Where to start? The gardens extend to 12 acres of landscaped and planted gardens. We love every part of it! The main garden includes a turf maze, yew tunnel, mature trees, terraces with The River Witham flowing through it and ancient walls. Our main focus for this, the largest part of the gardens is to give them a future. We work to keep these fragile walls and ironwork protected from weeds and the elements and our gradually restoring them. Within this structure we have created some really interesting planting:
The meadows:
I have been working on these since we started hacking at the undergrowth in late 2001. They now cover around 2 acres and include the Cedar meadow (for Spring Colour), the Terraces (for summer meadows) and the long grasses so important for insect and bird life in the old kitchen garden.
The woodland walk:
This area is dominated by two beautiful old trees, a horse chestnut and black walnut. The planting here is designed to make the most of the spring light before the canopy of the trees closes down the sunshine reaching the understorey. It includes hellebores, aquilegias, hyacinths and epimediums.
New Rose and Lilac plantings: Innovatively planted in long grass, David Austin Roses and an important Lilac collection rise up in the old kitchen garden.
Borders: The Velvet Border as you enter under the gatehouse is planted with texture rather than colour in mind. It produces some delicious colour combinations as a result.
The Long Border: Designed to peak in late summer, this border has a yellow and white theme which can be seen from across the terraces and close up as you wander beside the river.
Seasonal interest: February: Snowdrops everywhere! Spring: Daffodils and cowslips Summer:The swallows, roses and sweet peas Autumn: changing colours, late summer annuals, vegetables and greenhouse.
The Pickery, Cottage and Vegetable gardens are more domestic in scale. We hope these areas will inspire you in your own garden. Click here for more information.
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