Good gardens to visit

[fruit&vegvirgin]

thought it would be good to post a few details of gardens we have enjoyed visiting, what we thought, and ones we've always wanted to see!

near to us, we have:
SISSINGHURST: rather more scruffy than I expected in lots of places, but beautiful all the same.
LEEDS CASTLE: lovely, rather formal herb type garden, and relatively new parterres which are looking good.
GROOMBRIDGE PLACE: stunning formal gardens, plus whole 'fantasy' park which is absolutely wonderful, especially for kids.
GREAT DIXTER: plantaholics garden, loved it.

on my wish list:
YALDING ORGANIC GARDENS: not far from us, just never got there!
ALNWICK CASTLE: miles and miles away, but would love to go.
MONET'S GARDEN IN FRANCE: just to see it...

I'm sure there are loads more!

[WiZeR]

Yalding is on my list to visit this year, not far from me either (in the other direction it seems).

Brogdale Horticultural Trust - Faversham, Home of the national collection of fruit.

[sewer rat]

Went to Alnwick last year whilst on holiday - wanna go back on my own as my OH and wean were not in the least interested and I got nagged so much that I gave up.
Going to Inverewe this year - had planned to go previously but then the storms came and trashed it severely so shelved that idea for a while.
Reading this I think I may be jinxed - two visits, two failures.
Rat

[Lesley Jay]

Tatton Park in Cheshire has some lovely award winning gardens and a beautiful Chinese garden. Well worth a visit.

[andrewo]

Audley End, I saw in September but would love to see it in summer, they also have a festival around veg and fruit in August, or so I was told.

Tatton is lovely, and I enjoyed the Garden Show there, I also enjoyed the Harrogate show more as they displayed veg.

I will also be visiting me own garden from time to time, free entry, the smallest tour ever!

[nick the grief]

I enjoy Ryton as they have some great ideas there for veg growing not just on the lotty & my daughter and me are addicted to the Organic jam doughnuts

Keep meaning to go to the NT garden Nr Chesterfield (can't remember the name) but havn't managed it.

Plus there's 2 or 3 round Birmingham that are good

[Geordie]

Alnwick is virtually on my doorstep...have been once and was disappointed!

[fruit&vegvirgin]

why disappointed Geordie? I think the treewalk and the fountain thingy are on my wish list... isnt there a poison garden too?

[Nicos]

Is that the poison garden which has to be guarded at night? I think I heard something on the radio last year about this. Escourted tours only too. I like the idea of themed gardens -The children's school were asking for suggestions on themed gardens and decided on butterfly and pink or something. My suggestion was prehistoric...much more exciting for the lads! Magnolias, rhubarb, monkeypuzzle, mares tails etc etc, interdispersed with dinosaurs made by the kids! Bit like the Red Indian art that used to be in Griezdale forest. Butterflies!!!!!(yes - I know they are important -but dragonflies were prehistoric too!). Might make it myself one day,but we have just finished our garden at home - perhaps an idea for the Chelsea flower show??( I bags free entry tickets if someone takes up this challenge! ). Any other themed gardens out there?

[Berr]

Rowallane (not 100% sure of the spelling) in County Down is where the whole gardening thing started for me. Up till then I couldn't have imagined anything more boring. I was dragged along by my mother-in-law, and there in the walled garden I saw her: a vision of ineffable beauty: a rhododendron Lady Chamberlain in full bloom. Fell in love with rhododendrons- and everything horticultural- on the spot! Northern Ireland in the Spring- a very special place you shouldn't miss.

[sewer rat]

Berr
Couldn't agree more - we go visit OH's family each easter - she has a sister whio has a cottage at the entrance to Castlewellan Country Park in Co Down - amazing place and the Friendship Maze keeps getting bigger and better each visit.
The women aren't half bad either - I found mine there
Thoroughly recommend Northern Ireland to all and sundry.
Rat

[Berr]

The women aren't half bad either - I found mine there

Keep you on your toes, mind!

[Nicos]

Oh Berr -thought you were female!!! just goes to show!! maybe you are? Must admit..I like the idea of hidden identity!! Only been to southern Ireland so now interested in venturing further!
Into geology so what do you suggest?? My family tree says I am S.Irish and N Irish from both sides so into geneology too since now!!

[Berr]

Nicos,
I'm so not a woman it'd give you nightmares, son!
I've been researching my Scottish mother's tree- a chastening experience (enough to make a berr weep) I'm hoping to have a go at my father's family in Northern Ireland but I believe it's a difficult job records having been destroyed in a fire during political unrest in the early 20th. century. I've got the length of finding a genealogy group in Coleraine, which is round about where my father's mother's people came from. Haven't contacted them yet though.

Does my bum look big in THIS?

Berr.

[Nicos]

could do!!!!
ps whats a berr???