The "Special" Visit ~~ Monday 29th.March.

13 comments

We got on the coach, leaving Cornwall while it was still dark at 7a.m.leaving home at 6.15. Travelling along the A30, across Bodmin Moor, bit spooky, quite foggy. Past Jamaica Inn, spookier still. Stopping on route to pick up fellow Hardy Planters, this was a HPS trip.

Reached Exeter Services & stopped for the much needed breakfast, weather still wasn’t good. Just a three quarter of an hour stop, as is a lot of these coach trips & after a half eaten breakfast we set off again, this was hubby (Hameryllis) also with me.

We were told if the coach made good time we may call in somewhere else just before the intended destination. By now the coach travelled a little bit of motorway & then turned off towards Gloucester. Down a few country lanes then into a driveway which turned out to be Westonbirt Arboratum. We had just an hour here, so it had to be looking round the plant centre.

Then all back in the coach again. ~~

Now we had all been asked to take passports or some form of photo ID

So, where were we. _~~~~

Yes, Highgrove. It had taken two years for our club to receive the invitation.

Unfortunetly I have no photo’s to put on this blog apart from the pic. above of the planter. No cameras or mobile phones are allowed on the estate.

But believe me it’s a wonderful garden, quite querky in places which I liked, very natural not too manicured, all organic. I’m not going to try to describe it in detail just to say if you get the chance of a visit, go.

The weather, well, it could have been better, but there again we are “hardy planters”.

30 Mar, 2010
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Comments

Sandra

im just soo jealous..;-) ive heard its wonderful there....

30 Mar, 2010

Amblealice

Ooh....how wonderful. I'm in a group who have been on the waiting list for about 3 years........

30 Mar, 2010

Seaburngirl

I have just been elected as chair of the east yorkshire hps group. this sounds a wonderful trip lucky you did you see hrh?
lovely blog

30 Mar, 2010

Valadel

I went about two years ago with MU group and enjoyed every minute.

30 Mar, 2010

Pamd

Yes it's lovely Sandra.
Let's hope it's your turn soon Amblealice.
No, we didn't see him Seaburngirl, apparently visits are arranged when hrh isn't in residence. All my curtsey practice went to waste.lol.
What time of year did you go Valadel?

30 Mar, 2010

Valadel

We went in June, weather could have been better but at least it didn't rain, not that it mattered just felt privileged to be there. It did seem a bit odd when the policeman got on the coach to inspect your passport !

30 Mar, 2010

Pamg

what a wonderful treat, and Westonburt as well, I went there once for the autumn colour and fell in love with the Liquidamber trees

31 Mar, 2010

Pamd

Yes Valadel, the security is high, our organiser got off the coach & their was her & the policman facing each other & I thought he was going to frisk her, they both looked so serious,
Pamg, we didn't really have time to see very much but I can imagine in Autumn very beautiful.

31 Mar, 2010

Pamg

Hi pamd, coincidentally i've just been loaned a series of magazines serialised some months ago in the daily mail it has 7 magazines of photo's and some description of highgrove and tales of a book to be published, the gardens look fantastic and you must have had a wonderful day, the funniest thing i read was that 4 large olive jars had been ordered for the gardens but they turned up at the ' Prince of Wales 'pub !

31 Mar, 2010

Pamd

Yes that's true Pam, our guide told us that story. They were addressed to--
The Prince of Wales, Gloucester. They are huge, I cann't imagine what a pub would have done with them.
The magazines sound interesting.

31 Mar, 2010

Pamg

gorgeous pictures, you probably saw the book for sale-- its proceeds are for one of the Princes charities

31 Mar, 2010