East Ruston Old Vicarage and garden to be left to charity

On the 50th anniversary of buying East Ruston Old Vicarage and garden, owners Graham Robeson OBE and Alan Gray have announced that they wish to leave their property to Perennial, a charity that helps people in horticulture.

In a press release announcing the news, the couple said: “Having looked at Perennial’s gardens and admired the way in which they are cared for, we have decided upon our deaths to bequeath the garden and East Ruston Old Vicarage to Perennial.

Owners of East Ruston Old Vicarage, Graham Robeson and Alan Gray, have decided to bequeath their property to charity (Image: Graham Robeson and Alan Gray)

"It is our wish that the garden be cared for and open to visitors in perpetuity and raises vital funds to support people in horticulture.

"We look forward to the future with confidence that long after we have gone, East Ruston Old Vicarage and its garden will go from strength to strength, its future ensured for the benefit of gardeners and all those that appreciate the benefits that nature has to offer."

The couple bought the property at auction in 1973 when the gardens were much smaller (Image: Graham Robeson and Alan Gray)

East Ruston Old Vicarage was built in 1913, just before the outbreak of the First World War.

Graham and Alan bought it at auction in 1973 and over the past 50 years it has been enlarged and improved from a vicarage with around two acres of garden to the 32-acre garden and parkland it is today.

Great emphasis has been applied to the attraction of wildlife and it is now home to many bird species, as well as other mammals and invertebrates.

In leaving the property in their will, the couple hope to secure its future and protect the public's access (Image: Greg Pye)

The gardens feature herbaceous borders, gravel gardens, sub-tropical gardens, a box parterre, a sunken rose garden, a Mediterranean garden, a Desert Wash and a large woodland garden. 

One of its most significant creations is the Desert Wash, created by Graham using several hundred tons of Norfolk flint, a stone indigenous to Norfolk, forming gulches and gulleys inhabited by exotic plants.

The couple has taken great care to make the gardens as wildlife-friendly as possible (Image: Graham Robeson and Alan Gray)

There is also on-going project to develop an arboretum where many rare and unusual trees are establishing adjacent to the orchard of heritage fruit trees, many of which originate from the eastern counties.

The arboretum is the site for the twice-yearly plant fairs, in June and September, that attract both buyers and sellers from across Norfolk and beyond.

The garden is popular with visitors and hosts plant sales twice a year (Image: Graham Robeson and Alan Gray)

Both Alan and Graham have links to Norfolk. Alan was born in south Norfolk and by the age of seven had three gardens, one at each of his grandparents houses and one at his parents’ home.

Graham was born in Hertfordshire but spent school holidays at his grandparent's home in Happisburgh, the coastal village that is next to East Ruston.

The gardens at the Old Vicarage have grown from two acres to over 30 (Image: Greg Pye)

He appreciates that as a child the villages and general area had much more shelter from the elements than it does today, which has had a marked influence on the garden being wildlife friendly. Ponds, banks, hedges, the odd copse of trees, even log piles are all incorporated into the design of this wildlife haven.

Peter Newman, Perennial’s chief executive, says: “We are delighted that East Ruston Old Vicarage will one day be one of our gardens and are so thankful to Graham and Alan for trusting Perennial to look after their beautiful creation for future generations of garden lovers.” 

Left to right: Paul Rochford, chairman of Perennial; Graham Robeson OBE and Alan Gray; Annie Dellbridge, head gardener at Fullers Mill; Anita Bates, director of marketing and fundraising at Perennial and Peter Newman, CEO of Perennial (Image: Colette Carus)

Perennial owns and manages three legacy gardens: York Gate near Leeds, Fullers Mill near Bury St Edmunds and The Laskett near Hereford.

East Ruston is the second additional garden, along with Mona’s Garden in north London, to be pledged to Perennial by its creators.