1871-1906 – Highland Gardens, New Barnet, Greater London

SM 34 – Mar 14

There is a small, little-known public space in New Barnet that was once a private garden, where James Pulham and Son went in 1871 to construct a . .

‘Rocky bank, forming cliff, with Dropping Well.   For Ferns, Alpines and Shrubs’

. . for a Mr T Higgs.[i]   Later, in 1906, the Diary of Fred Rickett tells us that he also worked there on a ‘Rock and Water Garden’ for a Mr Braithwaite.

Fig 1  –  Rocky path and archway in Highland Gardens, New Barnet

Not much is left of this now, but tucked away in a distant corner of the gardens from the entrance, there is definite evidence of the onetime presence of a Pulham ‘rock builder’.   As you can see from Fig 1, it is a charming little rocky path and archway.