reviews of British gardens and nurseries, large and small.
The most wonderful and unique garden awaits in Oxfordshire, as long as you are not looking for a tea room, 'visitor experience', or adventure playground! Rousham, built in 1635 by Sir Robert Dormer sits squarely within its garden and grounds, designed by William Kent (an early pioneer of 'The New English Style' of landscaping) in... Continue Reading →
What's not to like about a garden visit that includes a stately home with resident family, a Capability Brown landscape and glorious gardens? Bowood, near Calne in Wiltshire ticks all these boxes in spades with the added bonus of a tour around the private walled garden belonging to the Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne. Wide... Continue Reading →
With gardens re-opening across England in recent weeks I have wasted no time in searching out new places to visit and the month of June has been one of discovery. The front of Lower House, Bowlhead Green The National Gardens Scheme gives visitors unique access to private gardens across England and Wales and all monies... Continue Reading →
Gravetye Manor, on the Kent/Sussex border was built in 1598 and is a fine example of Elizabethan architecture. It was bought in 1885 by William Robinson, an early advocate of the naturalistic planting style that has since been copied in gardens across the world. During his time at Gravetye, Robinson created the sloping gardens to... Continue Reading →
Situated in the shadow of the Malvern Hills, the Old Court Nurseries and Picton Garden are a family-run treasure that have evolved over three generations. Established in 1906 by Ernest Ballard, an early breeder of Asters, the garden was taken over by Percy Picton in 1947 who managed the garden for nearly ten years before... Continue Reading →
Bridge Nursery in Napton, Warwickshire is one of those places that is frequently advertised as being open under the National Gardens Scheme and yet I never seem to have managed to visit! Until now, that is, and I am so glad that I finally made the trip. Napton is derived from the old English cnaepp meaning 'hilltop'... Continue Reading →
A mellow Cotswold stone house sitting handsomely in surrounding parkland is most likely to be high on many people's list of 'dream house & garden' combinations. Situated near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, the garden at Rockcliffe is open only once or twice a year and is well worth a visit. The grassy steps leading up to... Continue Reading →
If you happen to live in Northamptonshire or Oxfordshire you may possibly have heard of Wappenham, but I would like to bet that not many people know of this village's existence. It's a tiny village - sadly no pub or shop but what it does have is a number of jolly nice gardens. We were... Continue Reading →
Cottesbrooke Hall and Gardens are open on Wednesdays and Thursdays which is not much good if one works full time! Luckily the gardens are also open under the National Gardens Scheme once a year and we were lucky enough to be in the area at the right time this year. The Queen Anne house... Continue Reading →
Wakehurst is a pleasingly placed botanic garden, situated only a few miles from Gatwick and easily accessible from the M23. Visiting gardens in winter usually means fewer crowds but on this bright February day there were a huge number of families and visitors enjoying the space and freedom that Wakehurst provides. Owned by the National... Continue Reading →
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