Category: Outing Reports

A hot sunny morning, you would think it was June as trees have fresh leaves and the fields are coloured in a patchwork of brown to acid yellow and every shade of green, after heavy rain a couple of weeks’ ago.  Row cover glints on a distant ridge, a reminder that the ground is still needing to warm up, and that’s not the only place that needs warming, the coach has hyper air conditioning.   To the south flat fields gather[…]

The last garden visit of 2024 and guided by volunteer Mike King through Dartington Hall’s long and tempestuous history. In 1326 the Martin family enclosed a 100-acre deer park, still home to fallow deer, then Dartington was granted to Sir John Holand in 1388 by Richard II, his half-brother. A year after Sir John built a hillside manor house he was executed for treason by Henry IV. History then repeated itself with the estate passing between grants from the crown[…]

Deep mist and heavy rain, wellies left at home, after all it is July. Drip, drip, drip from the overflowing guttering and heavens above, in front of me is a sign about Compton Acres having the invasive Curly Waterweed, it was certainly watery but I couldn’t see many weeds!  Pippa took us on our walk through all the gardens with their many educational notices about protecting and conserving wildlife, birds and woodlands, marine plastic pollution and a happier one about[…]

The formal Edwardian Hestercombe Garden has been described as ‘Lutyens at his best’. Designed just before the First World War, a collaboration between Edwin Lutyens hard landscaping and Gertrude Jekyll, weaving her magic with soft planting: a plan of which she left pinned up in the potting shed and is still used for reference.  The Victorian mansion with its somewhat dour southern Victorian facade is in contrast to the gardens which reside below on three levels.  In the combe north[…]

This Arts & Crafts home built by the D’Oyle Carte family not only displays mid 1920’s craftsmanship from its architectural spaciousness to the tiles surrounding the frilled bedroom sinks but also views down through the garden to the sea.  Filled with minimalist art deco design: furniture, fabulous fabrics, artefacts, even a coat, and a carpet over which, perhaps, soho slinky evening dresses paraded. The house was sold to a Hampstead motor dealer and Torquay hotelier in 1949 but before being[…]

Castle Hill situated above the Bray River plain, with daffodil sprigged drive and ornamental stone bridge were built for horse and carriage rather than coach, still retains its iron estate railings from WWII demise.  The country mansion’s stateliness is enhanced by hill top trees above and below the formal terraced lawns with garden statutory, as well as the follies and ornamental plantations on the surrounding hillsides.   In full bloom camelias, magnolias and a large rhododendron grove lend warmth and soften[…]

A breezy and cold autumn morning with sun peeking through clouds as we made way for the openair dairy to cross our road.  From medieval times the gardens consisted of woodland and grassland, known as the Manor of Romsey Extra. In 1724 a farmer ‘Jarman’ is mentioned as taking land as a back yard of a house, perhaps the origin of ‘Jermyn’s House’. After being used as a smallpox hospital in the 18th century, by 1830 it had been extensively[…]

Devon, better known for its cream teas has orange elephants, a nickname for South Devon cattle, which may account for the bright orange elephant (African type) looking over a hedge with an ice cream cornet: clever advertising by an ice cream company.  Into Cornwall and crossing the Tamar by ferry with only a short drive past multicoloured Cornish stone walls and Scots pines to Antony House.    The house built in 1721 replaced previous properties securing the Lynher estuary for[…]

Tyntesfield, is one of those National Trust properties that provide an excellent day’s visit. The Victorian Gothic mansion retains the feel of a country estate with its magnificent reception rooms and (always fascinating) kitchen. It also houses an ornately decorated chapel. Extensive tree planting now provides a framework of mature trees both native and exotic. The walled garden for cut flowers, fruit and vegetables is located some distance from the mansion. With its working greenhouses, potting sheds and tool sheds[…]