NGS OPEN DAY, HANHAM COURT, HANHAM ABBOTS, BRISTOL.17TH FEBRUARY 2010.
By junglejen
31 comments
SNOWDROPS, galanthus nivalis, ARE ONE OF THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS TO HANHAM COURT AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
THE REASON FOR OUR VISIT, WAS TO CELEBRATE MY HUSBAND GARY’S BIRTHDAY, AND TO SUPPORT JULIAN & ISABEL BANNERMAN WHO OPEN THEIR OWN GARDEN FOR THE NGS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR.
THE PROCEEDS RAISED ON THESE OPEN DAYS ARE DONATED BY THE GARDEN OWNERS TO THE NGS WHO SUPPORT MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT, MARIE CURIE CANCER CARE, CROSSROADS FOR CARERS, HELP THE HOSPICES, THE NATIONAL TRUST AND MANY OTHER CHARITIES.
http://ngs.org.uk/
LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR HOSTS…
.#. ’ Julian and Isabel Bannerman have worked together designing and making gardens and buildings since 1983. As well as trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants their gardens contain swimming pools, lakes, fountains, rills, cascades, follies, ruins, summer houses, romantic ruins, temples, rustic artifices and sculpture. They recently won a competition to design the British Memorial Garden to 9/11 in New York with a contemporary garden design and are past winners of an RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal, and have also won a Civic Trust Award and a Europa Nostra Award – both for their conversion of Waddesdon Dairy, Bucks…’
AND ABOUT HANHAM COURT…
.#. ’ The Bannerman’s home is a curious historical and architectural palimpsest, an adjunct to a mediaeval abbey. Unexpectedly rural, half way between the centres of Bath and Bristol, it has a 13th century Church, Tithe barn and ponds at the end of a tiny lane among fields. The Bannermans have created, over fifteen years, a deeply romantic, highly scented garden. Partly very formal, with luscious borders of old roses, tree peonies, lilies, and fountains – including the amazing ‘Dancing Crown’ – plus woodland with stream, cascades, pools, temples, tree ferns, magnolias, snowdrops plus parkland, orchards, wild flowers, vegetable/cutting garden.’
N.B. .#. Above quotes are from their website: http://bannermandesign.com
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*WELCOME TO HANHAM COURT…
It was a dull, overcast day in February, but how it brightened when we saw this amazing garden and a lovely surprise when we realised that other Grows on You members were also attending, but more of that later.
I wouldn’t know where to begin if I had to describe Hanham Court…
It defies a simple description, this ‘journey’ encompasses many surprises, styles, moods and inspirational designs… This is DYNAMIC GARDENING- with a Passion !*
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AND THIS IS MY VERSION !
…HERE’S THE CHURCH…
…AND HERE’S THE STEEPLE…
…LOOK INSIDE…
… AND HERE’S THE PEOPLE !!!
WHAT A LOVELY SURPRISE…THREE GROWS ON YOU MEMBERS !!!
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WE ARE…
VALADEL / VALERIE.
KENSINGTON / GRENVILLE/NGS- THE GARDEN AT 28 KENSINGTON ROAD.
JUNGLE JEN / THAT’S ME – JEN!/ NGS- ’JEN’S GARDYN’ !
WHY DON’T YOU COME AND JOIN US?
…JUST STEP THROUGH, BUT PLEASE BE CAREFUL…
" TAKE NOTICE THAT AS FROM TODAYS DATE,
POACHERS SHALL BE SHOT ON FIRST SIGHT
AND IF PRACTICABLE QUESTIONED AFTERWARDS."
1808.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !!!
THE FIRST THING TO ‘HIT’ YOU IS THIS HUGE LAWN…
LOOKING VERY GOOD FOR FEBRUARY…
LET’S TAKE A STROLL DOWN TO THE END… THIS COULD TAKE A WHILE, IT’S RATHER LONG!
OK… NOW WE’RE LOOKING BACK TOWARDS THE HOUSE FROM THE END OF THE LAWN…
BACK DOWN TO THE HOUSE FOR A CLOSER LOOK I THINK…
THIS IS SO ROMANTIC, MYSTICAL FAIRY TALES…TOWERING SPIRES…
“RAPUNZEL, RAPUNZEL, LET DOWN YOUR GOLDEN HAIR…
WHOOPS, SORRY, DREAMING AWAY THERE !
WE’RE AT THE HOUSE NOW… THERE’S A CHEERFUL DISPLAY OF SNOWDROPS AND CYCLAMEN.
EXQUISITE FLOWERS AND FANTASTIC FOLIAGE, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL COMBINATION !
LET’S HAVE A LOOK OVER HERE, TO THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE…
THIS IS THE BACK OF THE CHAPEL, AND THEY’RE PLANTING EVEN MORE SNOWDROPS !
JUST A BIT FURTHER DOWN NOW, EUPHORBIA SPILLING ONTO THE PATH THAT LEADS PAST THE TREE-HOUSE ON THE LEFT…
… TO A FORMAL DISPLAY OF LARGE CERAMIC POTS, ALL READY TO TAKE THE SUMMER BEDDING (I MUST COME BACK LATER IN THE YEAR)…
WHAT’S THAT RIGHT DOWN AT THE END?
THREE RAMSHEADS SPOUT WATER INTO THIS LOVELY OLD STONE TROUGH, I LIKE THE LICHENS.
A COOL PLACE TO REST A WHILE…SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!
IT’S DIFFICULT TO STOP FOR LONG THOUGH, THERE’S SO MUCH TO SEE…
THERE’S SOMETHING TO CATCH YOUR EYE AROUND EVERY CORNER…
SOME MORE FINE EXAMPLES OF TOPIARY LINE UP AND INVITE US TO LOOK A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE PATHWAY…
UNTIL WE ARRIVE AT THE ‘GOLDEN GATE’…
AND THE FIRST SIGNS OF SPRING … WONDERFUL !
I WONDER WHAT’S THROUGH HERE ?
OH MY… NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL A TREE HOUSE !
( MAYBE I COULD SLIP UP THERE AND NOBODY WOULD NOTICE…HMMM… PERHAPS NOT ! )
HEADING TOWARDS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOUSE NOW, AND CLIPPED BOX HEDGING WITH TOPIARY PYRAMIDS ON THE RIGHT, SKILLFULLY ECHOED WITH WILLOW OBELISKS TO THE LEFT…
WE’RE NOW LOOKING BACK TOWARDS THE SWIMMING POOL…
WOW !!!
JUST LOOK AT THOSE SHELLS, STONES, AMONITES AND, AND, AND…
AND, AND…. I LOVE THIS !
AND THE VIEW’S NOT BAD EITHER !
WINTER ACONITES AND BANKS OF SNOWDROPS DRAW US DOWN INTO THE WOODLAND.
… ISN’T THIS SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL ?…….
YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT YOU’D FIND ME DOWN HERE, AMONGST THE FERNS…. (DO YOU THINK THAT THEY’D NOTICE IF I PITCHED A TENT HERE?)
…IT’S JURASSICAL…
…IT’S FANTASTICAL…
…IT’S FEELING MAGICAL…
… I WONDER WHAT THAT IS UP THERE, THROUGH THE MAGNOLIAS, PAST THE…
“BE CAREFUL GARY, THAT WELL’S DEEP” !
BUT WAIT, WHO’S THIS ?
OH DEAR, HE DOESN’T LOOK VERY WELL, I HOPE HE’S NOT ONE OF THE NGS GUESTS!
AND WHO IS THAT ???
DIDN’T HE SEE THE NO FISHING SIGN… TUT TUT !!!
OH… UMMM… ERR… IT’S KING NEPTUNE AND HIS DANCING CROWN !
NOW THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE !
HAVE YOU NOTICED THE GOLDEN CROWN ON THE PLINTH IN THE MIDDLE POOL?
WELL KEEP WATCHING IT…
ENTER: JULIAN BANNERMAN (STAGE RIGHT) …
THE DESIGNER & CREATOR OF THIS FANTASTIC WORK OF ART WORKS HIS MAGIC
HE WHISPERS THE SECRET WORDS AND… WHOOOSH !
THE GOLDEN CROWN RISES ON A STRONG JET OF WATER AND MAGICALLY HOLDS IT HIGH IN THE AIR… INGENIOUS!
I’M TOLD THAT THIS IS THE ONLY OUTDOOR WATER-FOLLY OF IT’S KIND IN THE WORLD.
THIS IS NOT MERELY A SUPERB WATER FEATURE, IT’S AN EXTRAORDINARY SCULPTURE, IT’S AN INSPIRATIONAL WORK OF ART, AND BEST OF ALL… IT’S FUN !
OH, AND THE PLANTING’S ALRIGHT TOO !
AH WELL, THE ‘JOURNEY’ IS OVER, AND ALL THE GUESTS ARE GONE.
GRENVILLE SECURES THE CASH BOX, KEEPING THE PROCEEDS SAFE FOR DONATION TO THE NATIONAL GARDENS SCHEME, WHILE JULIAN & JEN HAVE A CHAT !
BUT, NOW WE’VE ALL ENJOYED THE GARDEN, THERE’S THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF PLANT BUYING TO ATTEND TO.
OUR FRIEND AND FELLOW NGS MEMBER,GRENVILLE, AKA KENSINGTON OF GROWS ON YOU FAME, IS IN CHARGE OF THE PLANT SALES.
A VERY SPECIAL SHOW CASE FOR THIS LOVELY COLLECTION OF JULIAN’S ‘SPECIMEN’ SNOWDROPS.
NGS MEMBERS; GARY ELLINGTON (MY OTHER HALF!), AND GRENVILLE JOHNSON.
WHILST WE WERE ‘CATCHING UP’, WE DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS NOT ONLY MY HUSBAND GARY’S BIRTHDAY TODAY, BUT THAT IT WAS GRENVILLE’S BIRTHDAY TOO !
A DOUBLE CELEBRATION FOR TWO GORGEOUS GUYS, COULD THEY BE TWINS?…HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU BOTH!
ANOTHER LOVELY SURPRISE WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN…
WE MET UP WITH VALADEL FROM GROWS ON YOU!
IT WAS GREAT FUN MEETING ANOTHER GOY MEMBER, WE HAD A LOVELY CHAT, AND VAL BOUGHT ONE OF THE ‘SPECIAL’ SNOWDROPS FOR HER GARDEN.
HOWEVER, WITH ALL THE FRIVOLITY, GARY GOT A BIT DISTRACTED AND CHOPPED GRENVILLE’S HEAD OFF…( SORRY GRENVILLE, I’VE TOLD HIM HE MUST TRY HARDER ! )
WE HAD A WONDERFUL DAY AT HANHAM COURT, WE MET OLD AND NEW FRIENDS, AND THE BANNERMAN’S RAISED LOTS OF MONEY FOR THE NGS.
IF YOU EVER HAVE THE CHANCE TO VISIT THIS AMAZING GARDEN, PLEASE DO, IT’S TRULY AN INSPIRATIONAL EXPERIENCE!
I HOPE THAT YOU’VE ENJOYED THE TOUR AS MUCH AS WE DID. WE’LL DEFINATELY BE VISITING AGAIN IN MAY WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR NEXT NGS OPEN DAY AT HANHAM COURT.
20 Mar, 2010
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Comments
Oh I am the first to read this delightful Blog.....what a place to visit, so much to see. and take in, will have to have another read to see if I missed anything.
And how lovely to meet Grenville and Val.....what a day and what a Birthday treat for the chaps!! Thanks for showing us your special day, it would be thrilling to visit in the summer too......
20 Mar, 2010
just nipped in before you DDsorry lol :o))
20 Mar, 2010
lol Joanella...She pipped you Dotty! :o)))
Thanks both of you for your comments. We all had great fun, but I didn't want to leave it was so lovely!
Well worth another visit (or two) in the Summer I think. :o)
20 Mar, 2010
i suppose it is a full day out Jen ,but most enjoyable i love days out like these no stress just a relaxing day taking in the sights, of which there are many here it seems, i see Val got her purse out in the end i think i would have too lol :o)).
20 Mar, 2010
Yes, it was a real breath of fresh air in wonderful surroundings, Sanctuary!
Val got one of the really pretty fancy snowdrops with a frilly skirt, can't remember the name of it though, we'll ask her when she catches us up. :o)
20 Mar, 2010
:o))
20 Mar, 2010
Wonderful blog, Jen!! So great to see a GOYers get-together, too! (Hello to Val and Grenville!). You look right at home among the ferns, must say :-)). This is the second time in weeks have seen the Bannermans' garden blogged about on GOY. Wish I lived near enough to visit. Many Thanks for the lovely tour. :-))
20 Mar, 2010
Jen, what can I say superb blog and not just cos' I be in it (as they say on Bristol) It was a great day out and you have some amazing photos of Hanham Court, was lovely to relive it all again, thank you .
Yes Joanella, it was a bit painful getting the purse out but it was in a good cause lol.
20 Mar, 2010
Thank-you for an interesting tour.
20 Mar, 2010
Val nice to see you out and about,hope to see some nice pics of your snowdrops later on god willing :o))
20 Mar, 2010
jen i so enjoyed this blog, what a great place to visit, i do wish i lived closer, and so glad you met val and grenville you lucky people, gary did well with keeping you all under control to lol, hope you did well with fund raising, all good charity`s, well done, thouroughly enjoyed the tour :o)) xx oops belated happy birthday to gary and grenville x
21 Mar, 2010
I wish I could have gone as well, Jen - it would have been fun! Must try harder for the next opening.... I do know about Hanham Court - but just haven't managed to get there ...yet. Thanks for the tour, though. It was amazing. :-)))
21 Mar, 2010
Hi Jen,
Thanks for this superb blog. It was wonderful to catch up with you, Valerie and Gary on the open day.
It's great to have Hanham Court on my doorstep just five minutes from here, and to have the opportunity to work there on a regular basis at various times throughout the year.
It certainly is a magical place, and I recommend it as a 'must see' garden. It looks spectacular in the Spring and Summer, and the colour schemes, scents and perfumes are memorable.
The garden will also be open to the public every Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday from April 2nd (Good Friday) until October 2010 from 11.30am - 5.30pm. Entry is £6.50. Visit: www.hanhamcourt.co.uk for more information.
I hope to see you again at the next ngs day in May.
Love to you and Gary xx
21 Mar, 2010
Fabulous place ... wish I could visit! Nice to see you in person ... and how lovely that you met up with some fellow GOYers. Thanks for taking us along on your visit ... great photos. That water feature is something special!
21 Mar, 2010
Hello everyone, I'm so glad that you enjoyed 'our Day Out'.
Firstly, well done all for getting to the bottom of this VERY long Blog!
Thanks David, Drc & San for your comments, I'm not sure that Gary had us in hand though San...He's as bad as us! :o)))
Hi Val...It was excruciating trying to choose which photo's to use- we took over 150 shots on the day, there was beauty at every turn, we were totaly in awe of this living work of art.
I hope that your 'special snowdrop' bloomed it's head off for you Val, although I've totally forgotten which one it was, it certainly was a beauty. Hope we'll see you again at our garden NGS Open Days over the Summer, 2-5pm, Sundays 25th July and 15th August .£2.50 Adults- Children U14 FREE (can't give them away!) :o))
The next NGS Open Day at Hanham Court is on May 19th I believe, so no excuses Barbara, take a day off and enjoy, it's a real treat!
Anyone else care to join us?
Hi Grenville, you are just so lucky to be working in a place of such beauty, it was great to see you as always! I know that you'll agree with me that it really is a lovely way to raise money for these charities. We're all doing something that we love, and others in need of help, benefit from our obsession/passion for gardening...It's a Win/Win situation! See you there again in May...if not before!
Also, I'd just like to wish all the NGS Garden Owners good luck for the coming Season, and I hope that we can raise 'bumper bags' of money for the NGS in 2010!
21 Mar, 2010
Hi Bernieh, nearly missed you there!
lol ... I knew that you'd love it ;o) The water feature is literally the 'Crowning Glory' of this special garden, bet it would look just fine in your courtyard...a good project for OP's ?
21 Mar, 2010
He's far too busy restoring a Norton with a sidecar just for me, JJ ... yes that's right .. apparently he's doing this job just for me! Would absolutely love it if he could fix the pond out in the courtyard though!!!
21 Mar, 2010
Oh aren't you lucky, a whole Norton... Just for you! lol
Maybe it's a good time to mention that the pond would make it cooler for the serious business of relaxing with a beer or two after all that hard work on the bike! ;o)))
21 Mar, 2010
Thanks for a brilliant blog and tour really enjoyed it.
21 Mar, 2010
Hi Jen... Good blog :o)
Gary and Grenville...twins ?
Still deliberating on that one...Lol.
21 Mar, 2010
Hi Clarice, glad you could join us, more the merrier!
Thanks Terra, I enjoyed putting the blog together, took me ages though as I'm not an expert like you! :o)
22 Mar, 2010
Hi Jen....
... my blogs take me ages to compile...
.. but I do enjoy writing them ... :o)
22 Mar, 2010
What a Wonderful Blog Jen :) Thanx 4 taking such great Pics 2 show what a Great day u all had in that Fab Garden :)XXX
22 Mar, 2010
Terra, your blogs are the best! :o)))
Thanks Jaque...There was such a lot to see, I didn't know which way to turn.
I was clicking away like crazy, and only stopped because the batteries (and the spares) ran out!
I've been asked by some members if we could arrange another GOYers meet up at the May 19th NGS Opening there. If anyone is interested in joining us on our next visit just let me know, the more the merrier! :o)
22 Mar, 2010
It looks a wonderful place. I would enjoy seeing it.
23 Mar, 2010
Why don't you come with us Hywel, I don't think we're very far from you and I know that you'd love it? I've sent you a pm x
23 Mar, 2010
Thanx Jen x
23 Mar, 2010
:o) x
24 Mar, 2010
What a wonderful blog, I keep missing them. It was almost as good as being there, you make a very professional guide, and it was lovely seeing Goyers in the flesh:-) I would love to be there in May..... if only, still I bet you'll do another great blog:-))
28 Mar, 2010
BA....You betchya I will !
It's going to be quite different when we see it again in May, I'm really looking forward to it :o)))
8 Apr, 2010
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hi jen , wow what a day out that was, thank you for sharing it far too much to comment on except to say every photo was great and to top it all meet up with other goy members how good was that .happy birthday to Gary and Grenville too :o))also hi to val..
20 Mar, 2010