NEW FOREST, WISLEY & FURZEY

[ranunculus]

Just arrived back from a lovely sunny week in the New Forest (Hampshire) and West Sussex, ostensibly to see elderly relatives, but also as a golden opportunity to visit Wisley, Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, various nature reserves and to sample the cliffs, beaches, villages, beauty spots, pubs and floral delights of this beautiful part of the world.
A mixture of images to post concluding (in time) with an array of shots from the immaculate and always impressive Wisley Gardens, but before that a series taken at Furzey Gardens in the heart of the New Forest. 
Established in 1922 these informal gardens feature thatched buildings, heather beds, a small lake, a Christian retreat and a fernery. 
From literature we had collected we knew that entry to the gardens was ‘by donation’ (in support of a highly commendable charitable trust for learning disabilities), but we were quite taken aback to discover that admission was in fact ‘by a donation of AT LEAST seven pounds per person’, which makes entry to this admittedly pleasant but certainly not outstanding rural retreat only slightly less expensive than a visit to the magnificent Wisley Gardens ...please be warned.
I feel the advertising literature should be more explicit in this respect - it is quite a drive from most of the resorts.
Anyway, enough of the gripes, a trio of postings from Furzey and of the animals that roam the heaths and wild places of the New Forest.
Lots of other images from the cliff tops, beaches, woods and gardens to follow ...

FURZEY GARDENS, HAMPSHIRE

[ranunculus]

Next batch from Furzey Gardens ...


FURZEY GARDENS

[ranunculus]

Next batch from Furzey Gardens ...


FURZEY GARDENS
NEW FOREST DONKEYS

[ranunculus]

Final image from Furzey Gardens ...

[Giles]

Cliff,
Can you remember what the Rubus is, in No. 15 (Rubus odoratus ?).

[New Forest in August,......You're a braver man than me!! ]

[ranunculus]

Hi Giles,
No visible label I'm afraid.
Lyndhurst, Lymington and Brockenhurst were as busy as usual, but the cliffs, heaths and copses were idyllic. 

[Giles]

..yes, I have to start taking the valium a week in advance of tackling Lyndhurst.
'Spinners' is good, if you're down there again, and there is a good site for Hammarbya paludosa.

[Paddy Tobin]

HI Cliff,

Good to have you back again - you sort of vanished in the middle of your report on the Dolomites though, to be fair, the reporting was taken up very effectively in your absence.

You appear to have mislabelled one of your photographs: "New Forest 1" - should this not be "Forum Members"?

I adore Wisley and look forward to your photographs.

Post scriptum: I noticed a small item in a gardening magazine yesterday: Do you know that there are over 700 employed in Wisley? It astounded me to read this. It was in the context of a reduction of staff numbers for economic reasons.

Paddy

[ranunculus]

Hi Paddy,
I knew that Martin and Kata had both been to the Dolomites and didn't wish to steal their combined thunder (so I took a holiday) ... I will post again in that thread when they have exhausted their beautiful images. I still have many plants and landscapes to bore you with.
If you would like to specify which forum members you are referring to then I would willingly change the picture title!   
I hope I can entertain you with some interesting shots from one of your favourite gardens.

[Paddy Tobin]

Cliff,

I'm sure a competition could be organised, with Maggi's permission naturally, to identify the members you photographed in the New Forest.

Looking forward to Wisley shots.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

If you would like to specify which forum members you are referring to then I would willingly change the picture title!

 Actually.... can I ask to be the cute  young one in #3? 

I find the thatched buildings very quaint and Furzey looks delightful.... pictured as well as ever by you, Cliff..... but I, too,  would have taken slight offence at the rather underhanded "donation" approach. State it up front, I say..... families visiting (especially) need to know how much an outing is going to cost.

[ranunculus]

families visiting (especially) need to know how much an outing is going to cost.

... And it is certainly a garden designed with children in mind!

Some more from the New Forest and the coast before we venture to the Hillier Gardens and Wisley ...

BUCKLERS HARD
CENTAURIUM ERYTHRAEA
DIPSACUS FULLONUM
ERICA ON THE HEATH
CENTAURIUM ERYTHRAEA
BRANCH LINES
IDYLLIC HAMPSHIRE
KEYHAVEN HARBOUR
IDYLLIC HAMPSHIRE 2
OYSTERCATCHER RUNNING

[ranunculus]

Next batch from the New Forest and the coast ...

CHRISTCHURCH HARBOUR SWANS
CHRISTCHURCH - THE 'NEW ZEALAND GARDENS' PLANTED WITH DONATIONS FROM THEIR TWIN CITY IN N.Z. (and, unfortunately, masses of annuals instead of N.Z. natives).
SUPERB NATURE RESERVE JUST OUTSIDE LYMINGTON

[ranunculus]

Final batch from New Forest and the coast ...

NEW FOREST FUNGI
SHORELINE SKELETON
SPIRANTHES
SPLIT LOG
TEASEL
WAITING FOR THE PUB TO OPEN

[Luc Gilgemyn]

.... and now for something completely different... 

Different subjects allright Cliff - they do have one thing in common with your other posts though... : Great shots !