Gardens to visit

[nickdub]

With the coming of better weather here, my mind turned (amongst other things) to places to visit. I don't travel round that much as I'm a bit on the lazy side (think chair, fire, book, slippers), but Mrs Nick occasionally chivies me out of the door for a trip.

Of the well known Nationally recognised gardens I've visited Hidcote Manor is definitely my favourite, with Bodnant a reasonable second.

I do go to more local gardens too and of these Lydney Park Spring Gardens is particularly good value in my opinion. I believe its only open to the public for a few days in the Spring, that's when I go anyway as the chief attraction are the flowering shrubs Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias together with some very pretty Japanese maples. They grow either side of a little secluded valley with a stream running down it. From up by the house there is a good view of the Severn, and you can easily understand why the Romans picked this spot to build a villa.

Wishing everyone good gardening weather and hope you all get to visit somewhere horticulturally enjoyable.

PS Sorry mods this was another post which I was not too sure where to place, so please move it as you think best.

[bikermike]

We tend to like visiting national trust properties and I like having a good nose round their veg beds. Wimpole (in Cambs) has an impressive set.

[Small pumpkin]

I don't visit many places because there are generally people there. I'm incredibly unsociable . On the rare occasion I've entered normal society I've really enjoyed lost gardens of heligan, Kew Gardens & the Eden project.

Would love to re visit all of them. Not been for over a decade. Would be great to see how everything has grown and changed. Don't know it will ever happen as we now live even farther away and I'm even more unsociable .

[nickdub]

I don't visit many places because there are generally people there. I'm incredibly unsociable . On the rare occasion I've entered normal society I've really enjoyed lost gardens of heligan, Kew Gardens & the Eden project.

Would love to re visit all of them. Not been for over a decade. Would be great to see how everything has grown and changed. Don't know it will ever happen as we now live even farther away and I'm even more unsociable .

Oddly I've visited all the ones you mention and each of them is definitely worth a visit, as they have different things to offer.

[Penellype]

I'm lucky to have a Mum who lives within a few miles of Harlow Carr in Harrogate and is a RHS member, so we quite often visit and I get in free. They have all sorts of plants and a stream running through the garden, but the highlight for me is always the alpine house, which is superb.

The Harrogate spring flower show is also well worth a visit - it is at the Yorkshire Show Ground on 26-29 April this year.

[nickdub]

Only ever seen that garden on the TV, my one and only visit to Yorkshire was 55 years ago approx.

(my brother worked for one of the landed gentry up there - in or near Nidderdale)

[rary]

I would recommend a visit to Barnsdale, the garden that Geoff Hamilton created, I found it a very relaxing garden to walk round, if you are ever up in Scotland there are several gardens to visit, though for Rhododendrons, Crarae is worth a visit, and Inveryew gardens should never be missed

[treepixie]

Saville gardens in Berkshire is well worth a visit

[nickdub]

Yes I have visited that one, it was a long time ago now though, but my memories of it are that it was not too impressive - may be its changed over the years, or quite possibly I was too young to appreciate it.

(I was in hall nearby there as a student)

[Hereford fruit grower]

If you like trees, I thoroughly recommend Michael Heseltine's arboretum in Thenford, near Banbury, Oxfordshire. He has open days but you have to book in advance, that's for security reasons I think.

There's also Bluebell Arboretum on the Leics./Derbyshire border, BlueBell Nursery - BlueBell Nursery.

Both of these gardens have been created in a few decades; arboretums needn't take centuries.

If you find yourself in Surrey, RHS Wisley is worth a visit. Allow at least a day to look around, ideally; it's vast. The apple orchard alone is quite a sight.

[nickdub]

I haven't been to the other two but I can second Wisley as well worth going to.

The only arboretum I've been to of any size is Westonbirt - that's a pretty good one - of course its at its best more at some times of year then others.

[veggiechicken]

My Vote goes to the https://botanicgarden.wales/about-the-garden/
I love the Glass house.

Forgot to add our wonderful open air museum at St Fagans, outside Cardiff where they have rebuilt many Welsh buildings from medieval farmhouses, churches, terraced cottages to a prefab, all in the grounds of an Elizabethan mansion. Each building has its own garden in the appropriate style for the period with plants to match! All buildings are furnished and open to view, in winter the fires are lit and the small windowed low ceilinged dwellings fill with the scent and smoke of burning logs.
You can go back time after time and always see something new - and, best of all, its Free (although there is a charge for the car park). https://museum.wales/stfagans/visit/