Date – 7 July 2024
Time – 12:00 am
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital NHS Gardens – in the morning
The Gloucestershire Royal Hospital provides a permanent home for Laura Ashton Phillips’ second garden for the RHS Malvern Spring Festival. Laura wanted the Greener Gloucestershire NHS Garden to share the calming health benefits to be gained from being immersed in nature and the effect it has on patient recovery rates and the lowering of cortisol levels on those being treated as well as their families and the staff looking after them.
Highnam Court Gardens, Gloucester – in the afternoon
Highnam Court was built in 1658 after the original house was seriously damaged in the Civil War. It is one of the few houses built during the Commonwealth period. The design of the houses is linked to Ernest Carter who was a pupil of Inigo Jones.
The Highnam Estate was bought in 1838 by Thomas Gambier Parry, who was an accomplished artist, musician and art collector. This talented painter is also responsible for the magnificent frescoes in Highnam Church. He started to layout his garden in 1840, and by 1874 it rivalled any in the UK. Unfortunately since the turn of the last century almost nothing had been done in the gardens. Consequently when the process of restoration started in 1994 the gardens were totally overgrown.
During the last 25 years, since Roger Head has been the owner, the gardens have been totally and lovingly restored to their former glory, with many new additions being made to compliment and enhance the original design.
Exact timings for all of the above TBC. Please contact the Branch for further information.
Please Note:
Members from any branch are invited to our visits. It is usually requested that any member wishing to attend makes contact with us at westmidsouthwales@horticulture.org.uk.
Whilst we will try to stick to the above details, it may be inevitable to have to make amendments or cancel a trip due to unforeseen circumstances. Details of any visit are liable to change and it is best to await a visit notification nearer to each visit or by getting in touch with the Branch before each event.