The Gardens at Hampton Court

The Gardens at Hampton Court Herefordshire, recently completed, are one of the most ambitious garden creations of our time.

Original Victorian garden walls enclose stunning new flower gardens divided by canals, island pavilions and pleached avenues. The kitchen garden is an ornamental garden of fruit and vegetables. It is managed organically, supplying produce to the Orangery Restaurant for its seasonal menu.

There is a maze of a thousand yews with a gothic tower at its centre. Climb to the top for a panoramic view of the gardens or descend underground to a tunnel that leads to a waterfall in the sunken garden. Beautiful herbaceous borders stretch out from a one hundred and fifty year old wisteria tunnel that leads to vast lawns and ancient trees beside the castle. Beyond the lawns are riverside and woodland walks.

Adjoining the castle, in a grand conservatory designed by Joseph Paxton, is the Orangery Café. Here delicious lunches and teas can be enjoyed.

The garden shop, in the garden bothy, sells plants from the garden, homemade produce from the castle kitchens and local crafts and gifts.

From the Roots... Our monthly update of what's going on in the Gardens... September 2010 In the Dutch Garden the Verbena Bonariensis begins to open up its flowers to the butterflies and bees. It looks stunning planted on mass alternating with Buxus parterres. In the South garden the Verbena is also flowering along with the striking pink of the Aster Novae-Angliae 'Harrington's Pink' and the tall fluffy flower spikes of the Miscanthus Sinensis. In the Kitchen garden the early varieties of apple begin to ripen in September, becoming ready to pick towards the end of the month. The heritage and local varieties of apples, when harvested, will be available to buy in the shop. Plenty will also go to the castle kitchens to be put into pies! It is now time for us to sow our wintering crops and green manures, take cuttings and save seeds for sowing next year. Lawn maintenance is a high priority this month, especially after the dry summer. It's a good time to over sow and repair any bare patches. Hedge trimming is on-going, and during wet weather we'll be at the nursery cleaning out our polytunnels and glasshouses ready to move plants in for the colder months.