HPSE members self drive visit to Ransomes, Peldon (August)
Not your traditional garden photo but the one thing that members who visited Ransomes couldn’t stop talking about was the fantastic display of forks and spades neatly lined up in the potting shed! To say that the sight brought on a severe case of garden tool envy would be an understatement!
Despite a difficult summer weather wise, the garden was still looking good. A lovely cottage garden encircling the house led down into wildflower meadows with a huge freshwater pond, crammed with beautiful waterlilies.
Other features included an orchard, an apiary, a soft fruit garden and a well laid out and well-tended vegetable garden.
Over tea and homemade cake our cheerful hosts regaled us with stories about the development of the garden and a couple of our members were even encouraged to try their hand at dowsing for water.
All in all a very memorable garden visit!
HPSE members self drive visit to 8 Dene Court, Chelmsford (July)
Beautifully maintained and designed, 8 Dene Court is simply stunning.
Not an inch of space has been wasted and our members were wowed by the exciting colour combinations and beautiful scents.
The garden walls are festooned with roses and climbers of all description, particularly clematis, which feature strongly.
A perfect example of a town garden planted with love and flair.
HPSE members self drive visit to 27 Worcester Close, Mayland (July)
Not your traditional English garden, a visit to 27 Worcester Close proved to be something special.
Our members were entranced as they meandered the slate paths around raised beds absolutely packed with an amazing collection of well grown, healthy perennials, many of which were rare or at least not commonly seen.
The two questions that I heard most frequently were:
‘What fantastic compost you have in your raised beds – how do you make it?’
and ‘Can I buy some plants?’
Our hosts were most generous both with their homemade cakes and with their gardening advice, patiently answering a myriad of questions about the plants and what would be needed to help them thrive.
Needless to say, no one left without at least one plant to take home!
HPSE members self drive visit to Loxley House, Brentwood (June)
This was our first self-drive outing for 2026 and what a lovely garden to start the year with.
verywhere was colour. The borders had been thoughtfully designed with clever plant combinations, while all available vertical surfaces were clothed with beautiful climbers which scrambled along fences and up trees.
