VISIT TO SIR HAROLD HILLIER'S GARDENS

24 comments

When we go away for a couple of days, we dont like to waste a minute! You could say we are gluttons for punishment, but boy oh! boy, if this is punishment give me more lol!
After spending the Sunday afternoon at DD’s and overnight at a very acceptable Travelodge, we stoked up with a cooked breakfast (and did we need it!) and toddled off to Hilliers Gardens on the Romsey Road from Winchester.
This was never going to be as colourful as DD’s lovely garden, more of a “tree and walk” thing, but there were one or two surprises and one disappointment.

We got to the gardens at about 10.30am and was greeted by a raised circular bed of Kniphofia Nancy’s Red and another side bed showing Kniphofia Lemon Drop. Dont know why I didnt take a picture because I wanted to see these “live”, not having space in my garden for the larger varieties. These, together with Little Maid, are perfect for the smaller flowerbeds. 3 more for my mile long scroll of “wanted” list.
Once inside it was vistas of grass and trees highlighted with works of art, some of which I would love to afford. This little one for example..

We walked on to a children’s educational garden which had a lovely metal archway and inside many raised beds and a little pergola of pleached trees.

This is the side pillar, the top was one large leaf.

There were ponds and beds and a greenhouse, all at young peoples height. Could imagine the fun they would have.

I loved this one!

Dragonfly arch

Then we walked on to the centenary flower beds, and our only disappointment. It was being revamped (which we knew) and it said you could watch the transformation as it progressed..well they had dug everything out apart from a couple of small trees, but no one was working there and the only progress was empty beds!!! You would have thought they would do one at a time, so you still had summer colour and could see the difference.

At this point we were feeling somewhat down as, pleasant and peaceful as the walk was, much of what we saw was green grass and some nice tree specimens. So we progressed to Jermyn House hoping for better. We werent disappointed!

I didnt really like seeing this banana plant cheek by jowl with foxgloves…looked most odd!

Pardancanda Norrisii Dazzler!

The Bud!

This was beautiful..Halimiocistus Revolii

Then there were the specimen trees..this one was to die for..

The bark was like green, peach and lavender rough woven silks..

A gorgeous Stipa Gigantea

The baby…

The adult…

A dash of colour..Ken like the Santolina

Artwork..

A lovely silver birch

A low growing gaura..

Geranium Palmatum…huge leaves on this one..

Then we walked through woodland, where there were still a few rhododendrons in flower

and finally back to the restaurant for a spot of lunch, where we met this little lady, and a spendup at the garden centre (and I posted all those plants earlier)

I took loads more photos, just not enough room to show them all..but well worth the visit and the plants were all beautifully labelled.

30 Jun, 2011
12 likes

Comments

Anndavies

great pictures, love the ones of the trees

30 Jun, 2011

Cinderella

Thanks for sharing Tet, not far from me, but haven't been for years. Perhaps a trip out is iminent...

30 Jun, 2011

Karensusan63

lovely....Hillier was featured in one of my garden mags this month. The Hilliers stand is always my favourite at Chelsea too. Wonderful art work..I particularly like the couple one...I noticed that the female has her arm around the shoulder of the male form...very interesting and unusual....a statement of gender equality perhaps...I like that! Wouldn't want it in my garden, but lovely there where it is. Thank you Tetrarch :)

30 Jun, 2011

Sheilabub

Thank you very much Tet. I've always wanted to visit these gardens, and now feel I have, thanks to your lovely photos!

30 Jun, 2011

Yorkshire

Brilliant blog, beautiful gardens, glad you enjoyed it,

30 Jun, 2011

Whistonlass

You've had a nice time away and I love the sculptures (especially your first and second-to-last photos). Sure would have been a disappointment to see empty flower beds but glad you got a chance to visit the second gardens at Jermyn House...you got some lovely photos there!

30 Jun, 2011

Gee19

If my premium bonds ever pay out I would love to have that first sculpture, absolutely beautiful. Beautiful photos, really show off the place well. Love your description of the tree bark too. Thank you :)

30 Jun, 2011

Tetrarch

Thanks Ann. Cinders you really should make the effort..maybe there's a coach trip locally?
Karen, it is more noticeable that her arm is around him, its higher I think..but my take was a bit different ..ahem..but wont go into that!
Thanks Sheilabub, Yorkie. Looking at your blog of the parkland you visited earlier this year Yorkie, I think you would enjoy this.
J, I would agree, especially the last one (2 pics, same statue). I would love to own her.
Gee, your welcome! If I had this tree in my garden I would be hugging and smoothing it all the time. It was so tactile.

30 Jun, 2011

Dawnsaunt

Thanks for this T.
Love the birch :). After seeing the form of the Stipa, I'm very tempted to move mine as a specimen plant.

30 Jun, 2011

Grandmage

I love the trees there, Betula & Birch, fantastic, what an amazing place along with the sculptures, wonderful. Thanks for the peek.

30 Jun, 2011

Tetrarch

Thanks Dawn. Yes, I really do think the stipa needs to show off. It would look better with a dark background of, say, a hedge perhaps, tho it looked very airy which the picture doesnt really capture.
There are many more amazing trees there Grandmage, but the blog wouldve been miles long had I shown them all!

30 Jun, 2011

Grandmage

Lol, it would keep us out of mischief!!

30 Jun, 2011

Tetrarch

Not if I know you lot lol! Someone's always up to something on here (like pushing hot tubs in wheelie bins)

30 Jun, 2011

Cristina

lol i herd that ..................... !!!! haha lol
haha ........... loved your blog tet ... lots of naked ladies there , ............... shame bt the flower beds , you shud told them to make them !!!
do you have to pay in this one ............. ?

30 Jun, 2011

Tetrarch

LOL Cristina, and I whispered it too!!!
Yes, about £8 I think it was..but if you feel energetic and have lunch, you could do the lot in one day (we did about half), and then there is this gorgeous garden centre...more money!!
Just one of the flower beds wouldve been perfect for my iris nursery..you can see two of them, there were another two the other side..I would imagine they would be fantastic fully stocked.

1 Jul, 2011

Cristina

lol ............ its a lovely walk anyway , and i love the statues !!!

1 Jul, 2011

Sanbaz

great day and place, and great pics Tetra ;o)

1 Jul, 2011

Tetrarch

Thanks Sandra. How is your painting going. Must check up on your blogs!

1 Jul, 2011

Dottydaisy2

I cannot believe we have never visited this delightful place, loved the pictures and would be happy with any of the sculptures, and the trees, would love to squeeze another one in .........OH would have a fit!! thanks Tet great blog.

5 Jul, 2011

Tetrarch

Thanks DD, it will make a nice peaceful day out if you fancy it. But if you want to stay solvent keep away from the garden centre next door!!

5 Jul, 2011

Dottydaisy2

Ha ha have just taken a delivery of plants from ebay lol

6 Jul, 2011

Tetrarch

You are not safe to take anywhere, even at home!! (bit like me really)

6 Jul, 2011