Open Gardens Day on 20th June - TrustNews Sept 10
On a glorious June afternoon, a dozen Trust members generously threw open their gardens to fellow members and guests in the third of our biennial Open Gardens Days. These have become a popular fixture in the Trust calendar, and rightly so - it's hard to think of a finer way to spend a Sunday than enjoying these normally hidden Winchester delights. In just four hours more than 600 visits were recorded.
By happy serendipity this year's gardens were a perfect cross-section, ranging from tiny and intimate to sweeping and grand. The Open Gardens Day is completely informal, so we were relieved that our hosts had observed the call not to overdo the preparations! There were obvious highlights - the river flowing through Wolvesey Lodge, or the view over the city from 21 St John's Street - but it was also inspiring to see how with a bit of ingenuity a super garden can be created almost anywhere.
We were encouraged to wander, and it was wonderful how often this led to an unexpected splash of poppy or whiff of scented rose. Other surprises awaited us too. There was a rustic studio, a sensuous sculpture, a hidden pool - and who would have thought that behind an unassuming house in Greenhill Road we would find a model railway and a huge red sign reading 'Winchester Post Office'?
From the buzz of chatter at each garden it was obvious that people were finding inspiration in different ways - if the formal lawn didn't appeal, a rambling bower would be just around the corner. Something that appealed to everyone was Penny Patton's and Penny Neyroud's delicious teas, which were eagerly consumed by hungry and thirsty visitors as the afternoon drew to a close. A total of £420 was raised for Trust funds. Hopefully the next Open Gardens Day will take place in 2012, and if you haven't already enjoyed one I can warmly recommend it.