Sunday August 14 sees the new summer opening of Hollowell Gardens just north of Northampton, NN6 8RR (for those sat navs).
The three gardens are open between 11am-3pm, and feature a plantsman’s garden, orchards and vegetables, a model railway and a traditional garden with a lily pond dating back to the 1930s. There will be plants for sale and of course, delicious tea and cake.
The gardens are:
Rosemount
Ivy Cottage
Hillview
Filed under Open gardens
Apologies for Northamptonshire Gardens’s absence in recent days – school holidays and a lack of openings to talk about to blame.
There are no openings this week for the NGS, but diary Sunday August 14 as it sees the new summer opening of Hollowell Gardens just north of Northampton, NN6 8RR (for those sat navs).
The three gardens are open between 11am-3pm, and feature a plantsman’s garden, orchards and vegetables, a model railway and a traditional garden with a lily pond dating back to the 1930s. There will be plants for sale and of course, delicious tea and cake.
The gardens are:
Rosemount
Ivy Cottage
Hillview
Also now open for those who enjoy a stroll around a country estate is the magnificent Wrest Park near Bedford (MK45 4HR).
This amazing garden is being lovingly restored in several styles by English Heritage and there’s plenty to see for all the family. It’s not been open to the public for many years and is a welcome addition to the magnificent collection of gardens in the Midlands. Open Thursday-Monday, 10-6 until October. Visit Wrest Park for further information.
Northamptonshire Gardens will be posting more about the renovation project soon.
Filed under Open gardens
Coton Manor Gardens will be opening the garden on the evening of Tuesday, 2nd August from 6.30 – 8.30 pm in aid of the Northamptonshire Branch of the British Red Cross.
The entrance price of £10 will include a glass of wine and light refreshments …. and hopefully the opportunity to enjoy the garden in the early evening light.
The gardens are also open to the public noon-5.30, Tuesday to Saturday.
Filed under Open gardens
If you didn’t get Grand Prix tickets and fancy something a little quieter, open for the NGS charity this Sunday are the historic gardens at Castle Ashby Gardens, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN7 1LQ, between 10am and 5.30pm.
Castle Ashby has 25 acres within its 10,000 acre estate just off the Bedford Road, with formal and informal gardens including an orangery, lakes and arboretum, dating back 150 years. Teas and plants for sale!
Also open are the lovely private gardens at Ravensthorpe Gardens, Ravensthorpe, Northamptonshire, NN6 8ES, open on Sunday between 1-5pm.
There are five interesting gardens open in Ravensthorpe including a plant nursery, woodland walks, vegetable and fruit gardens, roses and wonderful views.
Ravensthorpe Nursery
Mill House
The Old Forge House
Quiet Ways
Treetops
Home-made teas at the village hall.
Filed under Open gardens
Four sets of gardens to visit this Sunday, including two new groups and one large garden new to the NGS this year.
A new addition is the gardens at Arthingworth Open Gardens, Arthingworth, nr Market Harborough, Northamptonshire, LE16 8LA open Sunday July 2, between 2-6pm.
There are seven gardens open varying in size and style.
They are:
11 Oxendon Road
Bosworth House
2 Agricultural Cottages
The Gate House
Orchard House
The Laurels
The Willows
There will be tea and cakes and plants for sale.
Also open on Sunday July 3 is Bulwick Gardens, Bulwick, Northamptonshire, NN17 3DZ where you’ll find three impressive gardens.
The Shambles
19 Church Lane
Bulwick Hall
There’s teas at the Hall and some amazing views. Plus lots of fuchsias for sale!
Another new NGS opening is Hostellarie, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2PT open on Sunday July 3, 2-6pm.
This long garden of many parts has been developing over 40 years and features a huge range of planting including a collection of over 30 hostas. Teas, cakes and plants for sale.
Finally another new group is Moulton (West), Moulton, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN3 7SW where you’ll find nine gardens of differing sizes and uses. Open 11am-5pm, with teas and plants for sale.
The Nymph’s Rose Garden
10 Boughton Road
9 Parade Bank
33 Boughton Road
Moulton College
Moulton Allotment Association
8 Boughton Road
Baytree Cottage
Gallery West Street
Filed under Open gardens
Want to know what new plants will be jostling for space in your garden next year? NG visits the trade plant show where breeders and nurseries try and catch the eye of retailers in a multi million pound industry. We’ll be posting plants up (for as long as technology allows)!
Interesting chat with British firm euroflora about their carnivorous plants. Very pretty, very hardy, like sun but most sales are to continent not UK.
Filed under garden shows
A successful fourth Cottesbrooke Plant Finder’s Fair took place this weekend. There’s a photo gallery here which shows Friday’s opening, courtesy of @nosylocaljourno Hilary Scott.
The show had lots of quality plantsmen and talks from highly regarded garden writers and designers included in the entry price.
There were some issues on Friday when visitors had to wait in traffic jams for an hour or more just to get in, and the event certainly needs more loos and food options. It certainly something tricky for the organisers – the event is clearly attracting more visitors but a lot of its charm comes from the fact it is held on a small country estate with small country roads. The solution may be to show/buy tickets once the car/coach has parked up.
The weather held out and hopefully visitors took the chance to look at the beautiful gardens, tended by Phylip Statner and his team.
Some people travel miles to this fair and its quality of plants is undeniable. Hopefully by ironing out some access issues it will continue to be an essential date on the garden calender and thrive in Northants for years to come.
What were your thoughts/experiences?
Filed under garden shows
Lots of gardens open this weekend, and don’t forget there’s also the Cottesbrooke Plant Finder’s Fair running Friday to Sunday.
Eight private gardens will be open ranging from small courtyards to a garden with a croquet lawn! Teas available.
Lime House
The Mews
Clover Cottage
Townley Barn
Weslyan Cottage
The Crown Courtyard
16 Field Close
11 Field Close
Visitors will see three very different gardens all with lots on show and there are teas and plants for sale. The gardens opening are:
67-69 High Street
24 Albert Road
11 Thrapston Road
Owned by Lady Catherine Morton, the estate has specimen trees, box hedging and many fine roses.
It’s s a rare opportunity to see this unique, quirky and beautiful private garden. There will be teas and plants for sale, and be aware that this is one of the more expensive openings, at £8, but going to the NGS to help charities.
It has little follies, like Hobbit houses hidden in the greenery, a large walled garden with fountain and climbers, plus stunning views and varied planting. The Menagerie was once, literally, a zoo and folly on the estate of the former Horton House, once home to Henry VIII’s sixth wife Catherine Parr.
Filed under Open gardens
Lots of gardens open this weekend for charity, aided by a splash or two of rain in recent days. Enjoy!
Canons Ashby House, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 3SD, open 11am-5pm .
Home to the Dryden family, The National Trust owns this large historic house and an ambitious garden restoration project is underway. Teas and plants for sale.
The Maltings, Clipston, Northamptonshire, LE16 9RS open 2-6pm.
Plantsman’s garden near Market Harborough which generously opens its doors to visitors throughout the season to show seasonal highlights. Home-made teas.
Flore Gardens, Flore, Northamptonshire, NN7 4LQ, open 11am-6pm both days.
Ten lovely private gardens including two new to the NGS this year. Lunches, teas and plants for sale.
The gardens opening are:
The Croft
24 Bliss Lane
Bliss Lane Nursery
The Old Bakery
Stone Cottage
The Garden House
17 The Crescent
Bertha’s Patch
Russell House
20 Brockhall Road
Cedar Farm, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2QD, open 1-6pm.
A three-acre garden with seven-acre arboretum, secret garden and water features. Teas and plants for sale.
Long Buckby Gardens, Northamptonshire, NN6 7RE, open 1-6pm.
Four lovely and very different village gardens, including one on the old windmill site and one which is fully organic. Teas and plants for sale.
Torestin
45 Brington Road
Saxigoe
Mill House
Ashmore House
Sulgrave Gardens, Banbury, Northamptonshire, OX17 2RP, open 2-6pm.
Seven pretty gardens including two new to the NGS this year. Very varied sizes and styles, including vegetables and herbs, a large garden and arboretum, new allotments and a contemporary garden designed by Northamptonshire’s own designer-in-a-hat James Alexander Sinclair, which is set around an ancient mill and pond. Plants and teas for sale too.
The Herb Society Garden at Sulgrave Manor
Rectory Farm
Mill Hollow Barn
Threeways
The Watermill
Sunnymead
Sulgrave Allotments
Also open on Sunday from 10am-6pm is The Old Rectory, Sudborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 3BX
This is a beautiful, classic English country garden of three-acres with arched walkways and formal gardens by Rosemary Verey. Teas and plants for sale.
Finally there’s Weedon Lois & Weston Gardens, Northamptonshire, NN12 8PJ open on Sunday from 2-5.30.
Five gardens with stunning views and varying styles, set in a classic English village with wonderful history. Teas and plants for sale.
Home Close
Old Barn
The Wilde House Garden
Ridgeway Cottage
Lois Weedon House
Filed under Open gardens
All photos are copyright Northamptonshire Gardens 2011
Filed under garden shows
Northamptonshire Gardens 