Open GardensComments from our members

This is undoubtedly the most disappointing visitor centre I have ever visited. The staff are unhelpful and disinterested and the facilities are unclean and untidy.

The greenhouses are full and interesting but lack informative displays and descriptions.

On the whole, not worth the visit.

the mansion was built in 1730, and it seems was originally a convent. In 1774 it was purchased by a Mr. Archibald Little, a British merchant whose family owned the house until 1854, (thereby the name Little's Place, in Spanish SITIO LITRE).
in 1856 the property was bought by a Mr Charles Smith whose family have owned the house right up until 1996.
Many famous personalities have spent time in Sitio Litre, either as house guests or simply as guests at the numerous garden parties given in the magic garden.
Amoungst the most famous house guests were William Wilde, the father of Oscar Wilde, but possibly the most famous of all was Marianne North, the well known botanical painter, who lived in this house for two months in 1875, she is remembered in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, where all her 832 paintings are on show.
Many of her Tenerife works were painted in this garden ( "Mr Smith's Garden")and are displayed here to show that even after so many years the garden is practically the same.
Party Guests were numerous, but to name only three, we can mention Sir Richard Burton, who passed through Tenerife on two occasions between 1860 and 1863. Many years later Agatha Christie and her daughter Rosalyn were on holiday in Puerto de la Cruz, the year was 1927 and she had just divorced her first husband, she was so inspired by the gardens that she wrote one of her novels, basing the plot in Puerto de la Cruz "The mysterious Mr Quin".
The first of all these guests should not be forgotten, he was one of the worlds most famous discoverers and botanist. The Famous German explorer Alexander Von Humboldt, he was the guest of honour at a party given for him on June 23rd 1799 by Mr. Archibald Little.

The house is still a private residence, but the owners have decided to open the garden to visitors, so they can savour this "Vision of Eden", and view the largest collection of Orchids in Tenerife. Sitio Litre now hosts an English run Cafe where it is still possible to enjoy real English Tea and a home made Scone in the shade of the oldest and largest Dragon tree in Puerto de la cruz.
Visiting Sitio Litre is a must for all who venture to the Canary Islands.

thanks Elke pitty u so far away.;-))

Sandra - just to let you know the link above for the garden website doesn't work, as it ends in .org. However, I used the other address www.pembrokeshiregrowers.co.uk address and that worked fine. Lovely place you have.

I would like to visit this garden. Amazing variety of plants, beautiful natural features.

hello again from me...our next open day will be on
Saterday 13th june
11am--4ish
£2 entry raising funds for our local hospital.

This Elizabethan house has views of the Quantock Hills and glimpses of the sea. It has a woodland garden with many different Narcissi in sheets of colour, together with massed Anemone blanda, Fritillaries and Cyclamen coum. It is open under the NGS and again for the Red Cross. The house is also open on particular days for guided tours.

Wonderful National Trust property. A fabulous mansion set in beautiful parkland with miles of walks, woodland, wildlife hide, ponds and a stunning hidden walled garden. The house contains pre-Raphelite paintings and a collection of dolls houses.
The National Trust describes it thus, "Dating from 1688, the house was home to many generations of the Blackett and Trevelyan families, who all left their mark. The restrained Palladian exterior gives way to the magnificent rococo plasterwork of the interior, which houses fine ceramics, paintings, needlework and a collection of dolls' houses. The Central Hall was decorated to look like an Italian courtyard, heavily influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites, with a series of scenes of Northumbrian history by William Bell Scott. The original formality of Sir Walter Blackett's 18th-century landscape, influenced by 'Capability' Brown, who went to school in the estate village, underlies the present surroundings. There are walks through a variety of lawns, shrubberies and woodland, enlivened with water features, lakes, buildings, sculpture and a wildlife hide. The beautiful walled garden has varied collections of plants and a well-stocked conservatory. Longer estate walks encompass wooded valleys and high moorland, including land around the recently reacquired Folly at Rothley Castle. "
A must see for any visitors to the region.

Writtle College is an agricultural college 4 miles west of Chelmsford and is a partner of University of Essex. The college participates in the NGS open gardens scheme and was open on 15th March 2009 and will open again on 12th July. It is well worth a visit. There was a lot more to see than I anticipated with a glasshouse which is very well planted and well established, various gardens including ',hot and spicy', Centenary garden which was designed in 1992 by one of the students(to commemorate 100 years of the college., an acid border, Hill on the Green with lots of winter interest(ie Cornus, Narcissus, Hellebore etc, North Lawns with some superb trees (including various acers and the Giant Redwood as well as lots of wildlife areas including homes built (presumably by the students) for insects etc., a garden centre, restaurant and more. Well worth a visit on open day, and of course, being part of the NGS scheme it helps charities!

Just a small nursery made up of 6 poly-tunnels.
She has the most wonderful array of unusual plants and of course Crocosmia.
We visited her yesterday (25th Feb 2009), well worth the visit.

The Botanical Gardens in Oxford are well worth a visit they are the oldest Botanical Gardens and the there is a wide variety of different plants . The best times to visit are the Spring and the Summer but to visit althrough the year there is always some thing new to see as the bedding and the themed gardens are changed on a regular bases and if you take a camera the are lots of photo opportunities

Lovely wild area preserved and managed for nature. A number of hides around the reservoir offer good views of the wildfowl that frequent the area.

Hi, thanks for the warm welcome.

We're opening for the National Garden's Scheme for the first time in June 2009, i'll be adding pics etc (as soon as i can figure out how to do it!) so watch this space.

Meanwhile......
Please take time to check out the N.G.S. website...www.ngs.org.uk.... where you'll find more info about us and all the other wonderful N.G.S. open gardens.

the best garden i've ever been to. the most amazing plants to look at. so great to see such an old garden with huge trees. very welcoming staff well worth a visit.

This is not a garden but rather a deciduous wood with, mainly beech, oak and sweet chestnut although there are silver birch and at least one wild service tree.
It is reputed that people such as Henry V111 and Anne Boleyn among others.hunted in these woods.
The wood is overseen by Rochford District Council and ha permanent free access to the public.

That would be great - I already know of two other members who are coming, apart from Grenville and Alan, who will be helping!

Well done Barbara~will try to get down to visit!

My garden has been accepted into the NGS in 2009 for the first time. It is two-thirds of an acre in size, with colour-themed beds and borders and mature trees and shrubs. There is a 40 ft long raised bed reached by steps from each end. A natural stream runs through the garden. The area is rural and the garden is tranquil. It wraps around three sides of an early 16th century house (not open to the public).

The opening dates and times for 2009 are Thursdays June 4th and 11th from 2 - 5.30.

Cascades Gardens is a beautiful 4 acre public garden set in the historic village of Bonsall, near Matlock Derbyshire. The public gardens at Cascades surrounds the ruins of an old corn mill. The spectacular open gardens features a wide variety of plants, including a fantastic selection of hellebores and herbaceous perennials providing interest throughout the year.

It is my one garden