| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Group email: | Gardens group |
| When: | On Thursday afternoons 4th Thursday Apr to Sept |
| Venue: | By arrangement |
The group meets 4th Thursday of the month in the afternoon from April to September.
The group visits gardens in the surrounding area.
West Green Gardens, Hook, 22nd August 2024.
Several members declined to visit West Green Gardens due to the horrendous weather in the morning but with only grey overcast skies in the afternoon five hardy ladies spent a lovely afternoon strolling around the grounds.
We entered the gardens through the Dragon Garden with its beautiful display of different types of Acers and then followed a pathway, passing the lake on our right and various topiary clipped shrubs on our left.
The path then led us into the Garden of Five Bridges, all of which spanned a meandering stream. The stream was sadly lacking in water but still had a varied display of moisture loving plants on its banks. The bridges were each covered with climbing plants such as roses, honeysuckle trained onto pergolas and led into a seating area surrounded by flowerbeds containing many varieties of agapanthus plants all in flower.
Walking on we paused to admire the Paradise Water Garden with its fountains and view the Pavilion in the middle of the lake before continuing through the overgrown Wild Garden. This led into the Nymphaeum Fountain area with its grand water staircase looking down to the Moon Gate which gave us a glimpse into the Walled Garden.
The pathway then took us through a wooded area growing Rhododendron and Azaleas shrubs and into the Walled Garden which had been restored to its original design. Here we meandered amongst a potager growing many types of vegetables side by side with flowers with a well filled large circular fruit cage at its centre.
It was from here we decided to retire to the Courtyard Tea Room for a very welcoming hot drink and piece of delicious homemade cake. In the walled Courtyard patio area there were more beautifully clipped topiary designs as well as various cannas in full bloom.
The gardens take approximately 40 minutes to walk round depending on how long you stop to admire each area but with few people visiting due to the earlier bad weather we were virtually the only ones there which made for a very pleasant unhurried afternoon out.
Mottisfont Abbey is a historical priory and country estate in Hampshire, England. Sheltered in the valley of the River Test. The u3a garden group visited Mottisfont Abbey in June.
A visit in April was made to the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens near Romsey.
