reviews of British gardens and nurseries, large and small.
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 →
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 →
As a South East of England dweller, I'm accustomed to National Trust properties being over-run with visitors, car-parks bursting at the seams and having to wait for a table in a tea room. Not so in quieter parts of England, such as Northamptonshire. It came as something of a surprise to note that Canons Ashby... Continue Reading →
Occasionally I like to review a garden outside the United Kingdom and a recent trip to Lanzarote revealed to me that this little island is not just a holiday destination for people wanting sunshine & sangria. The former home of landscape designer and artist, César Manrique, Lanzarote serves as a portfolio to the talented Manrique whose... Continue Reading →
Easton Walled Gardens have been on my 'bucket list' for a while and so I was thrilled to be able to visit recently. Our visit was thwarted when we turned up on a Saturday (note to self; read the opening times before arriving) but as we were en-route elsewhere we decided to return the... Continue Reading →
What an unexpectedly beautiful county Lincolnshire is. On a blisteringly hot July weekend we made our way to the North East to see what gardens lay in store. Hall Farm Gardens in Harpswell, near Gainsborough is a 3 acre delight, centred around the former farmhouse. Owners Pam and Mark have created the garden from... Continue Reading →
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