I received the new National Trust book and magazine in the post this morning, which is always exciting! After fighting over the car sticker, (I always win!), hub and I scan the book to see what’s new, making a mental list of what properties we should visit this year. I can’t remember how long I have been a member of the National Trust but it’s a very long time and the only regret I have, is that I should have taken the ‘Life Long’ membership for about £400 when it was offered way back when!
I never tire of the Trust’s gardens and regularly visit local properties, which have become like old friends and part of the extended Mel Smith estate!, Hanbury Hall , Packwood House and Dudmaston are great for walks and garden visits. I have watched with great pleasure and admiration the reconstruction of Hanbury’s laid out parterres, sauntered through Packwood’s clipped yews, which have great presence, so much so that I imagine they might come to life and dance around the garden at night! Dudmaston has so much to offer both inside and out, the great modern art collection and the lovely walks. My first priority for a visit here this year will be the Dingle Snowdrop walk, which is lovely.
I have been truly inspired by
the National Trust gardens that I have visited over the years; offering an
inordinate variety of historic styles, quirky designs and copious plant
collections, that delight the senses. So heavily impressed are they in my subconscious,
I’m certain that any garden I design will have a bit of National Trust in there
somewhere!
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| Packwood House Yews |
I think that Sissinghurst was my favourite, however, Great Dixter was a very close second. Vita Sackville-West’s serene white garden is a real contrast to the explosive colour-packed borders of Christopher Lloyd at Great Dixter. At Sissinghurst I loved the use of hedges to create rooms and to add order to the chaos of the herbaceous planting and the use of planters to create focal points.
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| Sissinghurst - Planter |
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| Sissinghurst - White Garden |
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| Sissinghurst - Planter |
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| Sissinghurst - View from above |
Coleton Fishacre
This garden is a wonderful bonus to a fantastic house! its intimate 30’s style gardens, near the property, showcase tender exotic planting and expand downwards through a glade taking you on a magical journey though a fantastic selection of trees and shrubs that lead to fantastic costal views. |
| Coleton Fishacre - House and border |
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| Coleton Fishacre - View to sea |
Westbury Court Garden
I love the formal layout of this Dutch water garden. A beautifully designed and unique pavillion forms the anchor to elegant canals lined with clipped hedges.Hidcote
Who could fail to love this place
- made up of a series of garden rooms all with their own distinct feel, which are
yours to discover and revel in. I would like to visit this garden in winter to try
to better understand the complex structure of the space.
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| Hidcote - Statue |
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| Hidcote - Herbaceous border |
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| Hidcote - House and border |
Powys Castle
One of my faves, I love to slowly walk along the Italian style terraces overhung with organically clipped Yews, statues and fantastic views across the garden and beyond into the welsh countryside. |
| Powys - Statue and Yews |
Must see in 2013
Biddulph Grange Garden – a long awaited re-visit
This eccentric Victorian garden has an eclectic mix of gardening styles from all over the world and is a wonder to behold. I would like to take inspiration from the Chinese garden; re-familiarise myself with its temple, bridge and the plant specimens. I am in the formative stages of a major project creating a Chinese Garden so therefore this is top-most must see for 2013!
This handsome Georgian stately home has extensive gardens which boast glorious contemporary and classical water features. I am keen to see the new water feature ‘Faux Fall’ by David Harber, who’s metal stone and glass creations are a wonderful addition to any garden.
This modern, as in 20th century, garden looks temptingly interesting with its colour-themed garden rooms plus a landscaped garden which houses a Chinese-style bridge and waterfall. Maybe a weekend in West Sussex needs to be planned, as this will also help with my research of Chinese garden features.
This sub-tropical garden near Falmouth has to be worth a visit if we can manage to squeeze a holiday in Cornwall this year. And in the words of Craig Revel-Horewood – it looks ‘A-Maze-ing’ Well there is a fantastic maze there!
For National Trust’s recommendations for their top winter Gardens to visit click here
I hope that you are inspired to visit a few of the gardens that I have highlighted in this blog and a big thank you to the National Trust for all the pleasure you have given me over the years!
Author Melanie Smith - Gardenplan Design
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