Award Winning Gardens

user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:a70fb6f253cc3381184572dff31a1cdd' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p><img src=\"/abbeygate/files/u1/SS-front-garden.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"351\" /> </p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:a70fb6f253cc3381184572dff31a1cdd' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:ebae61020477422f52bcbed097ea42b0' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<h3>National Gardens Scheme Gardens Open Day will be on 10th April 2011</h3>\n<h3>1-4pm</h3>\n<h3>£3.50 for adults, children are free </h3>\n<p>\n \n</p>\n<h4>Charities supported by the event are detailed below with all refreshments on the day being provided by Claire House</h4>\n<p>\nTo download the poster (83k) <a href=\"/files/u18/Abbey_Gate_College_Gardens_for_broad_sheet.pdf\">click here</a>\n</p>\n<h6>Saighton Grange gardens are 6.5 acres of formal garden, designed by Harry Inigo Triggs in 1901 for the 2nd Duke of Westminster, during the Arts and Crafts movement. The gardens were then redesigned for the 4th Duchess of Westminster during the 1960\'s by James Russell who was famous for his work at Castle Howard.</h6>\n<h6>Today the gardens are going through a third redevelopment.</h6>\n<h6>The emphasis has been very much on a spring garden, with the beautiful daffodils and bluebell woodland walk, but as development continues we are introducing later flowering plants to extend the season right throughout the year.</h6>\n<h6>All this is a tantalising glimpse of what has been and what is still to come.</h6>\n<p>\n \n</p>\n<p>\n<a href=\"http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder/garden.aspx?id=19236\" title=\"National Gardens Scheme\">National Gardens Scheme</a>\n</p>\n<p>\n <img class=\"imageright\" src=\"/files/u1/SS-front-garden.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" />\n</p>\n<p>\nOne of the subtleties of designing a garden is to manipulate changes of level to reinforce the spatial character of the site and of the layout which evolves from it. The gardens at Abbey Gate College, Saighton Grange, situated some four miles south of Chester, are a little masterpiece of garden design and demonstrate this technique of creating interest from the way the levels are handled. The entrance itself is through an impressive gap in the lovely red sandstone cliff which marks the entrance to the Eaton Estate village of Saighton, as it does also to the sister village of Eccleston on the west side of the River Dee. These attractive villages were both quarried for building stone from the visible rock outcrops, and Saighton Grange itself is built in this warm red coloured stone.The entrance is marked by two grey willow-leaved pears (Pyrus salicifolia) sited (incongruously for the setting and markedly out of scale) on mown grass lawns on either side of the gate. The short drive winds gently upwards to a gravel forecourt in front of the medieval gatehouse entrance to the building. This building (apart from its entrance) is mainly Victorian in style and is beautifully situated on a south-facing slope.\n</p>\n<h3>The South Gardens</h3>\n<p>\nFrom the front doors of the building one\'s attention is immediately drawn to a symmetrical vista seen through the yew hedge which has undergone restoration, that surrounds the forecourt. This view encourages a straight descent down stone steps and a narrow path of diagonally laid red sandstone paving slabs. The path leads through the centre of two attractive redesigned gardens, which have been restored to the design of Inigo Triggs’ in 1901. These gardens are beautifully laid out in both flower beds and borders. The upper is known as The Pink Garden (from the collection of pink flowers) and the lower as The Blue Garden( from the collection of blue flowering plants).Both these gardens have undergone a great deal of restoration over the last few years. At the end of the path there is a long well-planted herbaceous border backed by a low sandstone wall and fronted by a narrow path. The herbaceous border is a twentieth century addition (it is not shown on a plan of 1901) and at its centre has a semi-circular hedge to mark the south end of the walk from the Gateway known appropriately as "The Bulge".\n</p>\n<p></p>\n<p>\nWithin the herbaceous border can be found fine groups of flowering plants including bocconia, yellow scabious, tradescantia, achillea, senecio, carpenteria hemerocalis and alstromeria. There are two tall Lombardy Poplars symmetrically placed at the end of the perspective view down the path. They were planted to commemorate two soldiers, the Grenville twins, who were killed in the First World War. Between these great fastigiate trees the visitor may pause to gaze at a framed picture of countryside forming a glorious panorama of grazing fields, irregularly shaped woods and the distant hills of Harthill. <img class=\"imageleft\" src=\"/files/u1/IMG_1040.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" />On either side of these formal terraced gardens, behind their enclosing hedges, are two sloping lawns which indicate, in contrast to the terrraces, the gradient of the slope. One lawn was planted with two marvellous large mulberry trees so appropriate to the medieval character of the building. On the other lawn are mature horse chestnuts and a large parrotia pecsica which provides splendid autumn colour. The lawn, in the 19th century, contained "The Saints\' Garden". A Country Life article of 23rd May 1908 described it thus:" It is brick paved and set out in alleys, squares, and shaped beds. Its planting has been carefully arranged to emphasise the canonical calendar, although the vagaries of our climate may sometimes interfere with the regular unfolding of some special flower on each succeeding Saint\'s Day in accordance with the plan and purpose of the designer." A photograph accompanying this article showed just how attractive this garden was with its trellis arch. The site is shown on Triggs’ 1901 plan but nothing now remains of this intriguing design concept. Saighton Grange had been used by local nuns as a retreat organised by the Duchess of Westminster, but when Sally, Duchess of Westminster arrived at here, the garden was in a state of extreme decay and was cleared away.\n</p>\n<p>\nAnd so we have three gardens in parallel in front of the building -an unusual but well proportioned division of ground and illustrating just how much character can be won from a shallow, even slope, without recourse to an Italian terrace where the whole view would have had to be revealed at once from the upper terrace and not, as we find here, delayed in space and time to provide enticing anticipation and surprise. An unusual additional part of the complex on the south side of the building is a "wing" of the garden which extends from the Mulberry Lawn southwards for some 150 feet to end at a field gate. There is an attractive curved brick path running between two sandstone wall banks planted with overhanging trees and shrubs. This is known as "The Cavalry Walk" (or the old lane).\n</p>\n<p></p>\n<h3>The West Gardens</h3>\n<p>\nReturning to the front entrance of the building we can now explore the upper garden to the north west of the building which is hidden by shrubs from the approach drive. Here we find the sloping ground has been exploited with more variety and informality into a series of delightful terraced gardens, still small in scale but creating a sequence of garden spaces each with its own individual character deriving from the pleasing spatial quality given by the plants, the paving, the walls and the views. The first garden you come to is the Spring Garden, again this is a new addition created over the last year, using plants and bulbs that give a wonderful show from early spring with snow drops right through to late May with Rhododendrons and Azaleas. One new addition to this garden is the fantastic living willow Gazebo at the far end. The next garden of paving and lawn outside the west frontage of the building is now called the Japanese garden ( originally the pond garden). This garden has again been transformed, with new pools and walls to create the garden using only plants that originate from Japan. Framing the pool is a beautiful weeping birch (Beltula pendula Youngii).The garden is screaned by the Black Bamboo ( Phyllostachys nigra).A large mass of the small yellow-leaved ivy (hedera helix "Buttercup") covers part of the grey-red sandstone wall with a Chinese gooseberry (actinidia chinensis) and a white flowered climbing rose also competing for attention. Beyond this paved garden we can ascend stone steps on to the Lime Walk, this had been removed some 50 years ago after neglect and, has been reinstated which again frames the fantastic views, to the Dukes home at Eaton Hall and beyond to the Welsh Hills.<img class=\"imageright\" src=\"/files/u1/IMG_1741.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" /> Climbing roses: the deep pink Rosa "Madame Gregoire Staechelm the light pink "Ophelia" and the shining white "Seagull" are climbing over the old wall that leads to the stone arch which isn’t shown on the 1901 plan leading you to the uppermost part of the garden, "The Long Bank", a lawn compartment with a tall stone boundary wall giving shelter on the north side. In this garden we find a short cypress avenue with some small geometric flower beds which are unfortunately out of character with the rest of the garden. They were originally a part of the garden which was much favoured by the former Duke of Westminster. This has all been removed now and is being replaced by The Italian Garden. This garden is in the design process at the moment.\n</p>\n<p>\nThe garden has been divided into six smaller gardens by yew hedging and each small garden will have a formal design that is taken from the building, and replicated by using a form of hedging to show off the design. Down the centre is a reflecting water rill, which leads the eye to the two Irish Yews at the end of the rill. As you climb the steps at the end of the rill you catch glimpses of what is beyond through the windows that have been created within the Living willow tunnel, which leads you into the furthest part of the garden known as the Orchard; there are no fruit trees in this part of the garden, only the crab apple. There are though some beautiful specimen trees in this garden, Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), Pin oak (Quercus palustris) to name but a few. In the early spring this garden is full of Snow-drops and Crocus which covers the floor like a carpet. Next come the Dwarf Daffodils to carpet the floor. Then, lastly, the beautiful Fritillaries make their show.\n</p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:ebae61020477422f52bcbed097ea42b0' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:0a5b3f76f8a3b0d3d394eb065e53baa8' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<h3>National Gardens Scheme Gardens Open Day will be on 10th April 2011</h3>\n<h3>1-4pm</h3>\n<h3>£3.50 for adults, children are free </h3>\n<p>\n \n</p>\n<h4>Charities supported by the event are detailed below with all refreshments on the day being provided by Claire House</h4>\n<p>\nTo download the poster (83k) <a href=\"/files/u18/Abbey_Gate_College_Gardens_for_broad_sheet.pdf\">click here</a>\n</p>\n<h6>Saighton Grange gardens are 6.5 acres of formal garden, designed by Harry Inigo Triggs in 1901 for the 2nd Duke of Westminster, during the Arts and Crafts movement. The gardens were then redesigned for the 4th Duchess of Westminster during the 1960\'s by James Russell who was famous for his work at Castle Howard.</h6>\n<h6>Today the gardens are going through a third redevelopment.</h6>\n<h6>The emphasis has been very much on a spring garden, with the beautiful daffodils and bluebell woodland walk, but as development continues we are introducing later flowering plants to extend the season right throughout the year.</h6>\n<h6>All this is a tantalising glimpse of what has been and what is still to come.</h6>\n<p>\n \n</p>\n<p>\n<a href=\"http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder/garden.aspx?id=19236\" title=\"National Gardens Scheme\">National Gardens Scheme</a>\n</p>\n<p>\n <img class=\"imageright\" src=\"/files/u1/SS-front-garden.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" />\n</p>\n<p>\nOne of the subtleties of designing a garden is to manipulate changes of level to reinforce the spatial character of the site and of the layout which evolves from it. The gardens at Abbey Gate College, Saighton Grange, situated some four miles south of Chester, are a little masterpiece of garden design and demonstrate this technique of creating interest from the way the levels are handled. The entrance itself is through an impressive gap in the lovely red sandstone cliff which marks the entrance to the Eaton Estate village of Saighton, as it does also to the sister village of Eccleston on the west side of the River Dee. These attractive villages were both quarried for building stone from the visible rock outcrops, and Saighton Grange itself is built in this warm red coloured stone.The entrance is marked by two grey willow-leaved pears (Pyrus salicifolia) sited (incongruously for the setting and markedly out of scale) on mown grass lawns on either side of the gate. The short drive winds gently upwards to a gravel forecourt in front of the medieval gatehouse entrance to the building. This building (apart from its entrance) is mainly Victorian in style and is beautifully situated on a south-facing slope.\n</p>\n<h3>The South Gardens</h3>\n<p>\nFrom the front doors of the building one\'s attention is immediately drawn to a symmetrical vista seen through the yew hedge which has undergone restoration, that surrounds the forecourt. This view encourages a straight descent down stone steps and a narrow path of diagonally laid red sandstone paving slabs. The path leads through the centre of two attractive redesigned gardens, which have been restored to the design of Inigo Triggs’ in 1901. These gardens are beautifully laid out in both flower beds and borders. The upper is known as The Pink Garden (from the collection of pink flowers) and the lower as The Blue Garden( from the collection of blue flowering plants).Both these gardens have undergone a great deal of restoration over the last few years. At the end of the path there is a long well-planted herbaceous border backed by a low sandstone wall and fronted by a narrow path. The herbaceous border is a twentieth century addition (it is not shown on a plan of 1901) and at its centre has a semi-circular hedge to mark the south end of the walk from the Gateway known appropriately as "The Bulge".\n</p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:0a5b3f76f8a3b0d3d394eb065e53baa8' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:50ee1c9f049da6efee93da79d0471e8a' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p>College pupils are smiling in the summer sunshine after receiving their results.</p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:50ee1c9f049da6efee93da79d0471e8a' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:3486e238a0e186711d863db9be2c32fb' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p>A level students have achieved highly once again. </p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:3486e238a0e186711d863db9be2c32fb' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:6e9c538f631aef9b67e6b0845747fad6' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p>The Chapel Choir led Evensong at the Abbey to over 600 visitors every evening.</p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:6e9c538f631aef9b67e6b0845747fad6' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:5d9cc98e246c49b0cd407dc13be83b84' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p>Another successful Geography visit has returned from the Swiss Alps. Read more on the blog - <a href=\"http://www.agcoutandabout.blogspot.com/\">www.agcoutandabout.blogspot.com</a> </p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:5d9cc98e246c49b0cd407dc13be83b84' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:641e0abff5c8aaf89fbf9d38577de7c8' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p>The Key Stage 3 Drama group performed Hamlet in front of pupils, parents and teachers</p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:641e0abff5c8aaf89fbf9d38577de7c8' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:abab628388be45ab8a10ff8767be8f3e' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p>After fine performances the Under 11\'s just miss out in the final of the ISA North Cricket tournament </p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:abab628388be45ab8a10ff8767be8f3e' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:b473c297bab2f015db553d34bacefb60' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p>\nHastings won the first College Sports Day under the new House system, but only just.\n</p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:b473c297bab2f015db553d34bacefb60' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '3:cb4aea0902f76f14038ba5bde8ea21f8' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: LOCK TABLES cache_filter WRITE in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.
user warning: Table './abbeygate/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p>College athletes performed fantastically well on a hot day in Wigan. </p>\n', created = 1328512095, expire = 1328598495, headers = '' WHERE cid = '3:cb4aea0902f76f14038ba5bde8ea21f8' in /home/public_html/sd1dev.co.uk/public/abbeygate/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 172.

National Gardens Scheme Gardens Open Day will be on 10th April 2011

1-4pm

£3.50 for adults, children are free

Charities supported by the event are detailed below with all refreshments on the day being provided by Claire House

To download the poster (83k) click here

Saighton Grange gardens are 6.5 acres of formal garden, designed by Harry Inigo Triggs in 1901 for the 2nd Duke of Westminster, during the Arts and Crafts movement. The gardens were then redesigned for the 4th Duchess of Westminster during the 1960's by James Russell who was famous for his work at Castle Howard.

Today the gardens are going through a third redevelopment.

The emphasis has been very much on a spring garden, with the beautiful daffodils and bluebell woodland walk, but as development continues we are introducing later flowering plants to extend the season right throughout the year.

All this is a tantalising glimpse of what has been and what is still to come.

National Gardens Scheme

One of the subtleties of designing a garden is to manipulate changes of level to reinforce the spatial character of the site and of the layout which evolves from it. The gardens at Abbey Gate College, Saighton Grange, situated some four miles south of Chester, are a little masterpiece of garden design and demonstrate this technique of creating interest from the way the levels are handled. The entrance itself is through an impressive gap in the lovely red sandstone cliff which marks the entrance to the Eaton Estate village of Saighton, as it does also to the sister village of Eccleston on the west side of the River Dee. These attractive villages were both quarried for building stone from the visible rock outcrops, and Saighton Grange itself is built in this warm red coloured stone.The entrance is marked by two grey willow-leaved pears (Pyrus salicifolia) sited (incongruously for the setting and markedly out of scale) on mown grass lawns on either side of the gate. The short drive winds gently upwards to a gravel forecourt in front of the medieval gatehouse entrance to the building. This building (apart from its entrance) is mainly Victorian in style and is beautifully situated on a south-facing slope.

The South Gardens

From the front doors of the building one's attention is immediately drawn to a symmetrical vista seen through the yew hedge which has undergone restoration, that surrounds the forecourt. This view encourages a straight descent down stone steps and a narrow path of diagonally laid red sandstone paving slabs. The path leads through the centre of two attractive redesigned gardens, which have been restored to the design of Inigo Triggs’ in 1901. These gardens are beautifully laid out in both flower beds and borders. The upper is known as The Pink Garden (from the collection of pink flowers) and the lower as The Blue Garden( from the collection of blue flowering plants).Both these gardens have undergone a great deal of restoration over the last few years. At the end of the path there is a long well-planted herbaceous border backed by a low sandstone wall and fronted by a narrow path. The herbaceous border is a twentieth century addition (it is not shown on a plan of 1901) and at its centre has a semi-circular hedge to mark the south end of the walk from the Gateway known appropriately as "The Bulge".