Encombe Garden & Eastington Farm, Purbeck CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 SOLD OUT and Wednesday 10th June 2020 tickets available
PLEASE NOTE only available to members, plus 1 guest, for period 28/2-28/3/20 Our initial trip of the year takes us to 2 local gardens that are rarely open to the public - their styles providing a contrast to each other - one intimate and one expansive June 3rd trip In the morning we visit Eastington Farm, a mellow Grade-II listed manor house, with four acres. Over coffee and cake the owner will give us an introductory talk about the gardens, where she battles with strong, salt-laden winds and thin soil. Beautifully restored stone walls protect and enclose the main flower gardens and provide a foil for the extensive planting.
Then on to Encombe, a substantial and historic 18th century house in a sheltered setting at the top of a broad valley and encircled by a landscape of open pasture. The owners have undertaken an extensive redevelopment of the grounds with designer Tom Stuart-Smith. Here we can picnic in the grounds around the lake which Tom describes as “the only infinity lake I know and a wonderful coup de théâtre”. The gardens are composed of sweeping borders filled with perennials and grasses, a Tuscan-style temple, a new stone terrace and a walled garden with a young orchard and flower meadows. There is also a kitchen garden and glasshouse.
June 10th tripIn the morning we go to Encombe, a substantial and historic 18th century house in a sheltered setting at the top of a broad valley and encircled by a landscape of open pasture. The owners have undertaken an extensive redevelopment of the grounds with designer Tom Stuart-Smith. Tea and cake are provided on arrival, then after plenty of time to wander and enjoy the garden, you may picnic in the grounds around the lake which Tom describes as “the only infinity lake I know and a wonderful coup de théâtre”. The gardens are composed of sweeping borders filled with perennials and grasses, a Tuscan-style temple, a new stone terrace and a walled garden with a young orchard and flower meadows. There is also a kitchen garden and glasshouse.
Next we move on to Eastington Farm, a mellow Grade-II listed manor house, with four acres. Over coffee and cake the owner will give us an introductory talk about the gardens, where she battles with strong, salt-laden winds and thin soil. Beautifully restored stone walls protect and enclose the main flower gardens and provide a foil for the extensive planting.
Whilst refreshments are included at both venues, we recommend you bring along a packed lunch to eat in the grounds of the Encombe Estate.
Included: * Return coach travel departing from Olivers Road, Colehill at 10.00 am for 3rd June trip and at 9.30 am for the 10th June trip, returning to Colehill by 6.15 pm or 5.45 pm. * Entrance into and refreshments in both the Gardens * Driver’s gratuity
Cost:
Members £30.00 Non Members £35.00
For more details about the Trip, Terms and Conditions of Booking, and Booking Form (essential) click on the button below. The leaflet also contains the contact details of the Administrator of the Trip.
Wildside & The Garden House, Devon
Wednesday 22nd July 2020 and Sunday 26th July 2020 (identical trips)
BOTH TRIPS CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS PLEASE NOTE only available to members, plus 1 guest, for period 28/2-28/3/20
The initial response for a Wildside trip has been so overwhelming that we have organised 2 separate trips, only 4 days apart.
This year we are going to one of the Group’s favourite gardens. Keith Wiley’s amazing garden has been described as:‘a tour de force, the most innovative garden of our times’.
As Keith comes to talk to us at the National AGM, we are pleased to offer you the opportunity to revisit this wonderful garden which we last visited in 2016.
Please ensure, when you complete the Booking Form, that you complete which date you wish to visit.
This will be a long day so we will stop at the Exeter services for half an hour on both journeys.
We shall stop at The Garden House first where Tea/Coffee and biscuits will be included on arrival. You will then have time to wander the 10 acre garden, browse the plant sales, take advantage of the restaurant or eat your packed lunch. For more details, why not check out their website.
www.thegardenhouse.org.uk
We will then travel the short distance to Wildside for a couple of hours . There are no refreshments here but we will be providing a bottle of water and biscuits, included in the price of your ticket.
Please bring a packed lunch if you don’t want to eat at The Garden House
Included: * Return coach travel departing from Olivers Road, Colehill at 8 am, and Blandford at 8.15 am, returning to Colehill at approx 8pm. All timings subject to traffic.
* Entrance into The Garden House and refreshments on arrival
* Entrance into Wildside and refreshments, as described above
* Driver’s gratuity
Cost:
Members £37.00 Non Members £42.00
For more details about the Trip, Terms and Conditions of Booking, and Booking Form (essential) click on the button below. The leaflet also contains the contact details of the Administrator of the Trip.
West Dean & Architectural Plants
Thursday 10th September 2020
THIS TRIP HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS
Unusually we visit a nursery first, and it is an unusual one! At Architectural Plants we will see the interesting, quirky and bizarre, the tropical and the jungly, both big and small specimen plants. All set within 32 acres of open fields and surrounded by farmland overlooking the South Downs. The café, set in a greenhouse and amongst the plants, serves light lunches and a range of coffees and cakes as well as local beer, wine and cider. And they don’t take cash!
Then on to West Dean which has a 19th century Gothic house, designed by James Wyatt, with a 20th century Arts & Crafts garden, designed by Harold Peto in 1911. The restoration of the gardens began after the storm of 1987. Since then, a bold re-development programme has been carried out, designed to bring the gardens into the 21st century.
The walled kitchen garden features some of the finest Victorian glasshouses in the country - 16 in total, packed full of exotic flowers, seasonal fruit and vegetables, from orchids to nectarines, peppers and cucumber, tomatoes to aubergines. Other architectural delights include Harold Peto’s spectacular 300 ft Edwardian Pergola which dominates the North Lawn behind the main House. There are also four 19th century rustic summerhouses.
Wander through the extensive grounds, past rare trees and shrubs, ornamental borders, a naturalistically-planted pond. There is a tearoom/restaurant.
Included: * Return coach travel departing from Olivers Road, Colehill at 9 am, then pick-up in Ringwood, returning by 6.30 pm. * Entrance to West Dean and Architectural Plants * Driver’s gratuity
Cost:
Members £21.00 Non Members £26.00
For more details about the Trip, Terms and Conditions of Booking, and Booking Form (essential) click on the button below. The leaflet also contains the contact details of the Administrator of the Trip.