Gardens creating a good impression

A year ago I was shuffling around Monet’s famous waterlily gardens at Giverney with several thousand other people. The crowds were not unexpected. The gardens created by one of the world’s best loved artists are naturally a draw for people the world over, but the continuous train of people trying to get around almost equated to a semi-aquatic horticultural conga dance. Competition to achieve a solitary photo on that famous bridge results in some frosty international stand-offs that almost require a United Nations resolution to maintain equilibrium.

Fast forward a year and, in need of a freshwater fix, I began to consider the options. A river walk perhaps along the Brit or maybe the lake at Little Bredy... and then I remembered that there was somewhere closer to home that, despite living in the area for 23 years, I still hadn’t been to, Bennett’s Water Gardens at Chickerell.

Hands up, I was not expecting this experience to equate with the famous gardens at Giverney, but what a surprise I was in for – they’re better!

Bennett’s is set out in an eight-acre site that was formerly a series of clay pits for the local brickmaking trade, that left an area of land scarred with water-filled pools when it closed in the 1950s. It was in 1959 that local school teacher turned water lily breeder, Norman Bennett, took over the site to develop a business that had literally begun in the family bathroom. At first the brick pools were simply the places used to grow water lilies for sale but as time went on the Bennett family began to landscape the site to develop the extraordinarily beautiful gardens that can be enjoyed today. What the Bennett family have achieved, and continue to maintain, is breathtaking. An oasis on the hustle and bustle of Weymouth’s edge, as soon as you enter you are immediately struck with the peace and beauty of this series of lakes filled with the most exquisite water lilies and other aquatic plants. Brightlycoloured dragon and damsel flies chase everywhere, as if to top up the sensory experience. I almost felt sorry for Giverney, the senior partner, but at Bennett’s you have space and time to stop, slow down and soak up the beauty at your own pace, without the mechanical human train demanding that you move on, pronto. There are acknowledged nods to the older garden, a bridge that is a replica of the famous Japanese bridge and the rather excellent Café Monet, and fair enough, Giverney provided the inspiration, but the uncrowded space coupled with the well laid out, accessible walks around Bennett’s makes the difference and ensures that this visitor will be buying a season ticket next year.

Bennett’s holds the National Collection of Waterlilies and is also recognised as an important national site for dragon and damsel flies. They are open from April to September.

Please check the website for opening days and times at bennettswater gardens.co.uk

Hons History of Architecture and Design

To spray or not to spray? That is the question! After being bitten by a horse fly a few weeks ago I dug out the old insect spray but I am so glad I forgot to put it on. I was at Chesil Beach walking the dog when I spotted two magnificent butterflies on some eel grass – or so I thought.

Their patterns were so different I wondered if they were fighting or mating. Galvanised by this incident I researched, mostly in the form of putting my photos on UK Butterfly groups on Facebook. The expert opinion was that this was a marbled white butterfly caught just emerging from its pupa. I still don’t thoroughly comprehend this as the female is sepia