June ... what a glorious month it's been!

What a glorious June it's been!  Long sunny days here in England (although we're now facing the prospect of hosepipe bans!), many wonderful gardens visited and new friends made. And I'm now preparing to go to India again, so if you'd like to give moral support to my hospital project there, PLEASE follow our blog by clicking on the link below ... and you can follow me on my travels too:

The Raven Foundation

I've had another wonderful month visiting new gardens; I spent two days seeing glorious properties with Rachel of Wisteria and Cow Parsley; and now I'm busy sorting out what we need for Rajasthan.


It's monsoon time, so it's going to be wellies and wet-weather gear - quite a change from the raging heat we've had in England recently - but a welcome change from the searing temperatures I experienced in April. I might even see some gardens when I'm not in the villages (see photo left) and, if I do, I'll be sharing them with you! One of my favourites - Sahelion-ki-Bari - is at the top.

This month took me to two new manor houses with gardens - Hidcote and Mottistone for the first time; two notable gardens where women have called the shots - Kiftsgate Court and Barnsley House; two stunning landscapes - Colesbourne Park and Buscot; and two very different castle gardens - Arundel and Sudeley. I've smelled a lot of wonderful roses, seen borders bursting with colour and wandered round a couple of water gardens - Longstock Park and Little Wantley; and many other other properties  I'd never seen before.

The labernum walk, Barnsley House - but past its prime when I visited!

I'll be writing about them in the next few weeks and you can check my UK Directory if you're planning garden visits in the UK. Right now it concentrates on the Southern half of England because that's where I've visited most gardens, but as I travel further afield, there'll be more and more properties heading north, so it's a growing list.

Borders at Little Wantley, open for the NGS in June

There are many new bloggers on the block this month too, and I'm sure you'll want to check out their plots - John Grimshaw writing about what's going on in the lovely garden he tends (and many other interesting posts); Judyth at The Time Travelling Garden - a really wonderful read; Patio Patch, based in London's Bloomsbury; Dozen Oaks, with glorious bee pictures; and Garden 337, with wonderful pictures and words about a garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They're all new at Blotanical, so do give them a warm welcome!

A little piece of heaven - open for the NGS!

Imagine a house overlooking a wonderful lake and a garden full of surprises - this is what you'll find at Little Wantley in Sussex if you visit on an NGS open day! It's a little piece of heaven - brainchild of Hilary Barnes - which has been developed over the last 13 years, to make it what it is today. The lake was excavated in 1997 and is now a peaceful oasis, complete with rowing boat for the family to use. But it's also provided a wonderful canvas and allowed the owners to plant a range of water-loving plants that couldn't flourish without it.

But everywhere you turn in this 4.5 acre garden, you will find something different, like the rope walk (above) flanked by glorious borders brimming with perennials and roses, leading up to the pergola; the Stumpery (below), made up of old roots of oak and chestnut, which took four years to collect.  And as  Hilary says: "We were stumped on how to begin ... so we lifted the largest roots into place to form the base and then fitted the other pieces into position, like a jigsaw puzzle."  She adds that her 93-year old mother still wants to know when the bonfire will be lit!

Everywhere you turn there is another charming vista, like the flower garden below - bursting with colour; a secret garden accessed through a pergola; a cantilevered jetty with its own pergola; and glorious views over the lake, which incorporates two islands.  This garden is a masterpiece, and although Hilary says: "Opening your garden is like baring you soul!", she has nothing to worry about because this is one of the best NGS gardens I've ever seen.

Little Wantley opened for the NGS this weekend, one of more than 3,700 that opens to raise funds for cancer-related charities in the UK, so do visit their website to find gardens near you.  I had the additional joy of avoiding the crowds because the England v Germany match was on when I went ... so the roads were empty. Not so on the way home after the England defeat, but give me a garden anyday in preference to a football match ... although my husband and son wouldn't agree!

Other notable gardens that are open for the NGS in Sussex next month are Town Place, with its wonderful roses (4th and 11th July), Sussex Prairies (17th and 18th July), Clinton Lodge (5th and 26th July) and Latchetts (16th and 17th July).

"Exotic Sezincote! Stately and strange!"

We’d drive to Sunday lunch at Sezincote 

First steps in learning how to be a guest 

First wood-smoke-scented luxury of life 

In the large ambience of a country house...exotic Sezincote! 

Stately and strange it stood, the Nabob’s house 

Indian without and coolest Greek within...

This is how Sir John Betjeman described the unique property near Cheltenham in his verse autobiography "Summoned by Bells". He used to come here for lunch during his time as an undergraduate at Oxford. And it's certainly one of the most unusual gardens I've visited this year - with its striking Moghal-style architecture (so a home from home for me!), and lovely gardens, well worth making the effort to get to, despite it's restricted opening hours (Thursday and Friday only).

The house (top) - with its onion domes, minarets and peacock-tail arches - and the pavilion (below) were designed by Samuel Pepys Cockerell for his brother Sir Charles, who worked for the East India Company. Completed in 1805, it was the inspiration for the famous Brighton Pavilion, following a visit by the Prince Regent to Sezincote in 1807. The original gardens were landscaped with input from Humphry Repton, the lesser-known, but more flexible successor to Capability Brown, who helped Samuel source sketches for classic Indian gardens. The classic chadar bagh (top) featuring trees and ponds in front of the house and pavilion was added by former owner of the property Lady Kleinwort in the 1960s.

Located near the glorious, but touristy towns of Stow-on-the-World and Moreton-in-Marsh , where you expect to find honey-coloured stone buildings, Sezincote comes as a real surprise because of its marked Indian influence and unusual gardens.  The property is approached by an avenue of holm oaks, and over an ornamental Indian bridge - complete with two pairs of Brahmin bulls (above) - overlooking the Snake Pool, which takes its name from the three-headed serpent intertwined with a dead tree stump (below) and the magnificent water gardens below.

The original garden lies to the north of the house and features a chain of inter-connecting pools and streams, lushly planted and fed with water from the top pool with its temple dedicated to the Indian sun god, Surya (below). It was a dull and damp day when I visited, but this didn't detract from the glorious planting and serenity of this magnificent garden. Everywhere you look, there are large-leaved aquatic plants, together with weeping beeches and willows.  

The house and garden, like so many others in the area, suffered neglect during World War II, but was brought back to life by Lord and Lady Kleinwort, who purchased the estate in 1944 and started restoring it to its former glory.  Today the property is still lived in by their descendants and serves as a family home, but is only open to the public on Thursdays and Fridays from 2.00 - 6.00.

Other notable gardens nearby include Hidcote Manor, Kiftsgate Court and Sudeley Castle - but make sure you don't try and combine the first two with Sezincote, because you'll be disappointed, since both are closed on the two days this beautiful garden is open.  But there are many other gardens you can visit on these days and I'll be reviewing them in the few weeks, including Bourton House, Mill Dene and Snowshill Manor.

Three generations of women gardeners at Kiftsgate

Kiftsgate Court is one of THE gardens in the Cotsworlds to visit! It's absolutely stunning, has unrivalled views over the Vale of Evesham, and is a tribute to the three generations of women gardeners who have made it what it is today. And even though it's right next door to Hidcote, you won't find the jostling crowds here ... so it's a little slice of heaven! It's certainly one of the best gardens I've ever seen.

The house was built at the end of the 19th century and provides a magnificent backdrop for the gardens that have been created there in the last 90 years.  It has a Georgian front with a high portico, which can be seen from various parts of the garden (top), and is still used as a family home, but unlike so many other properties where the house dominates the landscape, it's the gardens here at Kiftsgate that will make you gasp.  And at this time of year, every single bit of the garden is in bloom - from the moment you walk in and are greeted by the magnificent peonies and roses (above), to the glorious white garden (below); the rose border; and the lower garden overlooking the Vale of Evesham towards the Malvern Hills.

The garden was originally planted by Heather Muir from 1920 onwards, who had help from her closest neighbour, Lawrence Johnston of Hidcote, but Kiftsgate has stayed in private hands and has been cosseted by two further generations of women gardeners, so it retains a sense of intimacy and charm and feels like a family home. You'll find the famous 'Kiftsgate' rose (Rosa filipes 'Kiftsgate') in full bloom right now - an amazing sight in June - although current owner Anne Chambers likens it to a "triffid" if kept unchecked!  

Leaving the heavenly scented formal gardens behind, you'll find yourself in the sheltered Lower Garden with its half moon swimming pool overlooking the Malvern Hills (above) - and as you wander through the huge Monterey pines, you'll find many exotic plants including echium and agave, sheltered from winter frost on the banks leading down to the pool. You'd be forgiven for thinking you've walked into an entirely different climate here, because it's so different.

And don't miss the amazing Water Garden (above) - a modern masterpiece commissioned by the present owners, where 24 swaying bronze leaves designed by sculptor Simon Allison reflect in the black water of the rectangular pond, complete with stepping stones inspired by the moat at Sutton Place. This is a place to sit and reflect on what you've already seen at this amazing garden.

   Kiftsgate is open on the same days as Hidcote (Saturday to Wednesday in June, July and August), but if you really want to get the most out of this garden, get there when it opens at midday, before the marauding masses arrive from over the road!

   For other privately-owned Cotswold gardens reviewed so far, see Colesbourne Park. I'll be reviewing Bourton House, Cerney House, Misarden Park and several others in the next few weeks, but first I have to get my breath back!

Almost wordless Wednesday ... a taste of what's to come!

Misarden Park, Glos

Just returned from three days of touring wonderful gardens, and wanted to post some pictures to show you what's to come ....

Snowshill Manor, Glos

Glorious weather here in England and the gardens are looking magnificent ..... I've been to Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire and Buckinghamshire .... 

Cerney House, Glos

Sun's been shining all the way ... and I'll be sharing all the best gardens with you ...

Ascott, Bucks

Sixteen magnificent gardens in three days ..... so watch this space!

Kiftsgate Court, Glos

Hiding from the hordes at Hidcote!

Yesterday was Midsummer's Day and I visited several gardens in the Cotswolds with fellow British blogger Rothschild Orchid. My first stop was Hidcote Manor, former home of expatriate American, Lawrence Johnston, who also created the gardens at Serre de la Madone in the south of France.  I know this is one of the most-visited landscapes in Britain, but nothing ... and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for the hordes of people there, even though I arrived as the doors opened at 10.00 on the dot!

Hidcote is hidden away down country lanes in Gloucestershire and I should have guessed from the flow of traffic on the way there what it was going to be like, but when I realised all the cars and coaches were bound for the same place as me, there was little choice but to gather my cameras, run into the gardens and see if I could get photographs before I was outnumbered by the throng of foreign tourists who clearly had the same idea as me!!  (I had wondered why RO had said she'd meet me once I'd seen this garden!!) 

There's little doubt this is an iconic English garden, set as it is in the rolling Gloucestershire countryside; with pretty thatched cottages woven into the landscape and Johnston's vision of "a wild garden in a formal setting"; but like Sissinghurst in Kent, you need nerves of steel to visit in high season and you could be forgiven for thinking that you were somewhere in Europe rather than in the heart of England.  In the brief time I was there, I must have been told to move out of the way in no less than five languages, as I tried to get a few pictures!

The grounds at Hidcote extend to some 10 acres and the main features are its many different garden rooms, wonderful hornbeam walk, gorgeous borders (above) and views over the surrounding countryside, but I'm afraid I wont be visiting again until low season .... it was just too crowded for me. Frankly I'd rather go to Serre de la Madone, which is currently being restored to its former glory after years of neglect!  Hidcote is only open on three weekdays, so you have to get there between Monday and Wednesday and I would imagine that weekends are even more crowded!!

Whatever my experience here at Hidcote, garden-lovers should visit, if only because there's another property adjacent that I'll be reviewing tomorrow - Kiftsgate Court - and that's where RO met me ... sensible lady!! And if you're wondering how I got pictures without people ... I too did my share of asking people to move out of the way ... in English.

Midsummer's Day

I'm sitting in the middle of Gloucestershire with Rothschild Orchid and it's Midsummer's Eve .... we've been to three gardens together today - Hidcote, Kiftsgate and a real secret garden - shortly to be revealed!
More later....

One to bookmark ... Buscot Park

I've seen many beautiful gardens in the last few weeks and had wonderful days gazing at glorious flower displays in historic gardens like Barnsley; admired Elizabethan splendour at St Mary's Bramber; and ogled at topiary displays and unusual plants in microclimates around the UK at Veddw and Ventnor.   But when I finally made it to Buscot Park (which has long been on my wish list) and the landscape unfolded before me, I was truly delighted. 

This is an extraordinary property, with heart-stopping vistas (right) - administered by Lord Faringdon and housing an extremely fine art collection. Buscot overlooks a lake and Harold Peto of Iford Manor created an amazing stepped-canal water garden (top) which runs from just below the main house, opens out into a series of pools, with bridges and statues, and enclosed by neatly trimmed box hedges. The box effect is reflected at the rear of the property (right) where a steep hillside walk gives views over the gardens behind the house.

The large walled kitchen garden was rearranged in the 1980s and has wonderful borders and a Judas tree tunnel - stunning when the alliums are out!  There are also a series of garden rooms adjacent to the water garden, where you'll find subtle planting in muted colours (below). The estate extends to 150 acres, so allow plenty of time here because there's much to see and you don't want to miss anything.

And don't miss the Chinese terracotta warrior collection (below) - 17 life-sized statues in the garden, acquired fairly recently by Buscot Park. But DO check the website for opening times, because they change according to the season and you don't want to get there and find the gardens closed. Apologies to readers if the colours here are a little muted, but the weather was awful when I visited!

An Elizabethan jewel in Sussex - St Mary's House

If you fancy a little bit of Elizabethan splendour, beautifully maintained and served with astounding roses in bloom right now, head for St Mary's House, Bramber in Sussex. It's an exquisite property that's been lovingly restored by two successive owners, with five acres of gorgeous gardens to complement the timber-beamed house. And, if you get your timing right, you could enjoy a concert in the Victorian Music Room because there's an interesting music and opera programme during the next six months.  

St Mary's has twice been saved from ruin in the last 100 years - first, in 1944 when the house narrowly escaped demolition because it was in such a bad state of repair and then again forty years later, when Peter and Mary Thorogood purchased the property jointly with Roger Linton.  They have spent the last 25 years restoring both the interior of the house and the gardens. So immaculate is the house now that it's hard to believe it could have once faced the prospect of demolition and when you visit you'll heave a huge sigh of relief that this property is here for us to enjoy today.

The garden is quite delightful and from the moment you get your first glance of the 15th century house through the topiary garden (top), you will be entranced by the varied vistas and plantings at this historic property. There's a Monk's Walk, a magnificent Walled Garden, which includes the Jubilee Rose Garden, planted in 2002 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth's 50 years on the throne; a charming Terracotta Garden, which is under development, but looking good enough already to show you how it will eventually be; and there are also the pineapple pits, a reminder of years gone by, when this fruit was still grown in England. 

And beyond the Walled Garden there's even more to see, because Peter Thorogood (already a well-established English poet) has created a charming and unique Poetry Garden with inner and outer yew circles and a bust of Byron. The planting is entirely yellow, blue and white and you'll find some outstanding clematis climbing the pergola here. And beyond this, there's a woodland walk, which comes into its own in the spring with drifts of bluebells.

     St Mary's is a really charming garden and is open on Thursdays and Sundays from 2.00 - 6.00.  You could easily combine this with a visit to Parham House, or the Royal Pavilion Garden, Brighton.

A tropical surprise in Southern England

Today I went to the Isle of Wight and visited the Ventnor Botanic Garden - I was surprised, amazed and delighted by what I saw!!  This glorious 22-acre garden is managed by the local council, is completely free to visitors and has some real surprises in store for you - Chusan Palms, many mature specimen trees and different garden areas that will delight you - ranging from an Australian garden (below) to glorious herbaceous borders, that all thrive in the unique microclimate on the south coast of the island.

The site has an interesting history because it was formerly the Royal National Hospital for Diseases of the Chest , founded in 1868, but it eventually became redundant as antibiotics were discovered for the treatment of tuberculosis, and the building (which was reminiscent of a Victorian workhouse), was finally demolished in 1969 to make way for the wonderful garden that is there today.  

Sir Harold Hillier, the internationally renowned plantsman who created the gardens bearing his name near Winchester, used this site to house tender plants and shrubs from his collection and as a result, there is an astounding array of specimens here from China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa - all in themed gardens. The result of his original endeavours, together with the council's commitment to caring for the plants and the appointment of a curator, who has worked hard to make Ventnor what it is today, is a magical garden - and one of the best I've seen this year.  

But this remarkable garden has not always looked this good.  Hillier died in 1985 and the garden was then hit by some incredibly harsh winters, when many many plants died. The great storm of 1987 wreaked further havoc on specimen trees and plants, so there has been much work for both the council and curator, Simon Goodenough in the last 35 years. But looking at the garden today, you would never guess that it had suffered such a difficult time. 

This is one to put on your "Wish List" - there are lots of special deals on ferries to the Isle of Wight, and many other gardens to see, including Mottistone Manor, which I'll be reviewing later this month.  

Wordless Wednesday ... where to sit and reflect ...

All photographs taken at Sussex Prairies.

The Snowdrop King at Colesbourne Park

Talk about a week of wonderful encounters.  When I finished at Barnsley House last week, I went to another, very different Cotswold garden that has also featured high on my "Wish List" in the last couple of years - Colesbourne Park.  This garden ranks top in the world for its snowdrops, but the ravages of the English weather rendered a visit there impossible for me this winter, because I couldn't get out of Brighton, let alone make a 130 mile trek to Gloucestershire to see the spectacle that has made this garden so famous. But just seeing the terrain here at this beautiful property allowed me to imagine how it would look in winter with acres of bobbing white heads and I'm determined to get there in 2011 to enjoy its full galanthus glory.

But in some respects I'm glad I didn't get there in February, because my visit last week afforded me the opportunity of seeing this incredible property in summer and more importantly, having the luxury of talking to the Snowdrop King - Dr John Grimshaw (below) - at length about his work. One of the world's leading snowdrop experts, John is also an authority on trees and has written several specialist botanical books to date. Fellow Blotanist, Rothschild Orchid reviewed the Colebourne snowdrops earlier this year, so click on the link to see her post and wonderful photographs.

Colesbourne Park extends to some 2,500 acres and includes four farms and 900 acres of forestry.  When you drive in you can see all the grazing sheep, distinguished by their long fringes after sheering, which John says, is what they do to Cotswold sheep. This is a lovely property, with views over acres of greenery (top) and it's famous "blue" lake (above), which is thought to take its colour from the colloidal clay in the otherwise clean, but limey water; complete with hydroelectric station (below).  It was once the home of celebrated Victorian plantsman and collector Henry John Elwes and the house is still inhabited by his descendants.

Dr John Grimshaw arrived here in 2003 as Gardens Advisor and has spent the last six years restoring the gardens to their former state of interest.  He has added long borders to the area adjacent to the main house; started a spring garden at the rear of the property (below) and added to the snowdrop collection - which already runs to well over 200 varieties.  Qualified as a botanist, he is also an dendrologist and has recently finished a major book about trees, which is extremely fitting when you consider that Henry Elwes also wrote a book on the same subject.  And when you see the incredible specimens at Colesbourne, you realise it would not be hard to become passionate about trees.

Colesbourne is a truly magnificent landscape and I am really glad that I was able to visit it off-season, just to enjoy the views and talk to John, who is not just knowledgeable, but charming.  He has his own blog - John Grimshaw's Garden Diary - and if you want to see regular updates on the garden and indeed, receive the latest galanthus news, this is the place to look.
This garden couldn't be more different than Barnsley House, where I'd been earlier in the day, or indeed, Sudeley Castle where I ventured next, but for me this was the jewel in the Gloucestershire crown!