James Bolton and Border Lines, yet again, organised a wonderful Garden Day for a mixture of former parents, current parents and Guild. We all gathered under the darkening skies to be led by Penny White round her magnificent garden at The Court House, Stretton-on-Fosse. The mouth-watering walled garden with its long central avenue of standard wisteria and Pyrus ‘Chanticleer’ rising from box beds filled with the greys and purples of Sage, Santolina, Geraniums and Allium Sphaerocephalon was stunning. Despite the torrential rain we were refreshed by coffee and warm home-made lemon biscuits.
We then moved on to Upton Wold, one of the great Cotswold Gardens. After a delicious summer lunch, the weather cleared and we were cheerfully led round the highlights of the garden by Head Gardener Jack. The view from the seventeenth century house, framed by yew hedges, into a shallow wild-flower filled valley is unforgettable. A long border, concealed from the main lawn by a yew hedge, was brim-full with Phlox and Geraniums, Heucheras and Hostas. A pond, with lovely marginal planting, was approached through a wild flower garden with Magnolias and Cornus in full flower. The kitchen garden, separated from Ian Bond’s National Collection of Walnuts by a tall and windowed hornbeam hedge, was awash with Irises.
It was a day of fun as old and new friends convened to reminisce, chatter and exchange gardening tips. The rain in the morning, much needed, was forgotten in the afternoon’s sun.
We are already looking forward to another Garden Day in 2023.
