garden visits to the UK's Lake District

[mark smyth]

The Ulster Group are heading to the Lake District next June. Can anyone recommend and good private gardens that can cope with  around 40 people?

[mark smyth]

no-one have any idea?

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,

I have just dug my way into my book press - not so well organised as to have them on book shelves, though a recent clean out which got rid of about 100 titles did make life a little easier.

I have to hand Gardens of Europe by Charles Quest-Ritson, Gardens of the National Trust by Stephen Lacey and The Gardens of Britain and Ireland by Patrick Taylor only to realise you want 'private' gardens. These would deal mainly with the bigger/estate gardens.

My somewhat out-of-date 'Yellow Book', a 2002 edition lists 56 gardens in Cumbria. Have you a copy to hand or do you want me to have a quick look through?

Paddy

[mark smyth]

a quick look inside would be great

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,

This is from a very cursory read:

Browfoot, Skelwith, Mr. Trevor Woodburn, 2.5 acres, rhodos, azaleas, conifers, natural rockery 015394 32248

Copt Howe, Chapel Stile, Great Langdale, Prof. R. N. Haszeldine, 2 acres, Extensive range of trees, rhodos, camellias, alpine, trough, 015394 37685

Holme Cragg, Grange-over-Sands, Jack Watson, large rockeries, scree beds mentioned. No phone no. given

Winderwath, near Penrith, Jane Pollock, Rockery, many specialist alpines, no phone no. given

Wood Hall, Cockermouth, Mr & Mrs Jackson, extensive rock bank, alpines, 01900 823585

Mark, these were mentioned simply because the descriptions mentioned 'alpines', 'rockery' or something along those lines which might indicate they might be suitable for your group. Also, my notes leave out lots and lots of information.

Would it be easier if I photocopied the pages and posed them on?

Paddy

[Brian Ellis]

Mark you could always get in touch with the various societies in the area ... Cottage Garden, Hardy Plant, NCCPG they could be very helpful.  A bit of local knowledge is worth seeking out.

[ellenndan]

Hi there Mark, Winderwath is well worth a visit lots of interesting Himalayan plants.

[Diane Clement]

Mark, Holehird is worth a visit, not sure you'd call it a private garden (it's run by the Lakeland Horticultural Society).  Situated by Windermere

http://www.holehirdgardens.org.uk/alpines.html

Diane

[Darren]

Agree about Holehird - it's great.

I can ask around for you Mark - it's on my doorstep anyway and we have many local group members from the lake district.

There is a rock garden group based in Penrith also who I'm sure would be happy to help. We had a group visit to the garden of Dr Hugh Barr in Penrith a few years ago. There were some amazing plants (Dracunculus vulgaris and Pulsatilla alpina apiifolia especially spring to mind - the latter was at least 60cm tall with loads of huge flowers, better than any I've seen in the wild). Just down the M6 in preston there are Peter and Beryl Bland of course - they often host visits from groups.

Darren.

[Darren]

Mark, the group in penrith is the SRGC's own north Cumbria group. Contact details are on the local groups page.

D.

[David Pilling]

I just read a review of a book

Gardens of the Lake District by Tim Longville:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gardens-Lake-District-Tim-Longville/dp/0711227136