WINSHAM GARDENS OPEN - 2 JULY 2000 In aid of St Margarets Somerset Hospice Organisers: Jim and Joan Aslett
In order to play our part in celebrating the Millennium year and to do something different, we decided to organise some Winsham gardens open. We knew of many beautiful gardens and hoped we could persuade the owners to open them. To encourage them we needed a "good cause" and guessed that a local one would meet with approval so we chose St Margaret's Somerset Hospice, which is a local charity caring for the people of Somerset.
The response from the kind people of Winsham was amazing and so sixteen gardens were thrown open to the public for one day. The sun shone and the village was full of happy people - more than two hundred tickets with maps were sold at £3 each. We hired the village hall where the Mayor of Chard and a representative of the Hospice opened the proceedings. Margaret and Alan Long and Edie Jones were kept very busy serving coffee and ploughman's lunches and teas all day. A handmade quilt was raffled new books on gardening and cookery were sold a bric-a-brac stall and a large plant stall near two of the gardens; all contributed to the final magnificent sum of £1/573.16.
1. GLEBE COTTAGE, POOLES LANE Anne & Richard Rose.
2. PACCOMBE COTTAGE, CHURCH ST. Jean & Jack Thompson.
3. HOMEFIELD, CHURCH ST. Wendy & Tony Fuller.
4. OLD STONE COTTAGE, CHURCH ST. Jeanette & Dennis Shaw.
5. THE POST OFFICE, CHURCH ST. Pearl & Graham Winter.
6. LULLINGSTONES, FORE ST. GuyCrowden.
7. JESSAMINE COTTAGE, WESTERN WAY Don & Malcolm Beeston.
8. 2 WESTERN WAY Margaret & Alan Long.
9. 3 WESTERN WAY Jilly & George Hobbs.
10. WINSWAY, BAKERSFIELD June & Earnie Partridge.
11. HAZLEWOOD FARM Janet & Roy Smart.
12. PADDOCK VIEW, BACK ST. Pam & John Hammett.
13. MANOR FARM COTTAGE. BACK ST. Joan &Jim Aslett.
14. LIME KILN FARM Angela & Jim Warry.
15. HEY FARM Penny & Andrew Bullivant.
16. MAGDALEN FARM Wessex Foundation.
WINSHAM GARDENS OPEN - 2 JULY 2000 In aid of St Margaret's Somerset Hospice Please be careful of slippery paths, especially if wet.
These are real cottage gardens. Their owners' love and enthusiasm is evident. We hope you enjoy them.
1. GLEBE COTTAGE, POOLES LANE by kind permission of Anne and Richard Rose.
Approx. size: 1/3 acre. Access: Wide gate right of house. Suitable wheelchairs. mostly level. Seats. Roses, trees, shrubs, fruit & veg, pond, summerhouse built of recycled materials. Exit: As access.
2. PACCOMBE COTTAGE, CHURCH STREET by kind permission of Jean and Jack Thompson.
Approx. size: 1/3 acre. Access: Through the front door, along the passage and through the conservatory. Three gardens in succession filled with everything a cottage garden should have - lawns, greenhouse, masses of flowers, trees, shrubs, a view and a patio. Exit: By the gate at the top of the garden - turn right.
3. HOMEFIELD, CHURCH STREET by kind permission of Wendy and Tony Fuller.
Approx. size: 1/3 - 1/2 acre. Access: From the lane at the rear of the garden. Many flowers, trees and shrubs - a series
of small gardens within the main one. Fruit & veg. Seats. Exit: Same as access - turn right.
4. OLD STONE COTTAGE, CHURCH STREET by kind permission of Jeanette and Dennis Shaw.
Approx. size: 120' X 75'. Access: Follow signs from Homefield exit through part of the garden between, by kind permission of Jackie and Steve Weller. Take care! Landscaped, alpines in gravel. Paths, pond, greenhouse with Bougainvillea. Roses, clematis, patio, pebble fountain. Exit: Same as access - turn right.
5. THE POST OFFICE, CHURCH STREET by kind permission of Pearl and Graham Winter.
Approx. size: 1/4 acre. Access: By the gate to the right of the shop. Wheelchair friendly. Redesigned with pond, flower borders, rose & clematis arbour, well and pump, courtyard, trellis. Exit: same as access.
6. LULLINGSTONES, FORE STREET by kind permission of Guy Crowden.
Approx. size: 1/3 acre. Access: Gate left of cottage. Wheelchair friendly. Lawn with borders, yucca, veg. soft fruits
and fruit trees. Topiary. Croquet on lawn. Barbecue area. Book stall. Exit: Same as access.
7. JESSAMINE COTTAGE, WESTERN WAY by kind permission of Don and Malcolm Beeston.
Size: Approx. 60' X 40'. Access: By the door next to the house. Wheelchair friendly. Secluded garden transformed over four years with "before" pictures to prove it! Covered walk way. Path and turning circle for wheelchairs. Flower arches. Roses. Exit: By the gate next to the garage.
8. 2 WESTERN WAY by kind permission of Margaret and Alan Long.
Size: Approx. 20' X 50' - front garden only. Access: Front gate. Two ponds, Flower borders surround a lawn. Hanging baskets. You won't find busy Margaret here because she is running the refreshments in the Jubilee Hall! Exit: As access.
9. 3 WESTERN WAY by kind permission of Jilly and George Hobbs.
Size: Approx 20' X 50' Access: Front gate. Another interesting little garden offered by a very busy couple. A fun and safe environment for grandchildren. Pixie den, sand pit etc. Exit: As access.
10. WINSWAY, BAKERSFIELD by kind permission of June and Ernie Partridge.
Size: Approx. 1/6 acre. Access: Through front gate, turn right. Hanging baskets - over thirty! Homegrown plants from seed and from cuttings. Innovative use of old Irish Victor Hoe and plough. Exit: As access.
11. HAZELWOOD FARM by kind permission of Janet and Roy Smart.
Size: Approx. 1 acre. Large but level garden. Access: By the garden gate. A well established garden. Areas recently redesigned. Lawns and mixed borders, mature trees. Wildlife conservation. Fruit and veg area with raised beds. New book stall at half price, subjects gardening and cookery. Exit: Same as access.
12. PADDOCK VIEW, BACK STREET by kind permission of Pam and John Hammett.
Access; Through the wide front gate. Wheelchair friendly. Front courtyard only. Flower filled ancient stone sinks and hanging baskets. Flower borders and climbing plants. Bric-a-brac stall. Exit: As access.
13. MANOR FARM COTTAGE, BACK STREET by kind permission of Joan and Jim Aslett.
Size: 30' X 60'. Access: Through side gate beside the plant stall. Redesigned fifteen months ago. Steps with rail, seven recycled sinks with herbs. Lavender bed. Borders, trees, paving and gravel with alpines and thymes, patio, water feature, arch with clematis and wisteria. Exit: By rear gate into Colham Lane.
14. LIME KILN FARM by kind permission of Angela and Jim Warry.
Size: 1 acre. Access: Through the farm gate and turn sharp left on foot, or park where indicated. A garden not to be missed! Created from a field ten years ago. Rockery, sweeping lawns, mixed borders of trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants. Herbs, fruit & veg., patio, panoramic view. Millennium Dome! Exit: Same as access.
15. HEY FARM by kind permission of Penny and Andrew Bullivant.
Size: Approximately 1 acre. Access: Through the front gate. A real plantsman's garden for a lovely old house, built in the 15th century as part of the Forde Abbey estate. Redesigned about thirty years ago. Lawn, mixed borders, roses, trees, shrubs and perennials. Path leads to front door, here turn right. Pear cloister, obelisk, pond. View. Exit same as access. Turn right for veg. garden and new tree garden with large pond.
16. MAGDALEN FARM by kind permission of Wessex Foundation.
Access: Take the Bridport road from Winsham. The farm is signposted on the left on the other side of the river Axe. In the farmhouse garden at Magdalen Farm are organic sculptures created by artist Ann Ford. Barbecue available at lunchtime. |