A few weeks ago we planted a Magnolia tree in the area where we hope to create a woodland garden to the west of the Newsam Library. Not a native species, but it was a particular favourite of Sarah's and would not have suited the environment on the roof terrace where we've created Sarah's Garden. Digging a hole deep enough for the tree was something of a herculean effort as the ground was mostly rubble, but we'd been warned that the area had been pretty much a building site during the constructon of the IOE building, so this wasn't a surprise.
Watering the tree the other day I was approached by a local resident who wanted to know more about the tree and any other plans for the space. It turned out that 50+ years ago she, and both of her sisters, had been married in the church that used to stand on the site. Apparently Christ Church, which was part of the Parish of St George, was demolished in the late 1960s to make way for Denys Lasdun's building which I believe was originally intended to have at least one additional 'wing' that would have filled this space, but was never built.
Watering the tree the other day I was approached by a local resident who wanted to know more about the tree and any other plans for the space. It turned out that 50+ years ago she, and both of her sisters, had been married in the church that used to stand on the site. Apparently Christ Church, which was part of the Parish of St George, was demolished in the late 1960s to make way for Denys Lasdun's building which I believe was originally intended to have at least one additional 'wing' that would have filled this space, but was never built.