Autumn/Winter 2011/12 - Harcourt Arboretum - University of Oxford

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10 Botanic Garden News | No. 79 The Bobarts Group giving extra support to the Garden and Arboretum by Jennie Turner The Bobarts Group, founded in 2004, is the Patrons’ group of the Friends. It gives those who wish to, the opportunity to contribute extra financial support to the Garden and Arboretum on a regular basis. Bobarts members enjoy all the benefits of being part of the Friends, plus a special programme of exclusive small group visits to private gardens. They are also invited to an annual reception at which they meet personally the Director, the Senior Curator of the Garden and the Curator of Harcourt Arboretum. Members join the Bobarts for a number of reasons: one describes it as the chance “to support the Garden and Arboretum and especially their education programmes and their conservation and commitment to plant diversity. The visits to private gardens in small groups, accompanied by people with similar interests in gardens and gardening, are particularly enjoyable. Such groups do not overwhelm even the smaller gardens and the owners are particularly welcoming and hospitable.” Many Bobarts have forged new friendships through their membership; others are simply happy to give extra financial support to the Garden and Arboretum. A brief account of the events that Bobarts members have enjoyed this year will give readers a flavour of the outstanding gardens we have been able to visit. Every year we are invited to an Oxford University department or college to see treasures of botanical art and herbaria hidden away in many of the city’s ancient buildings. This year we visited the University of Oxford Plant Sciences Department to see the original paintings and herbaria presented in the book Planting Paradise, a recent Bodleian publication whose author, Dr Stephen Harris, Druce Professor of Oxford University Herbaria, showed us the collection. His willingness to share his knowledge with us was wonderful. The 17th century barn, Campden House, Gloucestershire On a perfect spring day in May we visited The Old Rectory, Farnborough, an outstanding four acre garden with magnificent views, whose owner Mrs Caroline Todhunter showed us round. The deep parallel herbaceous borders were full of rare and interesting plants. The newly planted small arboretum with a number of rare Quercus trees and the Cornus kousa and the Davidia involucrata, both clothed in their spectacular bracts, were outstanding. Lord Carrington welcomed us to Bledlow Manor with its beautiful walled gardens, the famous Lyde Water Garden with paved parterres and a wonderful collection of contemporary sculptures. He walked around with us and was full of amusing and interesting stories of his time as Foreign Secretary. We then went for a delicious lunch at Mill Barn, the nearby home of Sir Richard and Lady Lapthorne, whose private garden was so exciting, with its individual rooms. They shared their passion for their garden with us. Kiftsgate Court is a magnificent four acre garden with spectacular views largely created by the grandmother of the present owner, Anne Chamber. The introductory talk to the garden, and then the walk around the twists and turns amongst the glorious roses, unusual plants and shrubs, were a delight. Later we visited Dean Farm, an ambitious and very successful garden surrounding a series of converted barns and including a courtyard garden, a sheltered walled garden with a distinctly Mediterranean theme, and woodland walks. We were told that the owner had to import 650 tonnes of topsoil to convert the very alkaline soil to the one that supports the present variety of plants. The coolness of this midsummer evening sent us inside for a drink in the owner’s warm kitchen and more stories about the creation of this very special garden. Sculpture at Radcot House Home Close is the private 2 acre garden of a Bobarts member designed with terraces, walls and hedges to divide the garden into ten distinct areas to reflect a Mediterranean interest with trees, shrubs and perennials, planted for all year effect. For once we could Bledlow Manor, Buckinghamshire enjoy the wine and delicious canapés outside in the evening sun before we all drove home in a deluge, such has been the mixed weather this summer. Radcot House is another very special exuberant new 2½ acre garden with sixteen large colourful beds. Calm areas of lawn are bisected by a canal and enclosed by high beech hedges. The extensive use of grasses, unusual perennials and interesting sculptural surprises was a good talking point as we moved around the garden. We went on to Campden House with its 1½ mile drive, set in fine parkland in a hidden valley with lakes and ponds. The wide walled terrace in front of the house, which was built in the 17th century and enlarged in the 19th, leads to a mixed border of interesting plants. The displays in the many pots were one of the most original aspects of the garden. We were very privileged to have our tea in the panelled dining room. Finally, the Bobarts Day this year was held at Harcourt Arboretum. The reception was followed by a tour with the Director Timothy Walker and Senior Curator Alison Foster, and even those of us who had visited many times learnt more about the trees and meadows than ever before. Membership of the Bobarts costs £140 per annum for individuals and £225 for two people living at the same address. If you are interested in joining the group, please contact the Friends’ Administrator, Liz Woolley, on secretary@fobg.org, 01865 286690.
Botanic Garden News | No. 79 11 Visits and events for Friends and their guests by Jane Annett, Harriet Bretherton and Pauline Coombes Please book using the accompanying booking form. Visits tend to get booked up fairly quickly so to avoid disappointment please send in your form as soon as possible. If you have any queries, contact the Friends’ Administrator, Liz Woolley, secretary@fobg.org, 01865 286690. Friends’ coffee mornings Fridays 2nd December, 3rd February, 2nd March 10.30am on the first Friday of every month (except January and August) in the Garden’s Conservatory. After coffee a member of staff leads a tour of the Garden. ≠≠ No fee and no booking required, just turn up Sunday plant tours at the Botanic Garden Sundays 13th November, 22nd January and 25th March, 10.00am until 11.30am These tours are with the Director Timothy Walker and are structured around plants of particular interest for the time of year. They are crammed with botanical information and horticultural tips and are great fun. A plant list is provided. ≠≠ Friends £2, guests £6 (includes entry to the Garden) ≠≠ No booking required, just turn up Garden visits We have had another successful summer and autumn of wonderful trips to very special gardens. Thank you for your continued support, we do hope you have enjoyed the visits and we always welcome feedback and suggestions for future events. Next spring Friends are invited to the following gardens: Worcester College, Oxford Friday 10th February 2012, 2.00pm Worcester College, Walton Street, Oxford OX1 2HB Colesbourne Gardens Friday 19th February 2012, 11.00am Colesbourne Park, Nr Cheltenham, Glos GL53 9NP By kind permission of Sir Henry and Lady Elwes The tour will take the group through the gardens to see both the massed display of snowdrops in the wild garden and the collection of rarer cultivars in more formal surroundings. There are also masses of Cyclamen coum, Eranthis hyemalis, and of other plants of winter interest. There will be an introductory talk on the history of Colesbourne and the Elwes family and the background to the diversity of snowdrops. Coffee will be served. ≠≠ Tickets £15, guests £20 ≠≠ Maximum 50 people Stone House Garden Saturday 25th February 2012, 2.00pm Wyck Rissington, Cheltenham, Glos GL54 2PN By kind permission of Mr & Mrs Andrew Lukas This garden, created over the last twenty years, is one for all seasons, with an emphasis on strong structure and good foliage. There is a bulb flowering every month of the year, even in a frost pocket on heavy clay. Specialist hellebores appear in December and the meadow starts with crocus in early January; by April it is awash with fritillaries. Tea will be served. ≠≠ Tickets £10 , guests £15 ≠≠ Maximum 50 people Tours of the 2012 Olympic Games sites in London Saturday 17th March and Friday 23rd March 2012 Coach departing from Water Eaton Park & Ride, Oxford, at 8.00am, back at c. 7.00pm Tours led by Blue Badge Guide Mr Ian Gibson This is a departure from our normal garden visits, but we thought that it would be a good way for us to see the Olympic sites and to hear what has been achieved in preparation for this historic event. The tours will start at the Tower of London after a coffee. We will go to Docklands, Canary Wharf and the Thames Barrier. We will have lunch/picnic at Greenwich Park and then see a number of venues including the Olympic park velodrome. There will be an afternoon stop for tea at the Olympic village. Our guide is very entertaining and knowledgeable and will show us some of the new landscaping and gardens. Some walking involved. ≠≠ ≠≠ Tickets £30, guests £35 (includes coach fare but not refreshments) Maximum 50 people each trip As part of the Garden’s Public Education Programme there will be a lecture by Prof James Hitchmough on the development of the wildflower meadows at the Olympic Park, on 22nd March at the Said Business School in Oxford (see page 14). To book visit: www.oxforduniversitystores.co.uk or use the form at the back of the Public Education Programme leaflet. By kind permission of The Garden Master The garden is known for its summer displays, but the winter is an excellent time to see its structure as well as picturesque views and magnificent trees and shrubs. The College has a collection of snowdrops and early bulbs which should be in flower at the time of the tour. We will be shown around by a member of the gardening team who will talk about the history of the garden, the gardening techniques used, and plans for the future. Tea will be served. ≠≠ Tickets £10, guests £15 ≠≠ Maximum 40 people
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Autumn/Winter 2011/12 - Harcourt Arboretum - University of Oxford

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