NGS Open Gardens visit last Sunday.
36 comments
It was a chilly and grey morning when we drove over to Worthing to visit some of the highly acclaimed hidden back gardens of Ambrose Place.
They are described as a horticultural phenomenon with a rich panoply of styles, plantings and layouts. Behind a classic Regency terrace, itself the architectural jewel of Worthing, the gardens draw inspiration from such exotic diversity as Morocco, Provence and the Alhambra to the more traditional sources of the English cottage and Victorian gardens.
Nine of the gardens were open this year and we certainly agree that small can be beautiful! This blog is a long one so grab yourself a cuppa before you start reading …
Looking at the front of the terrace … you would never know what lay behind.
Please don’t be fooled by the blue sky as this a photo taken off Tinternet to show the building …
We paid our £12 entry fee at Ambrose Villa … the first of the gardens to visit. There was a queue of about fifty people so it became difficult to take photos without there being people in them! There was some lovely statuary within this garden …
My favourite shrub here was this black stemmed Hydrangea … Andrewr may be able to name it for me as I see he has a couple of similar looking Hydrangeas.
I must confess to losing track of which photos were taken in which gardens … so I’m just going to put them on in the order they came off my camera! I hope you enjoy viewing them. The terrace have basements … something to be aware of when jostling for space in a crowded garden!
From the photos you should now see just how long and narrow the gardens are. The road the garden gates open on to is a main route into Worthing and I wonder how few people even know the gardens are behind the lovely Sussex flint wall.
I really liked these pots grouped together … the pink and white in the next photo is in a hanging basket which is placed on a plinth.
The next garden is described as a Children’s wonderland garden with colourful borders … I loved this quirky garden! See if you do too …
The white pebbles and stones formed a lovely edging to the gravel and carried on from the back gate to the house with great effect …
Hasn’t the owner/s used their imagination here …
Oh look, there’s my husband off to see the Pink Flamingoes …
You thought I was kidding! What a great way to utilise the basement garden for young children …
Who would have expected to see a smashing old fire surround in the garden? My imagination wouldn’t run to that!
We leave the wonderland garden to enter a small courtyard garden with a trough fountain, leads to paved town garden with two further fountains and a brick rill. I would love a rill in my garden … I can but dream!
I should explain that these two square pools are separated by a fairly narrow brick walkway … very effective …
Hopefully you can see the water flowing gently along the rill in the next photo …
This garden had a lovely collection of succulents on display …
Our penultimate garden belongs to a friend of GoY member Ginellie and it was she who alerted me to these gardens being open last weekend. Thanks so much G … it was a pleasure to meet up with you … even though you were very busy on the plant sales table!
This a Mediterranean garden with Alhambra inspired pond and lush borders. I thought it was very well designed with lovely planting. Take a walk around it and decide for your self …
Spot where the secateurs are kept! …
Finally, our last garden to wander round … thank goodness I hear you say! This is a delightful and colourful English garden with three circular areas of Welsh green slate, creating separate outdoor rooms.
Please enjoy the tour …
As you will see from the next photo it was all too much for OH … he needed to sit awhile!
The final photo from this gorgeous garden … lovely pink Rose with a Hollyhock peeping through … so English in style.
Our local newspaper has printed an article since our visit on the number of visitors to the ‘hidden gardens’ last weekend. 826 and the incredible amount of £6,974 raised for charity … told you it was busy!
3 Jul, 2017
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Comments
Really enjoyed your blog and loved looking around with you. Seeing the different ideas are great and give food for thought in my own garden. Thank you :-)
3 Jul, 2017
All the gardens are stunning. I've have a similar (smaller) fire surround that we took out when we moved in and I dumped it in the garage (with everything else!). I was going to clear the garage out in the summer holidays and was going to put the fire surround out for the rag and bone man to collect. Well now I know what I'm going to with it instead and have an area in mind where it will fit nicely.
3 Jul, 2017
thanks for sharing
Gg
3 Jul, 2017
What a wonderful day out and for such a worthy cause. The Lantern is just up my street and the Campanula is one of my other half likes. As for that fireplace...oh I wish I had room I love its quirkiness. Finally, roses and jasmine on the garden wall...perfectly English :-0))
3 Jul, 2017
They are all fabulous Shirley, but my favourite was the children's garden. Loved the gravel and white edging stones and all the colourful furniture etc. Very different! What a treat, thanks so much for sharing with us.
3 Jul, 2017
Honeysuckle ... I had no idea these gardens were behind the wall so you can imagine how delightful it was to see them all. Thanks for looking in.
Jen ... I hope you glean some ideas from these gardens for your own.
Lisam ... don't forget to post pics of your outdoor fireplace!
Gg ... you're welcome :o)
Waddy ... shame I didn't take more pics of that last beautifully designed English garden ... there were just so many people in the garden at one time :o(
Karen ... that wonderland garden was stunning ... . something to admire at every turn. Glad you liked it too!
3 Jul, 2017
What amazing variety! You would never guess they were neighbours. Have to confess I like the less formal ones for living with, and the last one wins for me, though the one with the little rill is very desirable as well. And the little childrens garden down the steps is a cracker!
3 Jul, 2017
The flowers on that hydrangea are not very big, so it might be H. 'Abracadabra Star'
3 Jul, 2017
What better way to spend some time. I loved the 1st and last gardens, but the others were interesting too. I wish I could get my standard holly tree to look like that, and the big pot on its own was beautiful.
The fronts of the houses looked very pleasant also :)
3 Jul, 2017
What a lovely collection, Shirley, the last garden is my favourite.
4 Jul, 2017
Stera, so much thought has gone into the children's garden. Shame I didn't manage to chat with the owner about it.
Thanks Andrew, I was quite taken with that Hydrangea.
Hywel, I liked that big pot too, really made a statement in that garden. Persevere with your Holly tree!
Linda, the planting in the last garden was definitely the most colourful and traditional, just lovely!
4 Jul, 2017
So different and yet all so appealing. Some imaginative ideas easy to copy!
£6,974! A lovely sum for charity.
4 Jul, 2017
What wonderful gardens! I really enjoyed the tour! Thanks Shirley! :-)0
4 Jul, 2017
That was a lovely group of gardens, I enjoyed the variety,so nice to see. I don't think I could choose a favourite. Thanks Shirley.
4 Jul, 2017
Thanks
for the splendid photographs Shirley, I only managed the briefest visit to the other gardens as I was so busy with the plants.
I really enjoyed the day and will certainly be a helper again next year if possible.
So glad you could come and it was great to meet you both. I think the MacMillan Garden Trail is on in Seaford at the end of July and I guess Driftwood will be open as part of it so I might try to get down for that. Gx
5 Jul, 2017
Thank you for sharing Shirley. Loved them all.
5 Jul, 2017
Hywel I've always admired your holly tree.
5 Jul, 2017
Eirlys, just goes to show what can be achieved!
Balcony, thanks for looking in to this blog ... :o)
You're welcome Cinders ... such varied styles of gardens.
Ginellie, we shall try to visit Driftwood this year. Will let you know if and when we plan to ... :o)
Thanks Diane ... :o)
5 Jul, 2017
lovely gardens and so many inspiring ideas. thanks for sharing your lovely day.
7 Jul, 2017
Thanks for looking in Sbg ...
8 Jul, 2017
Thank you for taking us around with you on you visits to these inspiring gardens, and all so different. Who could imagine the calm oasis behind those walls.
20 Jul, 2017
Thanks for looking in on this blog Siris ... lots of ideas to be gained from these gardens!
21 Jul, 2017
What a wonderful selection of gardens, I am not surprised so many people turned up, one of my favourite past times is looking at unusual gardens, really enjoyed this blog, thank you so much Shirley, must start at the top and begin again....
21 Jul, 2017
Thanks Dotty ... did you watch Gardeners World last Wednesday? Adam Frost visited a garden, said it was in Littlehampton, just along the road from us, then I visited the GW website only to find it's in our village! We shall definitely visit on their NGS Open Day in September.
22 Jul, 2017
Yes we did watch Shirley.....it was a fantastic garden, very swish.....that will be something to look forward to then, shall enjoy your photos!!
23 Jul, 2017
What a lovely blog - thank you for sharing.
I also liked the first & last ones best, but that callistemon is a beauty - if only I had a warm sheltered site for one.
25 Jul, 2017
Angela, how's this for something odd? I mentioned the garden to our daughter and she said "Mum, that's where Lucy (school friend at the time) used to live when we were about 15, there was a swimming pool in the back garden!"
Sure enough, when you read the description of the garden, there is mention of said pool when the current owners bought the property. Strange but true ... :o)
Glad you enjoyed these gardens Gf ... :o)
25 Jul, 2017
What a small world.... Shirley.
26 Jul, 2017
Certainly can be! :o))
27 Jul, 2017
No idea how I came here Shirley, but so glad I did. I could spend my life visiting gardens like this and your pics are brilliant. I will bear these gardens in mind when I eventually design my longish thin garden. :-)
7 Jul, 2021
Thanks for viewing this blog Ba, I had forgotten how amazing those gardens were. So, are you going to have a rill installed, or an Alhambra style garden, or some pink flamingoes!!!
7 Jul, 2021
Maybe all three lol:-)
7 Jul, 2021
That's exactly what I thought you would say!!
7 Jul, 2021
Just realized this was posted 2017. Doesn't stop it being an interesting blog, lovely gardens, lovely to view on this wet miserable summers day. Anybody could find some insperation for their own plot, whether big or small.
10 Jul, 2021
Siris, what a dull, grey start to the day. The day brightened up though, sun is shining now (7pm ish) so I'm off to deadhead for ten minutes.
10 Jul, 2021
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Thank you for sharing your visit to the gardens. It's always lovely to see other peoples ideas and of course the gardens that we wouldn't be able to visit.
Yesterday was my first time this year for group visiting gardens, but usually I find a joy and the owners are usually only too happy to talk about their garden. These are all lovely in their own way and immaculate!
3 Jul, 2017