Renishaw Hall Gardens (4-8-14)
Sunday 27th July
When you open the curtains on a garden visit day and the sun is shining… you know all will be well in our world today!
Just an hours coach drive up the M1 and we reached Renishaw Hall Gardens and the first impact of this stunning house and gardens.
Renishaw Hall has been in the Sitwell family for over 400 years. The stunning Italianate gardens were laid out in the late 19th Century by Sir George Sitwell. Over the years the formal design has been overlaid with softer English herbaceous borders.
The middle lawn leading directly from the Hall was bordered with gentle pinks and blues then large pots of agapanthus lead us to a startling bright yellow and orange border. White “rooms”, a hidden garden, ornamental fishponds and so much more were there to be explored. And the hydrangeas were everywhere and just fabulous. Huge booms of pure white and the brightest cobalt blue and one so very nearly red.
But there was even more. Through the woodland walks (very easy to get lost) and along winding paths and steep steps down to the lakes we went. As the afternoon warmed up this was a cool and tranquil place to meander and enjoy the views and this haven for wildlife.
Although the Hall was not open to view, the museum provided an interesting insight into the extraordinary and eccentric lives of the prolific literary trio of Sitwells—Edith, Osbert and Sacheverell.
And still time for tea and cakes before back to Cropwell!
Judy Thomas
Photos Judy Thomas
The Glade, Woodthorpe (2-7-14)
It was a very pleasant evening when we visited this compact yet busy garden on the 26th June. It might have been quite small but it was beautifully designed and packed with a range of trees, shrubs and flowers. The house was right next to an arch supporting the nearby road. Tony Hoffman, our host, had adapted the arch to be a superb shed for storage. It was clad in wood, painted and included window boxes. This provided a wonderful background for the rest of the garden.
Plants from all countries seemed to thrive. Perhaps it was the shelter but Tony seemed to think it was the soil which was laid on ashes and clinker so would have been rich in iron and phosphorous. There were sections devoted to Mediterranean plants, Italian plants and even a jungle area with thirty feet high bamboo. The palm trees even survived, despite the harsh frosts from previous years. As you were looking around you would come across a sculpture or water feature within the plants which added to the joy and fun. The plants were very well cared for and were pruned frequently and regularly to keep them compact and well shaped.
Originally the garden had been full of sycamore trees. These were removed, all except for one. This is now over thirty feet high but has been stripped of branches on the trunk leaving just the branches and leaves at the very top providing a canopy. The pruning of the conifers has been done to great effect with some lovely topiary effects. Many of the plants had been chosen for their foliage as much as for their flowers. The setting and contrast throughout the garden was a delight to see. It proves what can be done with a limited space as long as you have a creative design and are prepared to put in the hard work.
Richard Turner
Photos Judy Thomas & Mel Stanley
Summer Social (16-6-14)
This evening, the Cropwell Bishop Gardening Club celebrated the end of the season of evening meetings with a social gathering in the grounds of the Old School. During the summer, members will be enjoying the warm sunny weather with visits to a wide range of show gardens and estates.
It may not have been the warmest of evenings, but at least it was dry and so the programme of boules, nibbles and drinks was unaffected. In a keenly fought contest (not really!) based on the knock-out system used in the World Cup, Richard Turner showed us how to play and everyone had a go.
Like in the World Cup, there can be only one winner and the medal and prizes went to Phil Price.
It was a relaxed and light hearted evening where everyone was able to forget the planting, weeding and grass-cutting that awaits them in their garden and allotment. They can wait until tomorrow.
Tony Jarrow
Capability Barn, Hoveringham (2-6-14)
Unfortunately, Marjorie (our good weather talisman) didn’t accompany the party of members on this first evening trip of the season last week, so it was hardly surprising that it rained.
Actually, it didn’t just rain it poured, and it hailed and the thunder clapped! But, intrepid as ever, our little band of hardy souls gathered to hear Wendy and Malcom Fisher’s introduction to this relatively young garden, originally begun in 2003.
And then we were off on a brisk squelch on a winding path into the shady garden where young rowan trees hung heavy with blossom and azaleas shone out in bright pinks and oranges.
Further along there was the vegetable and fruit garden. The fruit cage was enormous and packed with soft fruits well on the way to ripening and the raised beds full of veg were also used as nurseries for cuttings of yew and lonicera used extensively as hedging in the garden.
Through the paddock planted with a double stand of silver birches and two cedar of Lebanon trees (unbelievably grown from seed), and around the corner and there was a fantastic border of hostas – some in tubs and some in the earth – and not a blemish on them!
Another bend in the path took us to a beautiful wrought iron gazebo soon to be smothered in climbers.
The end of the garden is punctuated by a stand of golden yew columns under-planted by bowls of violas and these screen the glass houses. Malcolm is justifiably proud of his collection of coleus – they certainly brought a splash of colour on such a dreary evening.
And the finale – of course – was a wonderful spread of home-made cakes and warming cuppas – just what was needed. Oh, by the way, the rain stopped as soon as we left the car park!
Margeret Paul
Photos Mel Stanley & Judy Thomas