Learn how to tend your garden in Cumbria?

Regular writing of my blog has eluded me - visiting gardens in the glorious sunshine and battling with my own fellside plot has interfered.    Today the much needed rain has drenched the Cumbria landscape.    The earth was desiccated until Thursday, now it is soggy.    

My horticultural courses are complete.    Newton Rigg College closed yesterday but is being resurrected at Lowther Castle and Gardens just outside Penrith by Shelagh Todd, Louise Stoddart and Lyn Brunetti who between them have over 120 years of horticultural experience.

To find out out more about this new venture check their website is 

https://www.nrtraining.co.uk/the-school-of-horticulture  


The inspirational landscape of Lowther Castle, near Penrith

The two courses I participated in were outstanding - Garden Design with Plants and RHS Level 2 Horticulture.    I loved learning with Shelagh, Louise and Lyn.   
Sharing my experience with fellow students was a privilege.   Many have already started new careers in horticulture.    We are all putting into practise the lessons learnt.

My own garden is undergoing a transition.   Pruning.  Splitting and dividing plants.  Growing from seed.    Attempting to create an artist's pallet of colour.    Learning from the disasters.


Little Mell Fell, Matterdale

I am an enthusiastic visitor of gardens, finding inspiration around every corner. 
  
RHS Bridgewater located on the site of the estate of Worsley New Hall in Salford is an exciting new enterprise.    The Weston Walled garden contains multiple garden rooms within its 11 acres.   Colourful themed borders, linear hedges, complementary sub gardens surrounded by woodland, meadows, lakes and emerging plantings.    I loved seeing the new structure of the garden in its infancy.


RHS Bridgewater, Worsley

RHS Harlow Carr, Harrogate and Tatton Park, Knutsford were other established gardens I visited out of Cumbria.   As was Houghton Hall in Norfolk hosting this year Tony Cragg, the British Sculptor, living in Germany.    Tony Cragg has been working and exhibiting since 1969 and was awarded the Turner Prize in 1988, the Praemium Imperiale Award, Tokyo in 2007 and the Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award in 2017.   The setting of the exhibition is dramatic within the long vistas of the estate.

Built in the 1720's for Great Britain's first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, Houghton Hall is one of Norfolk's most beautiful stately homes and remains one of England's finest Palladian houses.



Houghton Hall, Kings Lynn, Norfolk


 Another gem in Norwich, Norfolk, is the Plantation Garden.   Hidden behind the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist it is a haven of peace.   The garden dates back to 1856 when a prosperous upholsterer and cabinet maker, called Henry Trevor, decided to convert a disused chalk quarry in to a garden.


The Plantation Garden, 4 Earlham Road, Norwich

Cumbria's gardens are extra special this year.    Warmed by constant sunshine, gentle rain and little wind.    So many to see.    Each one different in their design.    How fortunate we are to have such beautiful gardens to visit. 


Levens Hall, near Kendal


Dalemain Mansion, near Penrith


Holker Hall, Cark in Cartmel











  



 

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