The National Open Garden Scheme returns in June offering you the chance to visit wonderful gardens of all shapes and sizes throughout the county.
National Garden Scheme Wiltshire, June
Sunday 2nd
- 23 HAZELBURY MANOR GARDENS – Wadswick, Box, Corsham, SN13 8HX.
Mr L Lacroix. 1pm to 5pm. £5, children free, home-made teas.
The C15 Manor house comes into view as you descend along the drive and into the Grade II landscaped Edwardian gardens. The extensive plantings that surround the house are undergoing considerable redevelopment by the owners and their Head Gardener. A wide range of organic horticulture is practiced in 8 acres of relaxed yet playful gardens. Regret much of garden inaccessible to wheelchair users.
- 27 HYDE’S HOUSE – Dinton, SP3 5HH.
Mr George Cruddas. 2pm to 5pm. £6, children free. Home-made teas at Thatched Old School Room with outside tea tables. Refreshments in aid of local church.
Three acres of wild and formal garden in beautiful situation with series of hedged garden rooms. Numerous shrubs, flowers and borders, all allowing tolerated wild flowers and preferred weeds, while others creep in. Large walled kitchen garden, herb garden and C13 dovecote (open). Charming C16/18 Grade I listed house (not open), with lovely courtyard. Every year varies. Free walks around park and lake. Steps, slopes, gravel paths and driveway.
- 47 PURTON HOUSE- Purton, Swindon, SN5 4EB.
Mrs Myf Barker. 10am to 4.30pm. £5, children free. Cream teas.
This is something different. A large organically managed garden with beautiful specimen trees and Georgian house. Used as wedding venue. The huge ancient plane tree by the lake (formerly monastic carp ponds) is home to a fairy garden. Walled garden with many old varieties of fruit trees, soft fruit and vegetables. NB some weeds as garden is in mid restoration. Interesting sculptures, dove cote, boat house, Italian style garden, fernery, large ancient carp pond, huge plane tree along with many other interesting specimen trees. Possible wheelchair access to lawn areas although some rough ground.
Thursday 6th
- 8 CADENHAM MANOR – Foxham, Chippenham, SN15 4NH.
Victoria & Martin Nye. 2pm to 5.30pm. £10, children free. Pre-booking essential, please visit www.ngs.org.uk or phone 01483 211535 for information & booking. Home-made teas. Refreshments in aid of Foxham Village.
The glorious four acre garden comprises a series of rooms around a listed manor and dovecote. Divided by yew hedges and moats, the rooms are furnished with specimen trees, mixed borders, plus fountains and statues to focus the eye. Vegetable garden, herb garden and water garden in old canal. June’s highlights are a spectacular range of old roses and the peony walk.
- 57 WINDMILL COTTAGE – KINGS ROAD, Market Lavington, Devizes, SN10 4QB.
Rupert & Gill Wade, 01380 813527. 2pm to 5pm. £4, children free. Limited parking on site, ample parking. Home-made teas. Visits also by arrangement May to July. Please phone first. Conducted tours for small groups only.
One acre cottage style, wildlife friendly garden on greensand. Mixed beds and borders with long season of interest. Roses on pagoda, large vegetable patch for kitchen and exhibition at local shows, greenhouse, polytunnel and fruit cage. Whole garden virtually pesticide free for last 20 yrs. Small bog garden by wildlife pond. Secret glade with prairie. Grandchildren’s little wood. Featured on BBC Wiltshire Sound morning show. Majority of garden accessible. Some soft and gravel paths.
Friday 7th
- 57 WINDMILL COTTAGE (see above)
Saturday 8th
- 15 CROFTON LOCK HOUSE – Crofton, Great Bedwyn, Marlborough, SN8 3DW.
Michael & Jenny Trussell. Garden is 8-10 mins walk along towpath. See map on NGS website. 1.30pm to 5.30pm 3.50, children free. Home-made teas. Donation to Wiltshire Air Ambulance. Also open Sunday 9th June.
3/4 acre garden in idyllic setting around 200 yr old, off grid lock keeper’s cottage. Garden comprises herbaceous beds designed with a painter’s eye to provide riotous colour, sculptural form, and an abundance of wildlife from spring to autumn; at rear a small orchard, collection of apple and soft fruit trees, raised vegetable beds, artists’ studio (open) and restored privy. Featured in Amateur Gardening Magazine and on BBC Radio Wiltshire. There is no access by car. Wheelchairs have to be pushed along the tow path.
- 54 WEST LAVINGTON MANOR - 1 Church Street, West Lavington, SN10 4LA.
Andrew Doman, andrewdoman01@gmail.com. 11am to 6pm. £10, children free. Home-made teas and lunch provided by West Lavington Youth Club.Visits also by arrangement. Donation to West Lavington Youth Club.
Five acre walled garden first established in C17 by John Danvers who brought Italianate gardens to the UK. Herbaceous border, redeveloped Japanese garden, rose garden, orchard and arboretum with some outstanding specimen trees all centred around a trout stream and duck pond. White Birch grove and walk along southern bank of the stream. Picnics welcome. Only limited areas of garden accessible by wheelchair.
Sunday 9th
- 10 CHISENBURY PRIORY – East Chisenbury, Pewsey, SN9 6AQ.
Mr & Mrs John Manser, peterjohnmanser@yahoo.com. 2pm to 6pm. £5, children free. Home-made teas. Refreshments in aid of the local church. Visits also by arrangement.
Medieval Priory with Queen Anne face and early C17 rear (not open) in middle of five acre garden on chalk. Mature garden with fine trees within clump and flint walls, herbaceous borders, shrubs, roses. Moisture loving plants along mill leat, carp pond, orchard and wild garden, many unusual plants.
- 14 COTTAGE IN THE TREES – Tidworth Road, Boscombe Village, nr Salisbury, SP4 0AD.
Karen & Richard Robertson, 01980 610921, robertson909@btinternet.com. 1.30pm to 5pm. £3.50, children free. Combined adm with The Old Rectory, Boscombe £6, children free. Home-made teas.
Enchanting cottage garden, immaculately planted with water feature, raised vegetable beds, small wildlife pond and gravel garden. Spring bulbs, hellebores and pulmonarias give a welcome start to the season, with pots and baskets, roses and clematis. Mixed borders of herbaceous plants, dahlias, grasses and shrubs giving all-yr interest. Featured in Garden News (June 2018).
- 15 CROFTONLOCK HOUSE – Great Bedwyn, Marlborough (see above).
- 33 LANDFORD VILLAGE GARDENS - Landford, Salisbury, SP5 2AX.
1pm to 6pm. £6, children free. Home-made teas at Bentley, Whitehorn Drive.
BENTLEY – Jacky Lumby.
COVE COTTAGE – Mrs Gina Dearden.
FOREST COTTAGE – Norah Dunn.
THE GATEHOUSE – Mrs Jackie Beatham.
5 WHITEHORN DRIVE – Jackie & Barry Candler.
Landford is a small village set in the northern New Forest, famous for the beauty of its beech and oak trees and freeroaming livestock. The 5 gardens range in size, planting conditions and setting. 3 are in the village, adjacent to Nomansland with its green grazed by New Forest ponies. The Gatehouse has formal herbaceous borders with exuberant planting and colour schemes in mixed herbaceous borders, looking out over paddocks to the forest. Bentley is a small garden, a green oasis containing a wide range of plants and raised vegetable borders. 5 Whitehorn Drive is a damp garden with lush colour and surprises in planting. A short distance away in the forest itself are Forest Cottage, a naturalistic garden with hidden delights around each corner, incl field of wild orchids, and next door Cove Cottage, a mature garden showing a digital screening of the wildlife found in both gardens yr round, which may be of special interest to children.
- 35 LYDIARD PARK WALLED GARDEN – Lydiard Tregoze, Swindon, SN5 3PA.
Swindon Borough Council, 01793 466664, lydiardpark@swindon.gov.uk, www.lydiardpark.org.uk. 11am to 4pm. £3, children £2. Light refreshments in Coach House Tea Rooms. For other opening times and information, please phone, email or visit garden website.
Beautiful ornamental C18 walled garden. Trimmed shrubs alternating with individually planted flowers and bulbs incl rare daffodils and tulips, sweet peas, annuals and wall-trained fruit trees. Unique features incl well and sundial. Wide level paths, no steps.
- 38 MAWARDEN COURT – Stratford Road, Stratford Sub Castle, Salisbury, SP1 3LL.
Alastair & Natasha McBain. 2pm to 5.30pm. £5, children free. Home-made teas in pool pavilion. Donation to Friends of St Lawrence.
Mixed herbaceous and rose garden set around C17 house (not open). Pergola walk down through white beam avenue to River Avon and pond pontoon with walk through poplar wood and along river.
- 41 NORTH COTTAGE – Tisbury Row, Tisbury, SP3 6RZ.
Jacqueline & Robert Baker, 01747 870019, baker_jaci@yahoo.co.uk. 11.30am to 5pm. £4, children free. Home-made teas. Home-made light lunches.
On leaving car park, walk past vegetables and through wild flowers to reach house and gardens. Although small there is much variety to find. Garden is divided with lots to explore as each part differs in style and feel. From the intimacy of the garden go out to see the orchard, find the ponds, walk the coppice wood and see the rest of the smallholding. Ceramics, wooden furniture and handicrafts all made by garden owners, including creations from their own sheep’s wool for sale. Exciting metal work sculpture exhibition. Large variety of plants for sale.
- 44 THE OLD RECTORY – Tidworth Road, BOSCOMBE, SALISBURY, SP4 0AB.
Helen & Peter Sheridan, helen.sheridan@uwclub.net. 1.30pm to 5pm. Combined adm with Cottage in the Trees £6, children free. Home-made teas.
The elegant gardens of this period property feature a traditional walled garden with herbaceous borders and vegetable beds, contrasting with a parkland of sweeping lawns, mature trees and flowering shrubs. Wheelchair access, though ground may be soft after rain. Gravel paths.
Sunday 16th
- 16 DAUNTSEY GARDENS – Church Lane, Dauntsey, SN15 4HW
1pm to 5pm. Combined adm £7.50, children free. Home-made teas at Idover House.
THE COACH HOUSE – Col & Mrs J Seddon-Brown.
DAUNTSEY PARK – Mr & Mrs Giovanni Amati, 01249 721777, enquiries@dauntseyparkhouse.co.uk.
THE GARDEN COTTAGE – Miss Ann Sturgis.
IDOVER HOUSE – Mr & Mrs Christopher Jerram.
THE OLD COACH HOUSE – Tony & Janette Yates.
THE OLD POND HOUSE – Mr & Mrs Stephen Love.
This group of six gardens, centred around the historic Dauntsey Park Estate, ranges from the Classical C18 country house setting of Dauntsey Park, with spacious lawns, old trees and views over the River Avon, to mature country house gardens and traditional walled gardens. Enjoy the formal rose garden in pink and white, old fashioned borders and duck ponds at Idover House, and the quiet seclusion of The Coach House with its thyme terrace and gazebos, climbing roses and clematis. Here, mop-headed pruned crataegus prunifolia line the drive. The Garden Cottage has a traditional walled kitchen garden with organic vegetables, apple orchard, woodland walk and yew topiary. Meanwhile the 2 acres at The Old Pond House are both clipped and unclipped! Large pond with lilies and fat carp, and look out for the giraffe and turtle. The Old Coach House is a small garden with perennial plants, shrubs and climbers.
Sunday 23rd
- 7 BROADLEAS HOUSE GARDENS - Devizes, SN10 5JQ.
Mr & Mrs Cardiff, 2pm to 5pm. Admission £5, children's free. Home-made the as.Visits also by arrangement Mar to Sept for groups of 10+.
Six-acre garden of hedges, herbaceous borders, rose arches, bee garden and orchard stuffed with good plants. Well stocked kitchen and herb gardens. Mature collection of specimen trees incl magnolia, handkerchief, redwood, dogwood. Overlooked by the house and arranged above the small valley garden which is crowded with magnolias, camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, cornus and hydrangeas. Wheelchair access to upper garden only, some gravel and narrow grass paths.
- 21 NewGOLD HILL - Hindon Lane, Tisbury, Salisbury, SP3 6PZ
Anne Ralphs. 2pm to 5.30pm. Combined admission with The Meadows £6, children free. Home-made teas.
Overlooking the Nadder Valley the house and garden, which are Arts and Crafts inspired, were created on a 1.2-acre derelict builder’s yard and field between 2015 and 2017. Formal garden with mixed shrub and perennial planting giving interest throughout the year. Sunken garden, rose garden, fruit trees, walled garden, pond and fountain, parterre beds. Anne Keenan, Landscape Architect and Garden Designer, who designed the garden, will be available to answer any questions on the open day. Regret not suitable for wheelchairs.
- 22 HANNINGTON VILLAGE GARDENS - Hannington, Swindon, SN6 7RP.
11am to 5.30pm. Combined admission £5, children free. Home-made teas in Hannington Village Hall. Profits in aid of Village Hall.
BUTLER’S COTTAGE – Mr & Mrs John & Karen Mayell.
NEW CHESTNUT VILLA – David Cornish.
GLEBE HOUSE – Charlie & Tory Barne.
HANNINGTON HALL – Guillaume Molhant-Proost.
LUSHILL HOUSE – John & Sasha Kennedy.
QUARRY BANK – Paul Minter & Michael Weldon.
(NEW) 22 QUEENS ROAD – Jan & Pete Willis.
ROSE COTTAGE– Mr & Mrs Keith & Ruth Scholes.
Hannington has a dramatic hilltop position and the views into and out of the village resulted in it being made a very large conservation area. The C12 church stands apart from the settlement which has a Jacobean Manor House and many other listed buildings. Large and small gardens in a variety of styles. Many of the gardens follow the brow of the hill and afford stunning views of the upper Thames Valley and the surrounding farm land which is crossed by footpaths and bridleways. Limited wheelchair access as many gardens are on steep hills and feature steps.
- 25 HILPERTON HOUSE - The Knap, Hilperton, Trowbridge, BA14 7RJ (New)
Chris & Ros Brown. 2pm to 6pm. Admission £5, children free. Home-made teas. Visits also by arrangement June & July for groups of 20 to 30. 3 weeks notice required.
Two-acres well stocked borders, small stream leading to large pond with fish, water lilies, waterfall and fountain. Fine mature trees incl unusual specimens. Walled fruit and vegetable garden, small woodland area. Rose walk with roses and clematis. Interesting wood carvings, mainly teak. 160yr old vine in conservatory of Grade ll listed house, circa 1705 (not open). Activity sheets for children. Some gravel and lawns. Conservatory not wheelchair accessible. Path from front gate has uneven paving but can be bypassed on lawn.
- 39 THE MEADOWS - Hindon Lane, Tisbury, Salisbury, SP3 6PZ (New)
Liz Curzen. 2pm to 5.30pm. Combined admission with Gold Hill £6, children free. Home-made teas at Gold Hill, a short distance across the meadow.
Large island beds filled with perennials, shrubs, grasses and specimen trees, surrounded by lawns. Garden statues strategically placed, adding to the charm. The garden leads down to fields with wonderful views across R Nadder. Not suitable for wheelchairs.
Thursday 27th
- 56 WHATLEY MANOR - Twatley, Malmesbury, SN16 0RB
Christian & Alix Landolt. 2pm to 7pm. Admission £5, children free. Light refreshments. Tea, coffee and home-made cake in The Loggia Garden. Hotel also open for lunch and full afternoon tea.
12-acres of English country gardens with 26 distinct rooms each with a strong theme based on colour, scent or style. Original 1920s plan inspired the design and combines classic style with more contemporary touches; incl specially commissioned sculpture. Dogs must be on a lead at all times.
Sunday 30th
- BRAEMAR LODGE - 18-20 Stratford Road, Salisbury, SP1 3JH
Charles Hubberstey. 1.30pm to 5pm. Admission £3.50, children free. Home-made teas. Donations welcome!
Vibrant and colourful nursing home garden tucked all around the building. Paths lead through butterfly walk, down past our small orchard, along woodland walk, to main courtyard garden of roses, clematis and perennials. Plenty of seating with tea house by rose garden. All main garden areas are accessible, sloping, rolled gravel path to garden.
- 17 DUCK POND BARN - Church Lane, Wingfield, Trowbridge, BA14 9LW
Janet & Marc Berlin. 2pm to 5pm. Admission £4, children free. Light refreshments.Visits also by arrangement May to August.
Garden of 1.6 acres with large duck pond, lawns, ericaceous beds, orchard, vegetable garden, big greenhouse, spinney and wild area of grass and trees. Large dry stone wall topped with flower beds with rose arbour. New addition of 3 ponds linked by a rill in flower garden and large pergola in orchard. Set in farmland and mainly flat. Coach parties please ring in advance for catering purposes.
- 24 HELP FOR HEROES - Tedworth House Recovery Centre, Arcot Road, Tidworth, SP9 7AJ (New)
1pm to 4pm. Admission £5, children free. Home-made teas. Refreshments made by volunteers with donations to Help for Heroes.
Help for Heroes run Tedworth House Recovery Centre to provide Recovery and Rehabilitation for wounded, injured and sick service personnel, Veterans and their families. The grounds include a fruit and vegetable garden which is used as a therapeutic gardening space for horticultural activities and further woodlands with an Iron-Age style roundhouse where Veterans can learn woodworking skills. https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/news/2017/septemb... https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/news/2018/may/gold-for-veterans-and-students-at-the-rhs-chelsea-flower-show/.
- 40 MITRE COTTAGE - Snow Hill, Dinton, SP3 5HN
Mrs Beck. 2pm to 6pm. Admission £5, children free.
‘Mitre cottage exemplifies what can be achieved in of an acre without looking contrived or over designed. Well chosen and often unusual plants are balanced at this time of the year by effusive plantings of old fashioned roses and perennials. Set on a slight hillside, paths lead enticingly from one area to another.’ Daily Telegraph July 2016. A water feature is a recent addition to the garden.
- 41 NORTH COTTAGE - Tisbury Row, Tisbury, SP3 6RZ
Jacqueline & Robert Baker. 11.30am to 5pm. Admission £4, children free. Home-made teas. Home-made light lunches.
On leaving car park, walk past vegetables and through wild flowers to reach house and gardens. Although small there is much variety to find. Garden is divided with lots to explore as each part differs in style and feel. From the intimacy of the garden go out to see the orchard, find the ponds, walk the coppice wood and see the rest of the smallholding. Ceramics, wooden furniture and handicrafts all made by garden owners, including creations from their own sheep’s wool for sale. Exciting metal work sculpture exhibition. Large variety of plants for sale.
- 42 OARE HOUSE - Rudge Lane, Oare, nr Pewsey, SN8 4JQ
Sir Henry Keswick. 2pm to 6pm. Admission £6, children free. Home-made teas. Donation to The Order of St John.
1740s mansion house later extended by Clough Williams Ellis in 1920s (not open). The formal gardens originally created around the house have been developed over the years to create a wonderful garden full of many unusual plants. Current owner is very passionate and has developed a fine collection of rarities. Garden is undergoing a renaissance but still maintains split compartments each with its own individual charm; traditional walled garden with fine herbaceous borders, vegetable areas, trained fruit, roses and grand mixed borders surrounding formal lawns. The Magnolia garden is wonderful in spring with some trees dating from 1920s, together with strong bulb plantings. Large arboretum and woodland with many unusual and champion trees. In spring and summer there is always something of interest, with the glorious Pewsey Vale as a backdrop. Partial wheelchair access.
- 46 PEAR COTTAGE - 28 Pans Lane, Devizes, SN10 5AF
Mary & Paul Morgan. 2pm to 5pm. Combined adm with 1 Southview £6, children free. Home-made teas.
‘Jewel of a small garden’ with interest all yr. Spiral parterres, with alpines, perennials, peonies in the front. Vibrant exotic patio at back, steps up to topiary, roses, grasses, clematis, herbs, trained fruit. Timber greenhouse. Beyond is a wild garden with trees, perennials, alliums, willow arbour and pond with amphibians and dragonflies. Featured in Amateur Gardening and on BBC Radio Wilts. Featured in Amateur Gardening magazine, 12 May 2018. Interviewed for’Folk and Roots’ BBC Radio Wiltshire, June 2018. Wheelchair access to front garden and rear patio only.
- 49 1 SOUTHVIEW - Wick Lane, Devizes, SN10 5DR
Teresa Garraud. 2pm to 5pm. Combined admission with Pear Cottage £6, children free. Home-made teas.
An atmospheric small town garden that leads you through many different, fascinating areas as it seems to go on and on. A plantswoman’s garden with mature topiary and trees including acers and a Cercis canadensis setting off colourful shrub/herbaceous borders. A multitude of large pots on the patio. Featured in Amateur Gardening and BBC Radio Wiltshire. Home-made teas available both here and at Pear Cottage. Featured in Amateur Gardening & BBC Radio Wiltshire.
By Arrangement Gardens
Arrange a personalised garden visit with your club, or group of friends, on a date to suit you.
Biddestone Manor - April to June
Broadleas House Gardens – March to September
Chisenbury Priory - May and June
Cockspur Thorns – May to August
Cottage in the Trees – March to September
Duck Pond Barn – May to August
New Hilperton House – June and July
New Kettle Farm Cottage – May to October
Manor House, Stratford Tony – May to August
The Old Rectory, Boscombe – May and June
Pythouse Kitchen Garden – April to October
West Lavington Manor – January to December
Windmill Cottage - May to July
New Woolley Grange Hotel – May to Sept
Wudston House – June to Sept
Note: Directions have not been provided on this story. Please see National Garden Scheme for more details.
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