gardens

The Potager

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Traditionally a Kitchen Garden, the Potager displays its heritage in the espaliered pear trees on the south wall whilst red currants and morello cherries adorn the north wall.
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A large fig tree stands beside the apricot house, which can also be used for growing heat loving crops such as chillies and peppers. A second Victorian glasshouse, reserved for succulents, sits to the west of the garden.  Sweet peas, grown for the house, tearoom and shop, climb up hazel sticks alongside a permanent rhubarb bed, provider of the raw ingredient for the tearooms’ signature rhubarb cordial.

Each of the four beds is bordered with box hedging. Once clipped in a traditional low rectangular form, the hedge was severely damaged by box blight and was cut back in 2016 in an attempt to save it. The regrowth has been slow, but finally sections of the hedge are regenerating with healthy verdant growth. At the western end of the garden, the whimsical box topiary of a chicken, egg and snail survived unscathed.

 

The Potager is a favourite with the school groups who respond well to the variety of plants in this garden where self-seeded verbascum, poppies, fennel, foxgloves, hollyhock and parsnip stand, alongside dahlias, perennial herbs and annuals such as cosmos and ageratum. The eclectic mix of cutting flowers and umbellifers ensure that this garden attracts a wealth of insects to inspire and excite enquiring young minds. The presence of bee ‘magnets’, such as borage and comfrey, guarantee a glimpse of pollinating bees on even the greyest of days from Spring through to Autumn. With seed heads left in place until Spring, invertebrates are guaranteed a Winter home and small birds can easily find a meal. One of the main features of this garden are the teasels, structurally as pleasing in their lilac-ringed Summer glory, as they are when frost rimed in Winter. Their presence is celebrated in a beautiful wrought iron gate leading to the Kitchen Garden, which features images of their spiky forms. The Potager is home to breeding wrens and flocks of goldfinches can be observed feeding on the teasel heads in Autumn and Winter.

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Book a tour of our ornamental gardens

Whether you are an individual, or a larger group, wishing to enjoy a tour of the gardens, our gardeners will be delighted to show you round and introduce you to these stunning naturalistic gardens.

For Individuals

Garden tours

Just £15 per person, including refreshments. Wednesdays from 5th June - 25th September 2024
Please book online as we cannot guarantee places will be available on the day.

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For Groups

Private tours

Just £15 per person, including refreshments.
Fridays from 7th June - 27th September 2024.
Please book online as we cannot guarantee places will be available on the day.
book now

for large groups

Private groups

By appointment only Tuesdays & Thursdays:
21st May - 26th September 2024.

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