At the Godstone Gardeners Club we don’t just talk about gardens, we visit them too! Trips are organised by our expert organiser, Jean and are known as ‘Jean’s Jolly Japes’. Most of our trips are fully arranged with coach transport, entrance fees, (where appropriate), and sometimes refreshments, included. Here’s the list of Jean’s Jolly Japes for 2016:
NORNEY WOOD, GODALMING
Tuesday 31st May, 9.30am to 1.30pm
The garden, in the style of Gertrude Jekyll, created over a period of 5 years, is set against a backdrop of mature trees and rhododendrons. The formal lawn terrace garden is surrounded by rose and herbaceous borders. Gertrude Jekyll’s love of structures has been recreated with a Thunder house and paths linking the upper lawn terrace with the Tranquility water garden and pleached lime walk.
We shall have an introductory talk on arrival, with tea/coffee and biscuits. Then we shall explore the garden at leisure.
TWO NIGHTS AWAY TO LYMINGTON, HAMPSHIRE
Sunday 5th June
We embark on our last Two Nights’ Away adventure to a favourite area of Lymington and Hampshire! Our first stop is at WEST SILCHESTER HALL, a house and garden owned by an artist whose talents on canvas have inspired her colour combinations in the garden. A 2 acre garden with many spectacular herbaceous borders flowering over a long period, lots of pots, a wild garden surrounding a natural pond, kitchen garden and lovely views across a field of grazing cattle. An introductory talk, independent viewing of the garden and, at some point during our visit, tea/coffee and biscuits or cake served.
Our next visit is to MANOR HOUSE at Exton, where we find an acre of walled garden, and a woodland area. Deep herbaceous borders are packed with colourful cottage garden favourites like delphiniums, sedums, geraniums and salvias; the rambling rose ‘American Pillar’ scrambles through shrubs and trees. Discover smooth lawns, a beech hedge leading to a secret ‘room’, box parterres, a veggie patch, and – more formally – a pond and a fountain. Sit for a while on one of the many benches and listen to the abundant birds or find a new aspect of the garden to admire.
On arrival we shall have a light sandwich lunch with a cold drink, a short introductory talk, then visit the garden at leisure. Before leaving, we’ll have tea/coffee with homemade scone with jam and cream.
The destination is the hotel that we enjoyed on our last visit to Lymington, THE STANWELL HOUSE HOTEL in the High Street. A three-course table d’hote dinner with coffee will be served in The Bistro.
Monday 6th June
Full English breakfast served at the Hotel.
This morning we visit HAMBLEDON HOUSE, owned by Captain & Mrs. David Hart Dyke – aunt and uncle of our favourite gardener, Tom Hart Dyke! A 3acre partly walled plantsman’s garden for all seasons it has large borders filled with a variety of unusual shrubs and perennials. We shall have tea/coffee and homemade biscuits on arrival, then wander the garden at our leisure. Before we leave, a light lunch will be served.
By complete contrast this afternoon, we visit 6 BREAMORE CLOSE in Eastleigh. A delightful plant lover’s garden with coloured foliage and unusual plants, giving a tapestry effect of texture and colour. Many hostas displayed in pots. The garden is laid out in distinctive planting themes with seating areas to sit and contemplate. In May, a magnificent wisteria over a pergola with flowers 3-4ft in length; in June many clematis scramble through roses, followed by phlox in July. We shall have an introductory talk on arrival and then visit the garden at leisure. Tea/coffee and biscuits or cake will be served before we leave.
Arrive back at the hotel late afternoon with time to stroll the High Street, go down to the harbour or chill out with a sundowner in the Hotel Conservatory!
A three-course table d’hote dinner with coffee will be served in The Bistro at the Hotel.
Tuesday 7th June
Full English breakfast served at the Hotel.
Time to pack up our bags and leave Lymington. On our way home, we shall visit WEIR HOUSE, a spectacular riverside garden with sweeping lawn backed by old walls, yew buttresses and mixed perennial beds. We shall enjoy tea/coffee and biscuits during our visit – for those of you that are fleet of foot there is a back way through to the delightful town of Alresford!
From Weir House, we take a trip down memory lane by boarding the WATERCRESS LINE steam train! (Subject to confirmation) Our journey will be a round-trip of an hour-and-a-half to Alton and back, during which time we shall have a Ploughman’s lunch and pud with coffee or tea served at our seats.
Then it’s back to reality and the M25 home to Godstone!
KNOWLE HILL FARM, MAIDSTONE
Tuesday 5th July, 6.00pm to 10.00pm
Our annual evening jaunt sees us in the county of Kent in a 2 acre garden, created over 30 years, on south facing slope of the North Downs with spectacular views. Mediterranean and tender plants, roses, agapanthus, verbenas, salvias and grasses, flourish on the light soil. Many unusual plants. Evolving topiary. Lavender ribbons are magnets for bees. Pool and rill enclosed in small walled garden planted mainly with white flowers. New green garden is being developed.
A short introductory talk on arrival and our hostess, Elizabeth Cairns will accompany those that wish to go around the garden with her. Otherwise, we visit at leisure. During our visit we shall be served wine and nibbles.
FOLLERS MANOR, ALFRISTON
Thursday 11th August, 9.30am to 2.30pm
You may have seen this garden in the RHS Garden magazine 2015 – I did and it bowled me over! It’s a contemporary garden designed by Ian Kitson attached to C17 listed historic farmhouse. Entrance courtyard, sunken garden, herbaceous displays, wildlife pond, wild flower meadows, woodland area and beautiful views of the South Downs. Winner of Sussex Heritage Trust Award and three awards from the Society of Garden Designers; Best Medium Residential Garden, Hard Landscaping and, most prestigious, the Judges Award.
Sections of the garden are down a hill and the woodland is uphill or downhill depending on which way you go! However, there are lots of seats around the garden.
An introductory talk will be give by either (or both) Anne & Geoff Shaw, the owners, with tea/coffee and biscuits, then wander around this unusual garden. Before we leave we shall have a light lunch including tea/coffee.
ULTING WICK, MALDON, ESSEX
Wednesday 14th September, 9.20am to 3.00pm
Those of you that came in 2015 will remember the listed barns, pond and lovely tulip borders and, even though it was chilly, we were warmed up by the homemade soup for lunch! You indicated then that it would be good to return in September and see a different face of Ulting Wick. So here we are! To refresh your memories, there are herbaceous borders, mature weeping willows, kitchen garden, dramatic late summer beds with zingy, tender, exotic plant combinations. Drought tolerant wild flower meadow and front border. Woodland. New shrub and grass border. Many plants propagated in-house. I’m told by Philippa Burroughs, the owner, they are planning to replant the largest border! So lots to look forward to.
We shall have tea/coffee and biscuits or cake on arrival, then visit at leisure, and before leaving, partake of one of those delicious bowls of soup using produce from the garden with bread and tea/coffee.
BRIGHTLING DOWN FARM, DALLINGTON, SUSSEX
Friday 7th October, 9.20am to 1.30pm
The garden has several different areas including a Zen garden, water garden, walled vegetable garden with 2 large greenhouses, herb garden and herbaceous borders. The garden makes clever use of grasses and is set amongst woodland, with stunning countryside views. Winner of the Society of Garden Designers award.
A short talk on the garden’s development will be given on arrival, with tea/coffee and cake, then visit at our leisure.
Please note: Refunds cannot be made if cancellations are received less than 2 weeks prior to the date of trip. Thank you