BBC's Great British Railway Journeys to feature Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens

Presenter Michael Portillo’s visit to Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens, dubbed “Buckinghamshire’s hidden gem”, will be screened next week.

The production team of Great British Railway Journeys visited the gardens while filming the 12th series, which focuses on Britain between the World Wars and the 1930s.

It is when the Stoke Poges land was acquired by Sir Noel Mobbs, opening as a Garden of Remembrance.

In the programme, Mr Portillo helps plant a yew tree in a newly designed part of the gardens – a reference to Thomas Gray’s poem ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’, which was inspired by St Giles’ churchyard – which sits next door to the gardens.

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And during a tour of the gardens, head gardener Franzi Cheeseman also tells Mr Portillo about the history and the designer of the gardens, why they are important and why they were considered pioneering works at the time.

Michael Portillo with the garden team at Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens

Martin Dickman, service director for neighbourhood services, said: “Taking part in the filming was a fantastic experience for Franzi and her team.

“The programme’s production team were all so lovely and genuinely interested in the work we and the Friends of the Gardens do, and the people involved, including the Garden Ninjas, a volunteer gardening group who help keep on top of the weeds and who enjoy the company, fresh air and exercise.”

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Set in 22 acres, the Grade I listed gardens, which are maintained and managed by Buckinghamshire Council, were designed by Edward White, a leading landscape architect in the 1930s.

Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens are widely considered his best creation and took five years to complete.

The show will be screened on April 28 at 6.30pm on BBC2.