Loseley Park, nr Guildford - Spring Plant Fair, April 2018
Visiting Loseley Park for their Spring Plant Fair has become something of an annual pilgrimage for me. It is one of my favourite local gardens and I enjoy visiting it as often as I can as well as taking people there with me. It is a remarkable garden and it is always maintained to the highest standards by its team of gardeners, however it still seems to be something of a local secret.
Loseley Park has been the home of the More-Molynuex family since 1568 years and its 2.5 acre Walled Garden was laid out formally in the 16th Century but it was during the mid 90's that the garden was restored.
The spell of sunny weather which we have been enjoying ensured that colour was bursting through everywhere, particularly in the Flower Garden. It was also great to see some of the regular stall holders were there again this year (more of my purchases later!).
The Rose Garden, which is really at its best from June-July, has been planted with over 1000 Old English Rose bushes framed by box hedging. A visit early in the season enables you to take time to more closely study its design and layout without being 'distracted' by the overwhelming fragrance and beauty of the flowers later in the year. Whilst not quite showing its 'bare bones' you do feel as if you can get in closer at this time of year.
The bold and stunningly beautiful Flower Garden demonstrates fantastically how fiery and hot colours can work throughout the season. The current mid-spring garden combines the backdrop of varied greens with striking splashes of oranges, yellows, reds and cooler blues. Often avoided in preference for more muted and subtle shades it is great to see how these colours work well together and how they draw the eye - in this part of the garden your eye is constantly on the move and you find yourself making mental notes of 'must replicate' ideas.
If The Flower Garden I hot and fire then The White Garden is its polar opposite. It really comes into its own later in the year but it already exudes a sense of calm. Frothy white Forget-me-not fill in all of the gaps and find myself trying to spot the odd one out but not a single blue or pink plant has been allowed to invade. White, silver and shades of green are all that are allowed in here and the formal layout and central water feature always remind me of the traditional Islamic Garden, cool and tranquil it is a place to linger and contemplate.
The Gardens open to the public for their new season from May 1st - there is more to see than I have mentioned above including a Jekyll inspired border, Herb Garden, an Organic Vegetable and Cut Flower Garden and more. You could make a day of it, stopping for lunch or afternoon tea in the Wisteria Tea Room before heading off on the lakeside walk and you will certainly want to go back later in the season to see how the garden matures.