Please note the date of this visit has changed to Wednesday 5 June.
In the morning we will visit Weirs Barn, Hartley Wintney, a garden designed by Robert Weir Schulz (1860-1951) in 1900, an architect with extensive Arts and Craft credentials. On arrival the present owners, Jane and Terence Lyons will introduce their garden during coffee/tea and cakes. They moved there in 1960 whereupon they decided to reinterpret the original scheme. The garden had fallen into decay but 15 of the original topiary shapes had survived. These included the two peacock shapes that roost over the entrance gate and many other magnificent examples. More have been added and a spectacular garden has been created.
Weirs Barn, Hartley Wintney
After lunch at the Phoenix gastro pub (opposite Weirs) we will proceed to the knot garden at Basing House, Old Basing.
The knot garden is found in the Walled Garden which formed part of the grand building works carried out in 1531at Basing House by Sir William Paulet, later the first Marquess of Winchester. Only the remains of the house itself now exist; it was sacked during the Civil War. In 1989/90 the county council funded the redesign and layout of the garden, with the intention of creating a garden which reflected the height of the Paulet family’s power.
The consultants, Elizabeth Banks Associates, proposed a fusion of an early Renaissance garden and a French garden, the latter a style introduced to England by Queen Henrietta Maria (wife of Charles I).
What we will see is a 27 metre square containing quadrants set around a central circular feature displaying the Paulet family motto ‘Aymez Loyaulte’. All the defining edges consist of buxus sempervirens and the quadrants are filled with herbs that were grown in the 16/17 centuries. Some are interlaced to provide knots.
The garden is now in the care of the Hampshire Cultural Trust (HCT) and all the maintenance is provided by the Basing House Gardening Volunteer Group. They have been particularly wary of box moth and box blight and have only suffered a little blight. These risks have not deterred HCT from wishing to improve the contents of the quadrants (the box will remain) and is seeking substantial funding.
Basing House, Old Basing
The final garden of the day is Bumpers, Sutton Common, Long Sutton. In contrast with the first two gardens this garden has its own short history. When the owner, Stella Rimington, moved there in 1997 she set about transforming a rundown farmyard into a magnificent garden, of over two acres. She collaborated with garden designer, Arthur Shackleton. They were also able to take advantage of the beautiful views that surrounded the property.
Herbaceous and shrub borders are edged with neatly clipped hedging and arranged in a series of separate areas, through which informal paths progress. The views can be enjoyed from dedicated seating areas. Throughout, hedging is used ornamentally. One of the areas is delineated by a row of precisely pleached limes and another contains a tranquil formal lagoon. Stella will show us round and provide tea and cakes before our departure.
