Langley Park owes its beginnings in the early 17th Century to Sir John Kederminster whose house was replaced by Charles Spencer (later 3rd Duke of Marlborough) c.1755-8 who moved here after a row with his grandmother Sarah (1st Duchess). The Park was landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown 1763-4. Letters to his wife from campaign demonstrate the...Read More
A very special secret spectacular can now be seen near Oakley, Bucks. The rare Green Winged Orchid is in flower at Bernwood Meadows, the orchids are splendid this year and the meadow is covered in their vibrant purple flowers, there are also ladies’ smock and swathes of cowslip at the Nature Reserve which is managed...Read More
Willen Lake It’s quite hard to do justice to the 4 May BGT walk at North Willen Lake in 500 words. Tim Skelton, a surveyor who worked for Milton Keynes Development Corporation, and Chair of Milton Keynes Forum, aided and abetted by Pete Martin, local architect who also worked for MKDC, led 15 people around...Read More
Visit to Chenies Manor House, Tuesday 26 April 2022 Located on a south-facing slope overlooking the Chess Valley, Chenies Manor House makes a dramatic backdrop for its beautiful gardens. Beside an old Bramley apple tree, crowned with mistletoe, Charles MacLeod Matthews, the present owner, introduced the fascinating history of the estate. From its creation in...Read More
A Welcome to Chiltern Heritage Orchards In 2016 horticulturalist and lecturer Lindsay Engers started a traditional mixed fruit orchard in the Chilterns on a farm near St Leonards. He farms using traditional short, intensive sheep grazing and strict organic standards to establish over 250 different cultivars of fruit. The choice of fruit is mainly commercial...Read More
Historic England Launches New Map Revealing a Century of England From the Air 22 March 2022 – Today, Historic England launches its new Aerial Photography Explorer – which for the first time allows users to search and explore an online map showing aerial photographs of England over the past 100 years. Aerial imagery provides a...Read More
Snowdrop Gardens 2022 The snowdrop is most definitely a harbinger that winter is over and spring just aroundthe corner although I am lucky to have been given a few very early snowdrops which start by November 11th. Most years I manage to visit one or two snowdrop gardens or churchyards but 2022 I was determined...Read More
March 2022 -Chandos Park Buckingham. Michael Hunt Stowe – New Inn Garden Tomkins Arboretum, Winslow 19th March 2022. This morning’s visit to see the emerging leaves of this Cercidiphyllum japonicum = the Katsura tree from Japan and China and introduced to Britain in 1881. The leaves will turn bright green for the summer, then turn...Read More
Evenly Wood Gardens in Northamptonshire stayed open for all of the lockdown. Great place for families, garden enthusiasts and special occasions. Excellent website http://www.evenlywoodgarden.co.uk Photographs by Claire de Carle on a recent visit.Read More
Bucks Gardens Trust 25 years on 25 years ago I went by chance to a meeting in Northampton about Northamptonshire poets and landscape, especially John Clare who wrote beautiful country poems. Gilly Drummond, President of Gardens Trust, was there and she pounced on me when she realised I lived in Bucks as she was anxious...Read More
