Hidcote Manor Garden is one of those gardens which can only be found in England! Created by keen horticulturist, Major Lawrence Johnston, on a Cotswold property bought for him by his mother, it is a series of garden rooms with pavilions, clipped hedges, paved paths, topiary and green “doorways” framing one beautiful sight after another.

Divided into small manageable outdoor rooms, each with their individual character and theme, the gardens are filled with established rare shrubs and exotic flowering trees. The herbaceous borders, a typical English country garden feature, are quite magnificent.

Hidcote Manor Garden is somewhere to enjoy in every season. The vibrant primary colours of the spring bulbs give way to azaleas, rhododendrons and magnolias. After the glorious colours of the summer borders have faded, autumn is celebrated in the glorious Red Border.

My previous post on Hidcote can be found here.

This concludes my ‘Winchester Vacation’ travels. I wonder where I will take you next…

Sheep may safely graze and pasture
In a watchful Shepherd’s sight.
Those who rule with wisdom guiding
Bring to hearts a peace abiding
Bless a land with joy made bright.

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Hidcote was aquired by the National Trust in 1948, when Lawrence Waterbury Johnston, who made the garden the garden at Hidcote departed permanently for his garden in France.

It was an important acquisition, important not only because of its quality, but because it was the first property that the Trust acquired specifically on account of its garden. Here the Trust learned to garden.*

Hidcote is an Arts and Crafts garden in the north Cotswolds, a stone’s throw from Stratford-upon-Avon. Created by the talented American horticulturist, Major Lawrence Johnston its colourful and intricately designed outdoor ‘rooms’ are always full of surprises. It’s a must-see if you’re on holiday in the Cotswolds.

Explore the maze of narrow paved pathways and discover secret gardens, magnificent vistas and plants that burst with colour. Many of the plants found growing in the garden were collected from Johnston’s many plant hunting trips to far away places. It’s the perfect place if you’re in need of gardening inspiration.

Find a quiet spot and sit on one of the ornate benches and watch green woodpeckers search for their lunch or listen to the calls from the buzzards circling overhead. Time it right and you might catch a glimpse of the elusive hummingbird moth.

Meander through the intricate gardens and into the Wilderness. This secluded stretch of tall trees is just right for a picnic. Take a glimpse beyond the boundary and see the garden blend effortlessly into the countryside beyond.

The Monarch’s Way path runs close-by. Follow it for a brief time from the car park and into the chocolate-box Cotswold hamlet of Hidcote Bartrim. You’ll be treated to traditionally thatched stone cottages that were once home to Johnston’s gardeners. They’re now owned by the Trust and rented out.

*From the Hidcot Manor Garden National Trust Handbook

After breakfast it was time to say goodbye to Winchester and its Cathedral and set off on our homeward journey. We stopped off at Hidcote, the first garden that the National Trust took ownership of.  We had lunch before strolling round the garden.

We got home mid afternoon and that was when we noticed the first of our recent problems…