The perfect visit
I escaped for a few days from the heat of London to stay with my cousin and her husband in Exeter. As usual, they organised the perfect visit, combining relaxation in the soft and soporific Devon air with outings to some special places. This time we joined an Art Fund trip to Sandford Orcas Manor House near Sherborne in Dorset and Newton House at Newton Surmaville near Yeovil.
First was Sandford Orcas, built just before 1550 in the local Ham Hill stone. An arched gatehouse leads into the outer courtyard, originally the farmyard of the manor farm. Climbing roses thrive on the warm stone walls of the surrounding buildings. A tiny walled garden next to the churchyard has currants and gooseberries, raspberries, sweet peas and runner beans. Near the gatehouse are two magnificent fig trees planted in the 1870s. An arched doorway leads into the walled herbaceous garden at the front of the house. Traditional borders line each side of the central lawn. A modest ha-ha completes the top of the garden, which merges with a classic borrowed landscape, a field through which cows ambled right on cue.
A bowling green, terraces and herb garden and many fine trees, including copper beeches, Scots pines, a Ginkgo biloba and a Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree) complete a garden of pleasing understatement. Our visit concluded with a tour of the house by the owner, Sir Mervyn Medlycott Bt.
Fortified by sandwiches at a local pub, we pressed on to Newton House, built between 1608 and 1612 by merchant Robert Harbin, and lived in by his descendants for nearly 400 years, the last 45 of them with the house in a state of spiralling decline. In 2007, Newton House, which is Grade I listed, and its gardens, listed Grade II, were bought by Robin and Jane Cannon, the first time the house had been sold since 1608. Their impression on entering the house was of a dark gloom, suffocating the life from it. By their second visit they had fallen in love. They bought the house and garden and embarked on a massive restoration project to bring them back to life.
In the garden, brambles had enveloped lawns, beds and borders, terraces and paths. Ivy covered the walls of the kitchen garden and trees were pushing their way through what remained of the greenhouse roof. Work on the garden began in 2008, a year of heavy duty machinery and endless bonfires. The Cannons identified seven major projects, which included the rebuilding of the 90ft greenhouse, the creation of a new entrance to the kitchen from the walled kitchen garden, a new terrace and the dredging and replanting of the two remaining carp ponds.
Five years on and the transformation has been phenomenal. The walled garden, which in 2007 contained only a few forlorn gooseberry bushes, is now a productive fusion of vegetables and flowers, with masses of roses and a lawn studded with ancient apple trees. An edging of lettuces supplements the vegetables and flowers for cutting – sweet peas, foxgloves, alliums and delphiniums – grown in traditional rows. On a warm wall are espaliered fruit trees, and peaches, nectarines and tomatoes fruit enthusiastically in the rebuilt greenhouse. The orchard, carp ponds and river walk should also be visited.
The Cannons’ daughter, Laura, has been diagnosed with breast cancer, aged only 22. The family is opening their home and garden to raise funds to support breast cancer charities. All proceeds will be shared between charities CoppaFeel! and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
Newton House, Newton Surmaville, near Yeovil: 01935-423011 – the house and its magnificent gardens are open to visitors, in 2013 only, until the end of September.
Sandford Orcas Manor House, Sherborne, Dorset: 01963-220206 – open on Sundays and Mondays from 2pm to 5pm until the end of September.
It’s still blazing summer as I write, but organised gardeners are already planning for the autumn, and there are some excellent events to book.
RHS Garden Rosemoor has a talk on Ornamental Grasses And Late Season Perennials and how to grow them on 12 September. There’s a Trees Of Rosemoor Walk And Talk event on 20 September, with the opportunity to explore the garden’s magnificent trees. Both events are from 11am to 12.30pm and cost £10 for RHS members and £18 for nonmembers: 01805-624067, www.rhs.org.uk/rosemoor
Cambridge University Botanic Garden is offering two courses, the first from 10am to 4pm on 6 September on Grow Your Own Cut Flowers. Led by Alpine and Woodland Supervisor Helen Seal, it will cover the best annual, perennial and shrubby plants to ensure a long supply of fresh flowers. £50 per place, including a seed starter pack to take home.
On 14 September, from 10am to 1pm, chief arborist Mark Crouch will lead a course on how to choose the best trees for your garden, covering aspect, soil, maintenance and impact. £30 per place: 01223-331875, www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
Dahlia ‘Andy Murray’, named for the Wimbledon champion, has single yellow flowers held above dark stems. Flowers until November. £2.15, max three plants per order for delivery in 2014: www.national-dahlia-collection.co.uk
First was Sandford Orcas, built just before 1550 in the local Ham Hill stone. An arched gatehouse leads into the outer courtyard, originally the farmyard of the manor farm. Climbing roses thrive on the warm stone walls of the surrounding buildings. A tiny walled garden next to the churchyard has currants and gooseberries, raspberries, sweet peas and runner beans. Near the gatehouse are two magnificent fig trees planted in the 1870s. An arched doorway leads into the walled herbaceous garden at the front of the house. Traditional borders line each side of the central lawn. A modest ha-ha completes the top of the garden, which merges with a classic borrowed landscape, a field through which cows ambled right on cue.
A bowling green, terraces and herb garden and many fine trees, including copper beeches, Scots pines, a Ginkgo biloba and a Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree) complete a garden of pleasing understatement. Our visit concluded with a tour of the house by the owner, Sir Mervyn Medlycott Bt.
Fortified by sandwiches at a local pub, we pressed on to Newton House, built between 1608 and 1612 by merchant Robert Harbin, and lived in by his descendants for nearly 400 years, the last 45 of them with the house in a state of spiralling decline. In 2007, Newton House, which is Grade I listed, and its gardens, listed Grade II, were bought by Robin and Jane Cannon, the first time the house had been sold since 1608. Their impression on entering the house was of a dark gloom, suffocating the life from it. By their second visit they had fallen in love. They bought the house and garden and embarked on a massive restoration project to bring them back to life.
In the garden, brambles had enveloped lawns, beds and borders, terraces and paths. Ivy covered the walls of the kitchen garden and trees were pushing their way through what remained of the greenhouse roof. Work on the garden began in 2008, a year of heavy duty machinery and endless bonfires. The Cannons identified seven major projects, which included the rebuilding of the 90ft greenhouse, the creation of a new entrance to the kitchen from the walled kitchen garden, a new terrace and the dredging and replanting of the two remaining carp ponds.
Five years on and the transformation has been phenomenal. The walled garden, which in 2007 contained only a few forlorn gooseberry bushes, is now a productive fusion of vegetables and flowers, with masses of roses and a lawn studded with ancient apple trees. An edging of lettuces supplements the vegetables and flowers for cutting – sweet peas, foxgloves, alliums and delphiniums – grown in traditional rows. On a warm wall are espaliered fruit trees, and peaches, nectarines and tomatoes fruit enthusiastically in the rebuilt greenhouse. The orchard, carp ponds and river walk should also be visited.
The Cannons’ daughter, Laura, has been diagnosed with breast cancer, aged only 22. The family is opening their home and garden to raise funds to support breast cancer charities. All proceeds will be shared between charities CoppaFeel! and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
Newton House, Newton Surmaville, near Yeovil: 01935-423011 – the house and its magnificent gardens are open to visitors, in 2013 only, until the end of September.
Sandford Orcas Manor House, Sherborne, Dorset: 01963-220206 – open on Sundays and Mondays from 2pm to 5pm until the end of September.
Booking ahead
It’s still blazing summer as I write, but organised gardeners are already planning for the autumn, and there are some excellent events to book. RHS Garden Rosemoor has a talk on Ornamental Grasses And Late Season Perennials and how to grow them on 12 September. There’s a Trees Of Rosemoor Walk And Talk event on 20 September, with the opportunity to explore the garden’s magnificent trees. Both events are from 11am to 12.30pm and cost £10 for RHS members and £18 for nonmembers: 01805-624067, www.rhs.org.uk/rosemoor
Cambridge University Botanic Garden is offering two courses, the first from 10am to 4pm on 6 September on Grow Your Own Cut Flowers. Led by Alpine and Woodland Supervisor Helen Seal, it will cover the best annual, perennial and shrubby plants to ensure a long supply of fresh flowers. £50 per place, including a seed starter pack to take home.
On 14 September, from 10am to 1pm, chief arborist Mark Crouch will lead a course on how to choose the best trees for your garden, covering aspect, soil, maintenance and impact. £30 per place: 01223-331875, www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
