This garden I believe was featured on an edition of Gardeners World which of course made it an instant hit and bookings galore came forward such that our visit on the afternoon of 19th June was the second of that day. We were very fortunate with the weather as the day started very cloudy and even threatening so after we arrived and the sun came out we were all feeling a little overdressed – the vagaries of English weather!!
The house itself (not open) was a former Vicarage built in 1848 but became a private house in 1981 and the present occupants bought it in 1993. In the Folly there were a number of photos depicting the house over many years whilst still a vicarage and of course later.
One enters the garden using the coach house drive and are presented with some fine specimens of Catalpa trees and almost endless hedges breaking the garden into manageable areas whilst giving privacy and some quiet from the bustle of the traffic on the A4/A34, which of course means it is easily accessible.
It is a 2 acre garden with many features. The area in front of the house apparently had been a sloping lawn and this had been redesigned to provide an upper area -lawns and flower beds - and the lower area - a more natural area including rhododendrons and a wildlife pond within which resided some enormous fish. On the upper terrace were a number of secluded areas including a Stumpery and a Pergola walk which must have been delightful when the wisteria was flowering unfortunately we were just too late for that. There were however giant angelica plants dotted within the borders together with banana plants, large headed bright red poppies and a multitude of other plants, including a Cornus Kousa which unfortunately only had flowers at the top of the tree so was best viewed from the opposite side of the lawn, which was being mown by a robotic mower. Many of the roses around the garden had subtle perfume and softened the walls around the Bowls Lawn and Pavilion. A hedge separated this area from the reflecting pond and folly. From this area and indeed from all the garden were lovely views of St. Johns Church tower (I did visit and was disappointed to find that the tower must have been added at a later date from the building itself in that the West window was unable to be seen in its highly decorative state as the tower removed most of the light from that window. There may have been electric light behind to throw light onto the window but…The carving at the back of the alter was magnificent.) Anyway the reflecting pond was build to reflect the tower which it did.
Other areas within the garden included tennis court, swimming pool, fruit cage, kitchen garden and green house, and ornamental pond. Sometime after the levelling of the upper and lower terrace an orangery was built on the side of the house which on our visit had been emptied of its plants to fill the borders, namely the bananas.
Holmes For GardensThe Codford Gardening Club spent a delightful day visiting the Holme for Gardens site at West Holme Farm, near Wareham, Dorset on the 21 June 2023. It is a lovely place to visit, providing a full day's activities walking round beautiful and unusual formal gardens and wilder areas along well planned routes; fit for the young and old. The development of a large woodland area, Jim's Wood, and the profusion of wild flower meadows made for special attractions and the expectation of future pleasures to come.The whole day was fully supported by an excellent Cafe Service, with a good choice of food, set out around a large gold fish pond on shaded, individual tables. Additionally there were a well stocked Farm Shop and a Garden Centre, through which to stroll and admire.Perhaps the overriding feature of a good day out, was the cheerful friendliness of all the staff who were clearly proud of the whole enterprise and sought to provide us with a happy day to remember
We meet in the large Hall of Codford Village Hall on the third Wednesday of every month at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. The hall is open from 7pm to enable members to get drinks from the bar is desired.
The subscription is £10.00 for the year, payable at the time of the AGM, either by cash or cheque made out to The Codford and District Gardening Club, or if easier by BACS to Codford and District Gardening Club – Sort Code 09 01 52 –
Account Number 75756807 – Reference Your name.
Please keep your data up to date so that we can let you know what is happening; if you do not want to do this, please let the Secretary know and your data will be removed from the computer.
Please be aware that if you put your name down to go on a trip and have to cancel – for any reason – IT IS UP TO YOU to find someone to take your place. Coaches are booked months in advance and the number of people going on the trip dictates the price paid; it cannot be altered later if people drop out.
All Villages have a representative on the Committee, so if there is any subject you would like to hear about, or have heard a wonderful speaker, or have visited a beautiful garden that you think other members would enjoy seeing, please tell either your representative or any member of the committee and we will try to include it in the programme.
If you wish to put your name forward to join the committee, please give your name to the Secretary before the AGM.
Chairman J Claypoole 01985 850724
Treasurer John Curtis 01985 850906
Secretary 01985 850258
Bishopstrow and Sutton Veny Emma Crisp 840827
Upton Lovell and Heytesbury Brenda Akers 850261
Warminster and The Deverills Janet Wallis 220115
Boyton and Corton Frances Rigby 850303
Codford St Peter Sally Gibb 850810
Codford St Mary John Foster 850613
Plant sale details from Frances Rigby and VegEdible Day from Sally Gibb.
There was an Codford and District Horticultural Society in the pre-war years as the secretary has fliers from 1938 and 1939 when it held its Annual Show. This shows that the club had been started in 1906 as it states it is their 32nd Show. Some of the classes are - to the present day minds - a bit strange, such as a prize for the largest amount of dead Queen Wasps brought to the secretary before the show!
But due to the Second World War it came to a halt and wasn’t restarted until 1976 when a small group of about fifteen people gathered in the old Village Hall to hear talks from Lacock Agricultural College tutors through the season and Open meetings in members gardens through the summer, which appear to be more social gatherings than anything else. Since then, slowly but surely, membership has grown, speakers have expanded and visits to gardens have taken place far and wide.
The Club is open to everyone who is interested in gardening, whether as a complete amateur or a competent and knowledgeable gardener. We have speakers every month covering a huge range of subjects, from owners who have inherited a Grade One listed garden to ‘how to grow vegetables’ – there really is something for everyone.
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