IN THE PARSONAGE GARDEN.

Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;

Lengthen night and shorten day.

Every leaf speaks bliss to me

Fluttering from the autumn tree.

I shall smile when wreaths of snow

Blossom where the rose should grow;

I shall sing when night’s decay

Ushers in a drearier day.

                       EJB 1838

 The garden has never looked better than it has this year.  It was a dry summer, so we did lots of watering to keep the plants comfortable; the leaf cover from the graveyard trees is so dense in summer that even when we have rain it doesn't always get through.  The roses have been stunning. They love the sun, as do many other beautiful plants in the garden.  The challenge is more in the shady beds so in the last couple of years we have put more work and more of our budget into improving them.  We have bought quite a number of pots and containers which enables us to move plants to fill gaps as needed.  Our policy now for the garden is to make it more environmentally friendly - if you see seed heads left on or overflowing foliage, don’t think we’re being lazy, we’ll be leaving these for food and shelter for the wildlife and we are also thinking about how to bring water to the garden without using mains. 

It’s a new era; we have the will and the skill of our gardeners, so we intend to do our bit for the planet.
 
Jenny Whitehead

Read all: bronte.org.uk

THE BRONTË SOCIETY ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR.

The Brontë Society is pleased to announce the permanent appointment of Rebecca Yorke as Director of the Brontë Society and Brontë Parsonage Museum.  Rebecca, who first joined the Museum in early 2015 in a marketing and communications role, has been a member of the organisation’s senior management since 2016 and has held the post of Interim Director since June 2021.

Julian Sladdin, Chair of the Board of Trustees, said. “Following a rigorous internal recruitment process, we are delighted to appoint Rebecca to the role of Director of the Brontë Society and Brontë Parsonage Museum.  The Board continues to be impressed by Rebecca’s commitment to the organisation and is excited by her clear vision for both the Society and the Museum. We have every confidence that she will continue to steer our organisation to further success and look forward to working with her to ensure that as a museum and charity we are resilient, inclusive, forward-looking and relevant to future generations.”
 
On accepting the role, Rebecca said,  “I am thrilled to be appointed Director of the Brontë Society and Brontë Parsonage Museum, to have this opportunity to build on all that has been achieved in recent years and fulfil our mission of bringing the Brontës to the world and the world to Yorkshire.  It’s an exciting time to lead one of the country’s most-loved heritage organisations as we prepare to celebrate Bradford as UK City of Culture in 2025 and the Museum’s centenary in 2028 and I would like to thank the trustees for their faith in me,  and all my Parsonage colleagues for their continued commitment and support.” bronte.org.uk