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Bedfordshire and Northants Trip - 14th August 2010

Written by Super User. Posted in Events Past

Our group left Notcutts promptly at  8 a.m. - we are so keen, and headed for the Old Rectory Gardens, Sudborough, arriving at 10 a.m.  The property has belonged to Ann and Tony Huntington since 1984 and they greeted us with refreshments and a brief history of the garden.  The garden has well-stocked borders throughout most of the year and line sweeping lawns which will take you down to the brook and across a bridge to the shady woodland walk beyond.  There is a potager, designed by Rosemary Verey, arranged symmetrically around a rose arbour defined by brick paths and box hedges.  The garden also displays a number of planted containers - every container is taken into the poly-tunnel for winter.  Some members enjoyed a pleasant picnic in the gardens whilst others frequented the local hostelry. 

The-Old-Rectory-Sudboroughstep-covered-with-erigeron-kavinskianus-syn-mucronatusgarden-overlooked-by-Sudborough-Parish-Church

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it-rained-most-of-the-morning-at-The-Old-RectorySalvia_involucrata_Bethellii_600_x_450Old_Rectory_2_600_x_450

Leaving Sudborough at 1.15 p.m. we journeyed to The Manor House, Stevington arriving at 2 p.m.  The owners, Simon and Kathy Brown, have developed the garden over the past 20 years - Kathy is a garden designer.  The garden has many distinctive styles with cottage, formal, naturalistic and edible flower borders.  It has an extensive collection of climbing wisterias, roses, clematis, orchard and wildflower meadow.  We enjoyed some wonderful refreshments - my personal favourite was the lavender cake - before returning to the coach to head back home to Norwich.

view-of-house-across-old-pool.-jpgHydrangea_Snow_Flake_600_x_450Clematis_Black_Prince_600_x_450

one-of-the-many-clematis-which-abound-in-Kathy-Browns-garden-Stevingtonminatures-on-wall-cabinet-at-Kathy-Browns-garden-StevingtonUnusual_container_600_x_450

fountain-at-Kathy-Browns-garden-Stevingtonanother-fountain-at-Kathy-Browns-garden-Stevingtonwalkway-in-garden

drive-up-to-the-house-at-Kathy-Browns-garden-StevingtonMondrian-wall-and-garden-at-The-Manor-House-Stevingtonparterres-and-jurors-at-Kathy-Browns-garden-Stevington

betula-jacquemontii-at-Kathy-Browns-garden-Stevingtonsummer-pots-around-the-old-fish-pond-at-Kathy-Browns-garden-Stevingtonpart-of-the-summer_pots_in_and_around_the_old_fish_pond_at_-Kathy-Browns-garden-Stevington

The weather could have been a little kinder as we dodged light showers and heavy rain throughout the day but as Hardy Planters we brushed this off and hoped that the rain was also falling in Norfolk and Suffolk where our poor suffering gardens desperately need it. 

Full reports on these visits will be found in our Autumn newsletter.

photographs by Linda Hall and John Metcalf