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Garden Questions - If you have a question
or just cannot pinpoint that garden you want to visit
Email - info @greatbritishgardens.co.uk
(re-type)
or tel 01666 825390. We will do our best to help. If telephoning, our
lines can be busy as we are only a small organisation. Visit our home
page for Garden Visits in the British Isles.
I often see beautiful gardens on
some of the period dramas shown on TV. Is there any way I can find out
the names or locations of them.
There is an excellent website www.wheredidtheyfilmthat.co.uk
which should give you all the information you need.
Why not use it in conjunction with our guide.
I am a self-employed flower gardener
in New Jersey, USA and my dream has been to see the wonderful flower
gardens in England that I have only seen in books. I love the work
of Verey. Please advise me as where to spend my limited one or two
days.
Why not stay a night at Barnsley House. The House
and garden were owned by Rosemary Verey - http://www.barnsleyhouse.com/home.html.
2 hours by car from London. There are other lovely gardens in the area
which you can also visit - just see our Cotswolds pages at www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk
We are out from South Africa on a holiday
and are looking for a specific garden that we saw on BBC some time last
year. We are looking for a garden in
England that has mostly water features. Princess Anne was instrumental
in the implimentation and design of this garden. It was officially
opened by Prince Charles about 3 or 4 years ago (it may at present not
yet be complete). The garden contains huge water features/fountains and
pumping systems. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.
I think it will be
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/alnwick_castle.htm
Will be travelling to
England
at end of this month, beginning of August. Will be taking train to
East Grinstead
area from
London
- any gardens in or near the area? Will be renting a car once we arrive
by train. Anything in between where train might stop?
Will be taking train from
London
to
Cambridge
. Could rent a car once we arrive in
Cambridge
. Any gardens to visit there or in near vicinity? Anything in between
where train might stop?
Will be staying in
London
. Any gardens easily accessible by train or underground?
KL -
Hacienda Heights
,
California
,
USA
There are many lovely gardens around
East Grinstead
, the following are all within around 25 minutes at most by car:
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/hever_castle.htm
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/wakehurst_place.htm
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/nymans_garden.htm
On way from
London to Cambridge - Stations at Hatfield and Knebworth, taxi or bus to
view -
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/knebworth_house.htm
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/hatfield_house.htm
Cambridge
- bus or taxi - close to centre
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/cambridge_botanic_garden.htm
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/anglesey_abbey.htm only 6 miles north east of
Cambridge
, could take taxi or perhaps bus - check at your hotel.
London do not miss-
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/kewgardens.htm
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/hamptoncourt.htm
I am planning a trip to visit some
snowdrop gardens next year and love your website. My only query is where
am I going to see the most, i.e. Gloucestershire and if that's the case,
where is the closest airport? M - Switzerland
Gloucestershire should be good with Painswick
Rococo Garden, Rodmarton Manor,
Newark Park, and Colesbourne Park all fairly near to each other. You
will need to hire a car. Best time should be around 10th Feb, but
dependent on weather.
You can fly into Birmingham 90 minutes, Bristol 60 minutes, Heathrow 120
minutes. Also visit our snowdrops
page which we publish from January to March each year.
Another
question from down under !!! quite a few years ago I watched and
taped [ I still have it } a series called the 3000 mile garden, Phillips
, a garden writer and Lesley Land , NY Times food editor wrote to each
other about their gardens, absolutely enthralling to me, Phillips did
the garden in Eccleston square in London. I cannot find any further
information as to whether he has continued with the garden and if it is
still worth a visit.
I remember it, a great series with one garden in
Maine, the other at Ecclestone Square, a 3 acre square subdivided into
mini gardens with many fine plants including a National Collection of
Ceanothus. I believe Ecclestone Square is open under the National Garden
Scheme on May 22nd - 2 - 5 and I believe it is still worth visiting.
I am visiting from Australia
the first two weeks in July, I would like to know if I can buy a
guidebook for the gardens you feature on your website.
We are on-line only, but the Good Gardens Guide is
available from Amazon, it is really good.
www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/271761/202-3768671-3233408
I am considering visiting the
gardens of Argyll , Bute, and Ayrshire in Scotland. I
would like to know the usual date of peak rhododendron bloom.
Around this date would the rhododendron gardens in the
vicinity of London still be in bloom ? Would other spring flowers
still be in bloom around London at this time? LE
May is the best time both in London and
the West Coast of Scotland, although seasons can sometimes be out by a
week or so. The Gulf Stream drift means that the gardens on the west
coast of Scotland are more or less at the same stage as gardens in the
south. If in London the Isabella
Plantation is worth a visit early May for Azaleas. If you would like
an organised trip to the Gardens on the West Coast of Scotland let me
have your address and I will send a brochure. I can vouch for them
having been on 3 excellent trips myself. There should be some good
Spring Flowers in the Gardens but the daffodils will be over and tulips
in their last stages.
We are planning a trip to the Birmingham,
actually Oakham in May (22-29) 2005 and wonder if this is too early to
see much colour and flower in the gardens? Are there any garden shows at
that time we could attend? M - Canada
Oakham is
nearer Leicester than Birmingham. There are lots of Gardens to see
nearby where there will be plenty to see irrespective of the time of
year, although many gardens do not reach their peak until July. Try to
see;- http://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/long_close.htm
which is great in May.
Chelsea Flower Show in London is 24-28 May, see :- Royal
Horticultural Society - Events: RHS Flower Shows
I
live in Cambridgeshire and would like to visit some Japanese gardens.
Are there any open to the public that are within 100 mile of Huntingdon?
Mrs AI
I
am not sure of the distances but there are Japanese Gardens at :-
http://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/holland_park.htm
http://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/kewgardens.htm
http://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/tatton_park.htm
We are a Swedish couple travelling by car
from London/Stanstead to Bolton between 29/8-31/8 and would like to have
some suggestions of gardens to visit on the way. We are also interested
in artcraft within the garden range. If You have the time to give us
some advice. Mrs BC.
On your way try Upton
House, lovely gardens with great art collection ( not arts and
crafts movement ), then Ryton
Organic Gardens near Coventry, then Biddulph
Grange.
I am planning to be in
Scotland
the last few days of August and in the Cotswolds the first week of
September. I would plan on seeing
Edzell
Castle
and Hidcote Manor
but would like to know if there will be substantial amount of flowers in
bloom at either of them .J O'B, USA
You are in for a treat, Edzell is a unique
experience with the Garden laid to its original design going back 400
years. I spoke to the administrator today who say it will be fine at the
end of August. Hidcote should also be good early September and you could
also visit Kiftsgate
just 1 mile away.
I was so impressed looking at your
website and all the beautiful gardens I didn't know where to start.
I need someone
with knowledge about blooming seasons, best gardens with multiple views
i.e., some structures, massive colour, etc., that will permit
us to paint for a couple of days. We expect to pay admission fees
but are looking for gardens without additional fees for
"painting". I understand
Kew
Gardens
are
spectacular. We could do a week in
London
then a week
in the countryside. Of course it would be great to plan this
around the Chelsea Flower Show in May. Kathy - California, USA
You
could plan around Chelsea, you would need to book as it is always sold
out, but I do not think it is the best time to visit as the herbaceous
borders will not be great - too early.
The end of May here is a between time - ie end of Spring displays and
slightly before summer flowerings, however there is still plenty to see.
Would recommend from Mid June onwards, if early July then you can do the
Hampton Court Flower Show.
As far as Gardens go then London 1 week, and then perhaps the Cotswolds
- Buscot, Rodmarton,
Abbey House and then Veddw
House on the Welsh Border, these gardens all on our guide. You
would need to email for permission to paint.
Please help..... Our office (Architectural
practise) +-104 people, are going to Wales by ferry from Dublin,
accommodation in Betws y Coed, this coming weekend. Do you know of any
Great British Gardens.
Some party! try www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/bodnant_garden.htm
and www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/penrhyn_castle.htm
Would suggest you ring beforehand bearing in mind size of party.
We are going to visit
England for the first time. It is me, my husband and our children 14 and
10 years old. I am very fond of roses, herbs, bulbs and I would very
much like to see a Wisteria chinensis in bloom. My family is not that
fond of flowers like me so could you give me some advice where we
should go to see roses, Wisteria etc. and so that my family also will se
how wonderful it can be, I guess the best is if it is not to big. Rather
typical English and perhaps a romantic garden .
Can you also tell me if there is a permaculture garden nearby - we are
staying in Oxford.
I
would suggest you head for the Cotswolds where there are some lovely
gardens, look on our Cotswolds map. I would recommend www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/misarden_park_gardens.htm
and
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/rodmarton.htm
but www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/hidcote_manor_garden.htm
is also excellent.
The National Arboretum at www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/westonbirt_arboretum.htm
is great for trees and you can picnic in the woods but you are unlikely
to see rabbits and the narcissus will be over everywhere. The arboretum
is close to Rodmarton Manor.
You could even stay overnight at the home of Colin Legge where they have
a beautiful cottage garden. See the Westonbirt page.
For permaculture gardens visit www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/ryton_organic_gardens.htm
near
Coventry
and not too far from Oxford.
Please could you briefly explain what a
Prairie Garden is and what types of plants would be used
You might get different answers from different
people but I believe Prairie Gardens consist of different grasses ( low
maintenance) together with plantings of wild flowers, to give an
impressive display probably better suited to large gardens, but see
article below at http://www.dig-it.co.uk/Magazine/prairie.htm which
also suggests plants.
I am thinking of designing a
prairie garden. Do you know of any prairie gardens I can either visit
(Scotland) or have a website?
Good one! I do not know any in Scotland although
there probably are. In England try RHS
Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, - Knoll
Gardens, Dorset, - and Priory Maze and Gardens, Norfolk - don't know
much about this one. Tel 01263 822986. The Garden House in Devon
did have one but it has gone a bit wild! Please let me know how you
get on. Can anyone else help?
My American in-laws have
always wanted to see the English rhododendrons in bloom. Is there
a "best" location for this? Best specific garden?
What time of spring is recommended?
Would suggest early May,
although depending on weather flowering might be early or late.
There are many places to see rhododendrons and the best gardens are
probably in Cornwall from Mid April with fabulous magnolias and azaleas
as well as early rhododendrons, although nearer London, the Isabella
Plantation is great, and about 40 miles south Leonardslee
is excellent, both in the first 2 weeks of May.
Hope this helps although the details on individual gardens will detail
collections of rhododendrons.
I
saw a programme of a new garden that had been built over a few years by
the Lady of the House. Prince Charles opened it, though there were still
more areas to be finished. I believe it opened sometime in the last two
years. I am looking for the name and address of the gardens. There was a
spectacular water feature.
The Garden is at Alnwick which is on our guide
Hope you enjoy your visit and if you stay at one of our recommended
B&Bs can we have some feedback. I
have often heard of the hidden garden of ..., which I believe is in
Devon or Cornwall somewhere, we are visiting for the summer holidays and
would welcome any info you have.
I am sure it is the
Lost Gardens of Heligan you are looking for. A
friend recommended a book that he said came from you folks on the orchid
coelogyne. I didn't see any reference to a library on your page,
is this book available through you or can you point me in the right
direction?
Regret we have no library. Why not try www.kew.org
Thank you for pointing me in the right
direction! it was very helpful.
I am a South African coming to
the UK for an extended holiday. I know there are some wonderful maze
gardens at those lovely old castles but I have no idea where to start looking for
them. If you could possibly help me with some information I
would be much obliged.
Try Glendurgan - Cornwall,
Hampton Court - London, Groombridge Place - South East,
Hever Castle -
South East, Cawdor
Castle - Scotland, Finlaystone - Scotland,
Traquair House -
Scotland, Chenies Manor - East.
I
will be visiting England with my wife in late June and early July.
We enjoy visiting various gardens however we travel with a wheelchair as
my wife has limited walking ability. We plan on visiting St.
Michaels Mount and Stratford as definite areas. Hidcote is
certainly on our list. A little later we were thinking of Hever
Castle and Leeds Castle. What do you
recommend as must garden visits.
Heligan and
Trebah both in Cornwall are well worth
a visit, also RHS Wisley on our South East Map.
Hestercombe - South West
is really good too, the National Arboretum at Westonbirt is great for
trees.
Great Garden Designers
Dear Sarah,
I read your articles on Vita Sackville West and Mrs Verey. Thank You.
I wonder if there are similar articles on Phylis Reis, Penelope Hobhouse,
Margery Fish and the two Sissinghurst gardeners Pam Schwerdt and Sybylle
Kreutzberger. CL, Mallorca.
Watch this space - Editor
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