Hartland Abbey gardens change gear for May
GREAT P LACES T O V IST: MAY Three Dorset Plant Heritage fairs in a busy season This year Dorset Plant Heritage has organised three Great Plant Fairs. Admission for each one is £7and profits go to support plant conservation, education and events in the county. The admission includes free access to the gardens offering savings on normal admission prices. The first fair is at Athelhampton House on Sunday, 5th May, the second is at Abbotsbury Sub-tropical Gardens on Sunday, 16th June and the Autumn Fair is back at Athelhampton on Sunday, 1st September. The fairs offer a range of plants from specialist nurseries and growers across the southwest. The fairs are open from 10am to 3pm. Parking is free. Plant Heritage Dorset holds monthly meetings at the Dorford Centre, Dorchester. www.plantheritage.org Reg Charity No 1004009
The Hartland Abbey woodland gardens become alive in May with beautiful rhododendrons and azaleas, some planted over a hundred years ago and many recently. The newly restored Glade, rescued from oblivion last year, is now a delightful place to sit in the semi shade with a lovely view of the Abbey and the scent of the deciduous azaleas filling the air. Giant echiums will be shooting to the sky amongst all the early summer treasures in the walled gardens and St Nectan’s foxgloves lead walkers to the beach at Blackpool Mill. Hartland Abbey, Hartland, Bideford EX39 6DT www.hartlandabbey.com
LITTLE MALVERN COURT READY WITH ITS MAY COLOUR The picturesque gardens at Little Malvern Court sit below the wooded slopes of the Malvern Hills, with far reaching views across the Severn Valley to the Bredon Hills and the Cotswolds. Particular features to look out for in May include the beautiful pots of tulips, grouped according to colour, surrounding the house. The varied flowering cherries and crab apple trees will be in blossom. Wildflowers begin to appear in the grass banks and lovely blue camassias pop up in the tall grass of the meadow. In the rose garden, alliums literally burst into flower and the early roses start to open. There are cedar trees, planted from seeds brought back from the Holy Land by Charles Michael Berington. The chain of lakes, formerly fish ponds for the monks, follow the layout from a plan dated 1720 and, like much of the present garden, were restored in the 1980’s. Tel: 01684 892988 www.littlemalverncourt.co.uk Little Malvern Court & Gardens Little Malvern WR14 4JN
Over 120 stalls plus activities and displays
lar
tacu c e p s r u O
Buckfast Abbey
Garden
Fayre South Devon
Singers
Dartington Morris Men
Free parking
Devon Rural Skills
Saturday 1st June
Free entry
10am - 5pm
Toby Buckland Garden Talks
The Arb Academy
Gardeners’ Question Time
Heritage Vegetables
A great family day out!
For more info visit: www.buckfast.org.uk/garden-fayre
01364 645507
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Country Gardener
Buckfast Abbey Trust Registered Charity number 232497