Sculpture by the Lakes, the sculpture park and art venue in Dorset, has achieved official Botanic Garden Status. This prestigious accreditation is currently held by only 83 gardens around the world, including seven in the UK, The Eden Project and the National Botanic Garden of Wales among them.
Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) recognises gardens, large or small, which conform to the highest international standards and make significant contributions to plant conservation.
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The accreditation was discovered in 2020 by Monique Gudgeon, Garden Director at Sculpture by the Lakes. She was inspired by Samarès Manor in Jersey, which is also classed as a Botanic Garden. She spent the next two and a half years creating a strategy plan to work towards meeting the BGCI scheme’s strict criteria. She enlisted the help of several experts, including Tony Kirkham MBE, ex-Head of Arboretum at Kew Gardens; Harry Baldwin, Borde Hill Gardens Head of Horticulture and Tom Christian, one of the UK’s leading experts on conifers.
To achieve the BGCI accreditation, gardens need to submit evidence for 10 separate assessment areas including conservation activities, sustainability and public engagement.
Sculpture by the Lakes has a comprehensive collection of critically endangered conifers, including Picea koyamae from Japan – there are less than 1,000 left growing in the wild due to vulnerability to typhoons, fire and climate change. It is also home to a grove of Coast Redwood trees, Sequoia sempervirens, which originate in the northwest USA and are under threat from urbanisation and logging.
Sculpture by the Lakes is also committed to sustainability - it uses fallen wood to create dead hedges that provide shelter for wildlife, and composts as much as possible, recycling it back into the kitchen garden.
“This accreditation is testament to years of hard work and dedication by our team, and I’m so proud that we’re officially the only garden in Dorset – and 8th in the UK – to achieve such a renowned mark of status," says Monique. “Achieving the accreditation was an emotional moment for me, as it recognises many years of hard work in making our gardens the best they could be. The credentials we hold prove that Sculpture by the Lakes serves its purpose as a true asset to nature and the environment.”
Sculpture by the Lakes will host a special event dedicated to trees from 27th September – 28th October. ARBOR: A Month of Trees will feature exclusive artwork, workshops, and talks from world famous nature specialists, including Strategy Committee Chairman Tony Kirkham and artists. For more information visit www.sculpturebythelakes.co.uk