Garden Visits and Events in 2010
Directions will be sent nearer the time to those who book SGT visits. If anyone would like a lift to these visits, please do contact the person organising the event. Please note the different start times.
There are a few changes to our arrangements for the visits this year. We have decided to invite Garden History members in Sussex to join us, in the spirit of collaboration with the GHS (see the visit to Highgrove). As a result we have introduced a charge of £2 extra per member's guest or GHS member.
Please note: The visit to Woolbeding Gardens has been moved to the 16th of September.
Talk at Queen's Hall, Cuckfield
Monday 22nd March at 6:30pm
Cost: £5.00 per member, £7.00 per member's guest or GHS member
Ed Ikin, the Head Gardener at Nymans, will talk about the fascinating life of Alicia Amherst, The First Lady Garden Historian. Places are still available - if you would like to attend, please email Jim Stockwell at membersinformation@sussexgardenstrust.org.uk and pay at the door.
Annual General Meeting of the Sussex Gardens Trust, visit and talk by Jane Balfour, Plumpton Place and College, near Lewes
Saturday 17th April at 10:45am for coffee at Plumpton Place
Cost: £22.00 per member, £24.00 per member's guest or GHS member
We have extended our usual format for the day of the AGM and hope that many of you will come and enjoy the excellent programme.
Prior to the formal proceedings of the AGM there will be a morning visit to the beautiful and very private gardens of Plumpton Place, a fine Elizabethan moated manor house, extensively remodelled and enlarged by Sir Edwin Lutyens who also laid out its water gardens. Plumpton Place is registered by English Heritage as Grade II* and this grading illustrates that it is thought to be of exceptional historic interest. The planting design was by Gertrude Jekyll. It is privately owned and only open on rare occasions to groups. We have visited it before but, knowing it as we do, feel that is well worth a second visit for those who have already been before. It is adjacent to the College.
The visit will be followed by lunch at the College and the AGM. Then Jane Balfour has kindly agreed to give a talk on 'Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement'. Jane is an experienced lecturer on garden history, specializing in the work of Gertrude Jekyll, Vita Sackville-West, Harold Peto and others of that era. She is a member of the Hampshire Gardens Trust.
The AGM is free but bookings are required for the rest of the day. Guests may attend but should not attend the AGM.
Chelwood Vachery Woodland and Water Gardens, Ashdown Forest
Wednesday 19th May at 2:30pm
Cost: £8.00 per member, £10.00 per member's guest or GHS member
We visited these amazing gardens right at the start of their restoration by the Ashdown Forest Conservators. We now plan to return to see the work that has been carried out so far. The time of year should allow us to see many of the fine rhododendrons that have hopefully been identified by now. Much work has been carried out in dredging the ponds and clearing some of the invasive plant material, so it will be a treat to see the gardens restored from their long sleep. The water that flows down the full length of the valley slope to the pools below is part of the 1920s design by Gavin Jones as distinct from that drawn up for the gardens around the house at Chelwood Vachery which are not open to the public.
We will meet at the Red Lion in Chelwood Gate to park and then leave promptly at 2.30 pm, taking as few cars as possible to the very limited parking on the way to the gardens. We will then walk through the Forest, visit the gardens and return to the Red Lion for tea and scones. Robust footwear is needed as the paths can be muddy and there is a stream to cross - stepping stones provided!
The Malt House and Trotton Old Rectory, Trotton, near Midhurst
Friday 11th June at 11:30am at the Malt House, 2pm at Trotton Old Rectory
Cost: £11.00 per member, £13.00 per member's guest or GHS member
The Malt House near Rogate dates from 1600 although the 6 acre gardens that we are to visit are of 20th century origins. The house was previously owned by Mr Lesley Stent, a friend of Lionel Rothschild at Exbury who was busy hybridising his Leonora rhododendrons and azaleas. His rejects he gave to Mr Stent and many have turned out just as successfully and even more so than those planted at Exbury. Some will still be out in June and many other choice plants can be seen during our visit. Following Mr Stent's ownership, the house and grounds were bought by Michael Haworth-Booth, the well know author and expert on hydrangeas, tree peonies and many other shrubs. Also to be visited is the arboretum of 50 acres containing rare trees although the snow this year has caused massive damage, so we are warned not to expect perfection.
The owner, Mr Graham Ferguson, has offered to take us around and to give us coffee and biscuits on arrival. We will have a picnic (bring your own) during the visit and then travel the short distance to our second visit of the day.
Trotton Old Rectory is a fine house with a garden that is a kaleidoscope of colour in June. The house was the home of Thomas Otway, the Restoration playwright. His father was curate and some of Thomas's childhood was spent there until his father moved to Woolbeding. Situated beside the river, which forms part of its boundary, the garden is divided into many different areas, each with its distinct character and each linked by paths with the other. A circular rosarium of shrub roses is bounded by beds of delphiniums, lavenders and campanulas, all of which should be at their best in June. The other areas are full of shrub roses, perennials, shrubs and trees. Pleached limes, a laburnum tunnel, a small lake and lush bog garden all add to the interest, as does a productive vegetable garden with Victorian glasshouses.
Tidebrook Manor, Tidebrook, Wadhurst
Friday 27th August at 2pm
Cost: £12.00 per member, £14.00 per member's guest or GHS member
The Head Gardener will take us on a tour of this very special four-acre (1.62 hectare) garden with outstanding views and set in the heart of the Sussex countryside. Tidebrook Manor has been lovingly and beautifully refurbished by the owners and their expert and cricket-mad gardener. Large mixed borders, lawns, meadows, hydrangea walk, wild woodland, productive kitchen garden all provide a fascinating mix of planting styles, colours and textures. Every part of the garden has been carefully considered and thoughtfully designed but without any pretension or artifice. The visitor is left to admire the beauty and naturalness of the place. This is the first year that Tidebrook Manor has been open for group visits, so join us to find out more about this enticing garden.
In the 1950s Tidebrook Manor was the home of Sir Michael Tippett (1905-1998), one of the most original and important British composers of the 20th century. While living at Tidebrook Tippett composed some of the major works that established his reputation. He also composed several minor works of more local interest, including a hymn tune entitled Wadhurst.
After our visit to the gardens we will drive to the Best Beech Inn for tea.
Woolbeding House, Woolbeding, near Midhurst
Thursday 16th September at 2pm
Cost: £10 per member, £12 for members' guests and GHS members, to cover transport and tea
Entry for members of the National Trust is free, but non-members to pay £5.50 on the day
The gardens at Woolbeding House are opening for the first time this summer. Pre-booked groups will be able to visit these stunning and very special gardens.
The gardens were designed by Lanning Roper in the 1970s, with hard landscaping by Phillip Jebb. However, the gardens have been an integral part of the estate for several centuries and have of course had many incarnations. The very fine fountain came from Cowdray where it had been found in pieces. Lanning Roper cleverly integrated it into his sensitive design of many small compartments, with pergola, formal pool, fruit trees and shrub roses.
The arrangements with the National Trust are somewhat fluid as they have only recently decided to open the gardens to pre-booked groups on Thursdays and Fridays in August and September. Numbers are limited to 40 so please book as soon as possible to ensure a place.
There is no parking for private cars and very limited disabled parking, so we will meet at the car park in Midhurst and take 8 seater minibuses to Woolbeding, to be dropped off and collected at pre-arranged times. As there are no facilities for refreshments we will have tea at the very pleasant Priory Café at Cowdray, after we have picked up our cars.
As we have to pre-arrange transport, please ensure that your bookings are with Jim Stockwell by 2 September. There will be no opportunity for late bookings for this event.
To make your booking please send your cheque in payment to Jim Stockwell at: 47 Denmans Lane, Lindfield, RH16 2JN.
Highgrove
We have missed bookings on two dates so we are now looking at mid September
Cost: £25.00 to include tea at Highgrove
As outlined in the Chairman's letter at the beginning of this Newsletter, anyone who would like to join the combined Garden History Society/Sussex Gardens Trust visit to Highgrove, the home of HRH The Prince of Wales, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire should email Jim Stockwell at membersinformation@sussexgardenstrust.org.uk to express their interest.
Peasmarsh Place, Peasmarsh
Saturday, 23rd October at 2pm
Cost: £7.00 per member, £9.00 per member's guest or GHS member
Head Gardener, Martin Carree, will take us around some of the seven acre garden surrounding Peasmarsh Place. Highlights include the yew-enclosed rose garden and various features with an Alice in Wonderland connection. The garden contains National Collections of limes and sweet chestnuts and a large and varied arboretum mostly planted since 1976 with fine walks and some outdoor sculpture. The Sorbus avenue should be particularly lovely at the time of our visit. We will finish our afternoon with tea and biscuits at Peasmarsh.