Sun 20 Sep 26
Sun 20 Sep:1200-1700. Tours: 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500 & 1600.; Free Entry.
MHA The Wilderness, 17 Shirley Church Rd, Croydon CR9 5AL
Heritage Open Day: A heritage wild garden in Shirley, South London created by Rev William Wilks, breeder of the Shirley poppy. Having been lost for many years it was reclaimed in 2019 and now offers an accessible, engaging and nature-based programme of activities. The Wilderness is a haven for wildlife and a hidden gem. Rev. William Wilks (1843-1923), vicar of St Johns Church in Shirley was a keen horticulturist, and secretary general of the RHS for thirty-two years. He was an enthusiastic botanist and a disciple of William Robinson, a prominent wildlife gardener and writer. After purchasing land adjacent to the vicarage in 1904, Wilks set about creating a 'natural' garden and on retirement in 1912, he built a house naming it The Wilderness...
