's plans, such as maintaining detailed records of the trees and shrubs planted, regularly changing flower plantings, removing larger trees and re-laying autumn leaves as mulch, were abandoned in the late 19th century as being too time-consuming. Other parts of the plan were rendered obsolete by the use of mowers and other gardening equipment used by gardeners today.

Clearing autumn leaves, c. 1972

BELOW: The same task, c. 1950

# The changing face of the Arboretum

The Arboretum has evolved with time to meet the changing needs of the local community.

**1840** - The Arboretum opened, with thousands attending the opening ceremony

**1845** - Additional area added as a playing field, with a third lodge (Rose Hill Lodge) designed by E.B. Lamb. This was one of the earliest parks designed specifically for sports and games

**1849** - Handside Fountain erected

**1850** - Completion of the Arboretum Lodge with dedication to Joseph Strutt

Late 19TH

**Century** - Pollution kills many of the original trees which are replaced by London Plane and Lime trees

**1881** - Entrance charge was abolished

**1899** - Original bandstand constructed in Rose Hill recreation ground

**1890** - Construction of an aviary near the bowling green (later removed)

**1940s** - Construction of Air Raid shelter (now demolished), destruction of Florentine Boar sculpture and Victorian Bandstand in wartime bombing raids, demolition of original West Pavilion (now restored)

**2001** - Heritage Lottery Fund award a grant to restore the Arboretum

**2005** - Restoration works completed

Crimean cannons given to the Arboretum in the 1850s. They were melted down as part of the war effort during World War II.

Growing vegetables as part of the World War II 'Dig for Victory' campaign.

BELOW: Digging an air raid shelter in the Arboretum

# J.C. Loudon:
DESIGNER, AUTHOR, REFORMER

John Claudius Loudon (1783-1843) wrote extensively on horticulture, town planning and other related topics throughout the early 1800s. He was also a strong advocate for the provision of designed public spaces. These places for recreation, education and reflection were, he believed, a practical way of improving the health and quality of life for the urban poor.

The Victorian Era was a period of increasing social awareness and philanthropy and Loudon was one of many promoting ideas for social reform at the time.

Loudon strove to create a balance between beauty and practicality in his designs. While his work was much renowned during his life, Loudon was also a visionary: his 1829 proposals for the development of London may never have been enacted, but his plans for including green areas, provision for public transport and waste recycling were extremely far-sighted and environmentally aware for the time.

Loudon's influence on parks and town planning spread worldwide. Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of Central Park in New York, visited Derby Arboretum as part of his research and planning. In Canberra, the capital of Australia, the layout of the city is reminiscent of Loudon's 1829 plans for London based on concentric circles, linked by radial roads.

J.C. Loudon

Central Park, New York

Plan of the Arboretum, as published in The Derby Arboretum, by J.C. Loudon, 1840