About the Group
At the start of our “summer outings season” this year, we had no idea how the weather would turn out to be so very hot and dry and the impact that would have, particularly on our gardens, and the gardens we planned to visit.
In April we made a return visit to Turn End Garden in Haddenham. The garden is divided up into very distinct areas featuring a dry gravelly garden, a wooded area and a lawned area. Dotted around are large urns and sculptures which add to the delightful feel of the garden.
In May we drove just down the road aways to Old Rectory Garden where the delightful owner, Celina and her gardener, walked round with us and chatted about the development and future plans for their lovely private garden. Roses - or I should say - rosebuds were to be found in every corner waiting to burst forth in June.
The month of June saw us at another delightful private garden in Stoke Goldington, Newport Pagnell area. The designers of this, their own garden, James and Emily Chua, were so kind, knowledgeable and friendly. Emily walked with us around the very different areas and told us how they’d developed. After tea and cake, of course, James showed us the plants they had grown and sell to raise funds and just about all of our 21 members couldn’t resist purchasing a little memory of this lovely visit.
Now July saw us going to a totally different venue to our usual ones - Delapre Abbey, Northampton. A very ‘open to the public’ , free to visit, garden. We were taken on a tour by a very well informed lady who knew all about the history of the Abbey and a lot of the garden. There are various sculptures and ‘items’ scattered around which started their lives in the town itself and had been sort of chucked out to retire at Delapre - where they have been lovingly brought back to life and displayed. The cream tea/cakes we had elected to have was set at one very long table, laid with cloths, delicate china, flowers and a beautifully illustrated booklet about the Abbey and Grounds for each of us to take home. This was in the beautifully restored Library, complete with ‘gold’ plasterwork and chandaliers We were served with our requested refreshments. A very elegant, relaxing conclusion to our visit. I’m sure some of us will be heading back there again.
Margaret Clarke
Group Coordinator
Wednesday Gardening