Summer garden visits
Updated: Aug 20
In June and July, members visited two outstanding gardens: The Manor House in Haslemere and Shalford House in Kingsley Green. Both gardens benefit from having significant water features and sloped or terraced landscapes, allowing for wonderful views and a greater variety of planting habitats.
In early June members visited the magnificent gardens at The Manor House in Haslemere. We were blessed with a sunny day in a period of very mixed weather. The gardens, once referred to as the ‘hanging gardens of Haslemere’ due to the steep terraced landscape were a joy to walk around.
The house itself is Grade II listed, and the gardens can largely be attributed to James Hodgson and his wife then latterly his daughter the Marchioness of Sligo, being created between 1873 and 1923. Not much is known about its origins, but the gardens were notable even back then and were part of the inaugural group of gardens open under the National Garden Scheme almost 100 years ago. Julia, the head gardener, took us all on a guided walk starting at the top terrace, heading down to the three lower ponds, pergola and covered walkway and then over to the kitchen garden and glasshouses. The roses were incredible, ranging from climbing to shrub to standard roses and many were deliciously fragrant. Julia explained that it took one gardener seven hours to dead head the roses alone! Tea and cake on the terrace overlooking the gardens was literally the ‘icing on the cake’.
Shalford House was a plant showstopping garden with an abundance of annuals mixed into the herbaceous borders, adding bursts of bright colours and light, airy movement.
The garden was incredibly floriferous in late July thanks to having numerous springs providing a constant supply of water. Oh, to be so blessed! Both gardens open a few times under the National Garden Scheme and we would wholeheartedly recommend you visit next year.
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