This time, we’re looking at Gloucestershire NGS Gardens. It’s our nearest neighbouring county and though it shares many features with Oxfordshire, it has a unique appeal.
Gloucestershire NGS Gardens
Here’s the National Garden Scheme’s overview of this glorious county:
“Gloucestershire is one of the most beautiful counties in England, spanning as it does a large part of the Cotswolds, as well as the Forest of Dean, and the Wye and Severn Valleys.
The Cotswolds is an expanse of gently sloping green hills, wooded valleys and ancient, picturesque towns and villages; it is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and its quintessentially English charm attracts many visitors.
Like the county itself, many of the gardens which open for the NGS are quite outstanding. There are major public gardens such as Hidcote Manor Garden, as well as large private gardens such as Highnam Court and Stowell Park.
There are, however, many more modest gardens whose gates only open on an NGS open day, such as 25 Bowling Green Road with over 400 varieties of Hemerocallis. This tiny garden has opened for the NGS for over thirty five years! The National Collection of Rambling Roses is held at Moor Wood, and that of Juglans and Pterocarya at Upton Wold.
Several Cotswold villages also open their gardens, and a wonderful day can be had strolling from cottage to house, marvelling at the gardens, only to pause for the obligatory tea and cake!”
The collection of rambling roses at Moor Wood is definitely worth visiting (as are many many Gloucestershire NGS Gardens)and if you are inspired to plant your own, do remember that Lavender edging around a rose bed will look fabulous. But don’t under-plant too near to the roses as they need far more feeding than Lavenders.
View Our Lavender Plants
