JENNY RAWORTH GARDEN DAYS 2010
Special visits
for small groups to private gardens
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DAY 5
BERKSHIRE GARDENS
Wednesday 23rd June 2010
Woolton House, Woolton Hill
This is a really contemporary garden created by Mrs. Rosamund Brown with the help of French designer Pascal Cribier. The parkland area around the house is in the more traditional style with a lake and modern sculpture but the rest of the garden is a wonderful contrast. The large 4 acre walled garden is planted decoratively in geometric lines and blocks using the shades and tones of grasses, vegetables and perennials of all kinds to give an amazing colour effect. There is a ‘tram-line’ garden with perfectly cut grass paths dividing the long lines of hot coloured plants placed in between. Sedums are planted in another walled area among brick sets with cactus and other tender plants at the edge. Don’t miss this one!
Mrs. Brown will give us lunch prepared by her Thai cook so this is sure to be delicious and a great opportunity to see this rarely opened garden.
Earlstone Manor, Burghclere
Earlstone Manor is a garden designed by Bruce Ginsberg, in the style of a late 17th century formal garden. It has never been opened to the public and it is truly a hidden treasure with its series of linked rooms with intricate box parterres, knots and mazes framed in yew and a colonnade of hornbeam arches. There are two viewing platforms with a seats from where you can survey all the garden. There is an Italianate spouting fountain and even an Italian theatre stage of yew hedging waiting for the opera to happen. There is also a real chinoiserie bridge on a small ornamental Chinese-style pond, just like something on my blue and white china plates! The nursery next to the garden, where Bruce grows hundreds of topiary box bushes in many different shapes and sizes reminded me of suddenly seeing the Chinese Terracotta warriors standing to attention! Come and explore this treat.
Meet: 10.30am Woolton House
Transport: Own Cars – directions sent with confirmation
Finish: 4.00pm
Price: £95.00 includes coffee, lunch with wine and garden fees