BERKSHIRE GARDENS OPENING FOR GROUP VISITS IN 2020

BOXFORD HOUSE, Boxford, Newbury RG20 8DP. 4 miles NW of Newbury. Directions to the garden will be provided on booking. Beautiful large family garden extensively developed over the past 7 yrs. Emphasis on roses and scent throughout the 5 acre main garden. Old and new orchards, laburnum tunnel, formal and colourful herbaceous borders. Handsome formal terraces, pond, water features and garden woodland areas. Inviting cottage garden and productive vegetable gardens. Partial wheelchair access, gravel paths and sloping lawns.

• Group of 20+ welcome from May to September• Admission £10; guided tour and refreshments included•

To arrange a visit to Boxford House please contact Tammy Darvell, Head Gardener, 07802 883084, tammydarvell@hotmail.com(Graham and I visited Boxford House in September and it was looking gorgeous, so with its long opening period we think its a great option for a group of gardening enthusiasts to visit).

COMPTON ELMS, Marlow Road, Pinkneys Green, Maidenhead, SL6 6NR. Situated at the end of a gravel road located near the Arbour & Golden Ball Pubs on the A308. A delightful spring garden set in a sunken woodland, lovingly recovered from clay pit workings. The atmospheric garden is filled with snowdrops, primroses, hellebores and fritillaria, interspersed with anemone and narcissi under a canopy of ash and beech.

• Groups of 10-20 welcome from February to April• Light refreshments•

To arrange a visit Compton Elms please contact Alison Kellett by email: kellettaj@gmail.com

DEEPWOOD STUD FARM, Stubbings, Near Maidenhead, SL6 6QW. 2 miles W of Maidenhead, M4 J8/9 take A404M N. 2nd exit for A4 to Maidenhead. Left at 1st roundabout on A4130 Henley, approx 1m on right.Four acres of formal and informal gardens within a stud farm - so great roses! Small lake with Monet-style bridge and 3 further water features. Several neo-

classical follies and statues. Walled garden with windows cut in to admire the views and horses. Woodland walk and enough hanging baskets to decorate a pub. Partial wheelchair access.• Groups of 10+ welcome from April to September• Admission £4.50; teas available on request•

To arrange a visit to Deepwood Stud Farm phone Mr & Mrs E Goodwin on 01628 822684 or email ed.goodwin@deepwood.co (note: although the email address looks incomplete I have been assured it is correct).

DEVONIA Broad Lane, Bracknell RG12 9BH. 1mile south of Bracknell. From A322 Horse & Groom roundabout take exit into Broad Lane, over 2 roundabouts. 3rd house on left after railway bridge. Inspirational urban garden, planted for all season interest with many plants that survive regardless of the weather, with both current and climate change in mind. Contains traditional borders, prairie planting, and areas with foliage effects. With three different soil types and many aspects, this 1/3 acre garden offers lots of ideas. A horticultural delight particularly interesting for gardening groups, with optional guided tour.

• Groups of 5-20 welcome in August and September• Admission £5•

To arrange a visit to Devonia contact Andrew Radgick by email aradgick@btinternet.com(Graham and I visited Devonia last year and I think the best way to describe the garden owner, Andrew, is a complete plantoholic! The garden is full of interesting plants and ways to garden sustainably).

FARLEY HILL PLACE GARDENS, Church Road, Farley Hill, Reading RG7 1TZ. From M4 J11, take A33 south to Basingstoke. At traffic lights turn left for Spencers Wood, B3349. Go 2miles turn left, through Swallowfield towards Farley Hill and the garden is ½m on right.A 4 acre, C18 cottage garden. 1½ acre walled garden with year round interest and colour. Well stocked herbaceous borders, large productive vegetable areas with herb garden, dahlia and cutting flower beds. Victorian glasshouse recently renovated and small nursery. Plants, lovely cut flowers and produce for sale. Partial wheelchair access.

• Groups of 10+ welcome in June and July• Admission £5; home-made teas on request•

To arrange a visit to Farley Hill Place Gardens contact Tony & Margaret Finch by phone on 01189 762544 or email tony.finch7@btinternet.com

HANDPOST, Basingstoke Road, Swallowfield, Reading RG7 1PU. From M4 J11, take A33 south. At 1st traffic lights turn left on B3349 Basingstoke Rd. Follow road for 2¾m, the garden is on the left. 4 acre designer's garden with many areas of interest. Features include two lovely long herbaceous borders attractively and densely planted in six colour sections, a formal rose garden, an old orchard with a grass meadow, pretty pond and peaceful wooded area. Large variety of plants, trees and a productive fruit and vegetable patch. Some gravel areas but largely accessible.

• Groups of 10+ welcome from May to September• Admission £6.50; home-made teas on request•

To arrange a visit to Handpost please contact Faith Ramsay by email faith@mycountrygarden.co.uk

THE PRIORY, Beech Hill RG7 2BJ. 5m south of Reading. From M4 J11 take A33 south to Basingstoke. At traffic lights, take left to Spencers Wood. After 1½m turn right for Beech Hill. After approx 1½m, take left into Wood Lane, and right down Priory Drive.

Extensive gardens in grounds of former C12 French Priory (not open), rebuilt 1648. The mature gardens are in a very attractive setting beside the River Loddon. Large formal walled garden with espalier fruit trees, lawns, mixed and replanted herbaceous borders, vegetables and roses. Woodland, fine trees, lake and Italian style water garden. There are gravel paths and a ground floor toilets.

• Groups of 10-30 welcome in May and June• Admission £10; tea, coffee and cake included•

To arrange a visit to The Priory please contact Mr & Mrs C Carter by phone 07957 151534 or email ljcbryan@gmail.com

PRIORY HOUSE, Priory Road, Sunningdale, Ascot SL5 9RQ. Approx 4½m south east of Ascot. Take turning opposite Waitrose, Ridgemount Rd. Turn 1st left into Priory Rd and Priory House is located at end of road. There is parking for 15 cars. 3 acre garden designed in 1930s by Percy Cane with year round interest, colour and fragrance. Ornamental pond, large lawn with shrub borders, yew hedges and rare trees. Lavish borders, vegetable garden, rose garden, rhododendrons, azaleas, daphne, gunnera and lysichiton americanus by stream. Mature camellias, magnolias, fine shrubs and conifers. A truly exuberant and fragrant, rather than manicured garden. Not suitable for wheelchairs.

• Groups of 10-30 welcome May, and July to September (sorry, not open in June)

• Admission £10; tea and home-made cake included.•

To arrange a visit to Priory House please contact Mrs Jenny Leigh by phone 07973 746979 or email rio4jen@gmail.com(Priory House opened for the first time in 2019 and has proved to be very popular. Graham and I visited in the spring and loved the array of colourful tulips.)

ROOKSNEST, Ermin Street, Lambourn Woodlands RG17 7SB. 2miles south of Lambourn on B4000. From M4 J14, take A338 Wantage Rd, turn 1st left onto B4000 (Ermin St). Rooksnest signed after 3m. Approx 10 acre exceptionally fine traditional English garden. Rose garden (re-designed in 2017), herbaceous garden, pond garden, herb garden, fruit, vegetable and cutting garden, and glasshouses. Many specimen trees and fine shrubs, orchard and terraces. Garden mostly designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd. Most areas have step-free access, although surface consists of gravel and mowed grass.

• Groups of 10-30 welcome from April to June• Admission £7•

To arrange a visit to Rooksnest please email garden@rooksnest.net

ROOKWOOD FARM HOUSE, Stockcross, Newbury RG20 8JX. 3 miles west of Newbury. From M4 J13, take A34(S). After 3 miles take the exit for A4(W) to Hungerford. At 2nd roundabout take B4000 towards Stockcross, after approx ¾m turn right into Rookwood. This exciting valley garden, a work in progress, has elements all visitors can enjoy. A rose covered pergola, fabulous tulips, giant alliums, and a recently developed 'jungle garden' with cannas, bananas & echiums. A kitchen garden features a parterre of raised beds, which along with a bog garden and colour themed herbaceous planting, all make Rookwood well worth a visit. Gravel paths, steps, some steep slopes.

• Groups of 10+ welcome from April to September• Admission £5; light refreshments on request•

To arrange a visit to Rookwood Farm House please phone 01488 608676 or email charlotte@rookwoodhouse.co.uk(We visited Rookwood in the summer and enjoyed the cooling effect of the water running through the garden as well as all the lush planting)

ST TIMOTHEE, Darlings Lane, Maidenhead SL6 6PA. 1m north of Maidenhead. From M4 J8/9 to A404M. 3rd exit onto A4 to Maidenhead. Left at 1st roundabout to A4130 Henley Rd. After ½m turn right onto Pinkneys Drive. At Pinkneys Arms Pub, turn left into Lee Lane and follow NGS signs. Colour themed borders planted for year-round interest with a wide range of attractive grasses and perennials. Includes a box parterre, wildlife pond, rose terrace, wild areas and mature trees, all set within the 2 acre plot of a 1930s house.

• Groups of 10+ welcome from May to August• Admission £10 including tea/coffee and home-made cake• Also there is the option to book a ‘Talk & Walk' group visit for £15pp

which includes tea/coffee & home-made cakes. Topics are:◦ ‘Creating a Garden’ : The story of how the garden at St Timothee

was created over the last 10 years◦ ‘Successional Planting’ : The plants and techniques used at St

Timothee to keep the garden looking good throughout the season◦ ‘Gardening for Wildlife’ : Easy ways to make your garden more

attractive to both wildlife and to you•

To arrange a visit to St Timothee please contact Sarah and Sal Pajwani on 07976 892667 or email pajwanisarah@gmail.com

(Graham and I went on a very enjoyable and informative 'Talk and Walk’. Sarah’s easy style and warm nature shone through and really made the visit something special. The cake was pretty good too!)

SANDLEFORD PLACE, Newtown, Newbury RG20 9AY. The house is on the busy A339 1½ miles south of Newbury on north west side of the Swan roundabout at Newtown. Please slow down on approach. Turn left into parking via field gate 50yds beyond entrance. A 4 acre plantswoman's garden, more exuberant than manicured with River Enborne flowing through. Various areas of shrub and mixed borders create a romantic, naturalistic effect. Wonderful old walled garden. Long herbaceous border flanks wild flower meadow. Year round interest from early carpets of snowdrops and daffodils, crocus covered lawn, to autumn berries and leaf colour. A garden for all seasons. Guide dogs only.

• Groups fo 10+ welcome from April to September• Admission £10• For group bookings more than a month in advance pre-payment is

requested.•

To arrange a visit to Sandleford Place please contact Mel Gatward, by phone 01635 40726 or email melgatward@btinternet.com

7 THE KNAPP, Earley, Reading RG6 7DD. Directions and parking details will be provided on booking.A mature garden of third of an acre, surrounded by tress and divided into ‘rooms’ with lawns, mixed borders, gravel area with box hedging, pond and

an area with natural planting where bee-hives are situated. The garden provides interest for most of the year, but the highlights are the David Austen roses, particularly rambling roses covering sheds, arches and climbing into the trees. Wheelchairs will have to cross an area of gravel. There are 3 bee hives producing honey.• Groups of 10-20 welcome in June and July• Admission £8 includes home-made teas•

To arrange a visit to 7 The Knapp contact Mrs Ann McKie by phone 07881451708 or email annmckie@hotmail.co.uk (Graham and I went to 7 The Knapp in July to see if it was suitable to open for the NGS. It was, and so it is opening for the first time in 2020. The garden is full of interest and Ann’s friends from the local WI will be helping with teas so be prepared for delicious cakes).

OLD WATERFIELD, Winkfield Road, Ascot SL5 7LJ. 6 miles south west of Windsor to the east of Ascot Racecourse. On east side of A330 midway between A329 & A332.Set in 4 acres between Ascot Heath and Windsor Great Park, the original cottage garden has been developed and extended over the past few years. Herbaceous borders, meadow with specimen trees, large productive vegetable garden, orchard and mixed hedging.• Groups of 10-20 welcome from May to September • Adm £4.50; home-made teas on request•

To arrange a visit to Old Waterfield email catherine.stevenson@oldwaterfield.com (Old Waterfield always delights, the borders are full of healthy plants, the vegetable garden full of fruit and vegetables and the garden owners knowledgeable and welcoming hosts)

Have you thought of buying the Garden Visitor’s Handbook as a gift? It makes a great present for your garden visiting friends. A gift certificate will be emailed to you straight after your purchase, which you can print and send with a card, and the handbook will be sent to your friend(s) as soon as it becomes available in February 2020.

To place your order please go to: https://ngs.org.uk/shop/books/the-garden-visitors-handbook-2020/

Angela O’ConnellAssistant County Organiser, National Garden Scheme, Berkshire01252 66864507970 265754

www.ngs.org.uk