Gardens of Lincolnshire

We depart from Sussex this morning and, having made a suitable comfort stop, we arrive for a lunch break in the charming market town of Stamford. From here we make the short journey to our first visit of the tour at Easton Walled Garden. Easton Walled Gardens were abandoned from 1951 when Easton Hall was demolished. Renovation work on the 12 acres of gardens started in 2002. There is a Yew Tunnel, Cut Flower Garden, Cottage Garden, Turf Maze and two glasshouses. President Franklin Roosevelt described this garden as...'A dream of Nirvana almost too good to be true.' The garden is as interesting for the planting as its long history.  Refreshments are available before we continue to our hotel.

 We are ‘down on the farm’ today as we visit Hall Farm Gardens and Mill Farm Gardens  Our first visit is to Hall Farm Garden. This 3 acre garden includes mixed borders with trees, shrubs, perennials, old roses, a sunken garden, a pond, and a walled gravel garden. A flower meadow, woodland walk, a parterre, and other features have recently been added.  From the bottom of the garden, a path leads to the medieval moat: over an acre of water encircling nearly an acre of old manor site. In an ongoing restoration project, the trees within this area have been thinned out, and the whole area is being turned into a wild garden.

Later in the day we make our way to Mill Farm Gardens.  Set within 3.50 acres, Mill Farm Garden has evolved since approx. 2005. Here you can enjoy panoramic views across the North Lincolnshire Wolds and the Ancholme Valley. The garden has been created and maintained by Helen and Mike Boothman who have spent a lot of time developing many areas of interest. They are always of looking for new and exciting plants to help them continue with the development. There are herbaceous beds, wildlife ponds, a vegetable garden, rill and a fernery. A shade house displays a good selection of shade loving plants. Along with the large collection of herbaceous perennials, they have planted a number of specimen trees and shrubs.

This morning we make our way to family-run, 4.5 acre garden with year-round interest in colour and texture.  Goltho Gardens has been dubbed “one of the great gardens of the future”.  (Sue Hoy, Lincolnshire Life.) The garden boasts a long grass walk flanked by abundantly-planted borders, from which a network of paths meander.  The nut walk, delightful pæony and rose gardens and stunning wildflower meadow are at their best in spring and early summer.  A prairie border and gravel garden provide late summer and autumnal interest.  The potager’s geometric planting provides the teashop with delicious herbs and vegetables. Many of the plants are propagated on site and can be purchased in the nursery.

This afternoon we visit Brightwater Gardens, an 8 acre landscaped garden that has been created since 2000.  There are a series of contrasting garden rooms with walls, yew, beech and box hedging enclosing each area.  Focal points and views entice you onwards through the differently planted zones - peonies, shrub roses, hydrangeas, salvias, climbers and herbaceous plants and not forgetting the seasonally planted posts.  The lavender walk is a delight!  The magic continues with prairie borders - with bold drifts of grasses, and plants including - achillea, helenium, nepeta, salvia, rudbeckia, peroskia, sedum to colour the palate.  A damp garden with newly constructed viewing deck overlooking architectural gunnera and iris leads onto the hillside lawn planted with rarer trees.  Then past a small lake and on into an arboretum and woodland area.  Throughout the garden there are developing areas and banks of wild-flowers including fritillaria, late spring bulbs and increasing numbers of orchids.  All around are lovely views out across the countryside

Today we head to Spalding which for many years attracted thousands of visitors to its tulip festival. Things have changed a bit and now The Springfields Festival Gardens are a beautifully landscaped area, featuring Chelsea-style celebrity showcase gardens, including designs by Charlie Dimmock, Chris Beardshaw, Kim Wilde and Steven Woodhams, and a spectacular Japanese Garden by Sansui Design.The Gardens were completely redeveloped in 2004, in conjunction with Springfields Horticultural Society, a charity dedicated to the improvement and growth of horticulture and floral design in the Spalding region. We will have time for lunch before returning to the hotel early afternoon to enjoy some time in the gardens there.

We leave The Petwood after breakfast and commence our journey homewards. We break our journey today at Anglessey Abbey NT where there will be time to visit the house and gardens and have lunch. A passion for tradition and impressing guests inspired one man to transform a run-down country house and desolate landscape. At the age of 30, the future Lord Fairhaven began to create his first home. Wanting to inspire and surprise visitors, he created a spectacular garden with planting for all seasons and a cosy house in which to entertain. Life revolved around horse racing and shooting, and guests enjoyed 1930s luxury. Fine furnishings, books, paintings, silver and rare clocks give a feeling of opulence and outside 114 acres offer vibrant colour, delicious scents and the simple pleasures of nature. Mid-afternoon we continue our journey and having made a short comfort stop we expect to be back in the East Grinstead area by approximately  18.30.