Visit to Bourton House

I don't know if you remember seeing a short film about Bourton House Garden on Gardeners' World during late summer last year.  If you missed it, it is available still via the Bourton House website and is almost as good as an actual visit. 

I put it on our list of things to do this year if possible and we went for an overnight stay in the Cotswolds on the hottest day in August.   We arrived at Bourton  House about midday and the hoses were on which provided some cooling breeze.    We were not disappointed.   

Not the slightest bit unkempt despite the difficult times, the garden was looking lovely and very well kept.    They have a lot of tender perennials and many of  these are shielded together in pots as you enter the garden just after the topiary hens.    

As is so common now the garden is split into a number of "rooms", including a very structured  garden containing a lot of box shapes.

Next comes the white garden 

At right angles to the white garden is what I would probably describe as a "bold and brilliant garden".  

You then turn onto a large dramatic lawn with colourful borders each side and also at the back looking over the distant countryside.  

 

 

As you will see if you view the film, there is a shade house and also a knot garden.  

The planting looked very healthy with a lot of cannas, abutilon and tibouchine (since purchased from Burncoose and thriving in our courtyard).  

I am surprised it is not better known, although there were quite a number of visitors, so perhaps I should say  I am surprised I had not heard of it before,   

After the visit, to our surprise, we were able to participate at the local pub in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.  We then travelled to Hidcote Manor which was, as they said at the entrance, not looking at its best due to extensive furloughing and lack of volunteers.   It made me think that the right approach would have been to do as Parham have done and close for the year.  It was very sad and made me realise just what hard work keeping up gardens of the size and status of Hidcote must be.   

Best wishes

Rosemary