On Saturday we went to Mells to visit seventeen open gardens.In the Rectory Walled Garden they were doing a roaring trade in afternoon teas.
All the proceeds of the open garden day are to support the post office, which is the only shop in the village and is run by the community. 
Mells Manor is a handsome old house that I have previously only peeped at from the churchyard next door whilst putting flowers on Seigfried Sassoon's grave. The open garden gave a wonderful opportunity to be nosey!
Himself pretending to be lord of the manor.
At 'Old Prospect Farm' we saw this small carved stone Annunciation set into the porch wall. The owner had no knowledge of its history. So many of the houses in Mells are very old and very beautiful.
Brook Cottage, as its name suggests, is a steep garden of terraced beds, with seats and narrow steps that lead down to Mells Brook. An ideal spot for keeping bees.
and Kerry Cottage was quite rightly described as "a picture book cottage garden", complete with chicken pen.
Claveys farm was described in the open gardens leaflet as having 'herbaceous borders full of lupins, fox-gloves, delphiniums, poppies, lavender, rosemary, salvia, pinks and lilies, thirty shrub roses and twenty fruit trees, hazel tunnel. Sheep, chickens and chicks geese and goslings."
The walled garden of 'Hathersleigh' was immaculate
and Kerry Cottage was quite rightly described as "a picture book cottage garden", complete with chicken pen.
Claveys farm was described in the open gardens leaflet as having 'herbaceous borders full of lupins, fox-gloves, delphiniums, poppies, lavender, rosemary, salvia, pinks and lilies, thirty shrub roses and twenty fruit trees, hazel tunnel. Sheep, chickens and chicks geese and goslings."
It did not disappoint!
It was a wonderful garden and the owner gave us the warmest of welcomes, standing here next to a fine specimen of the rose, 'Great Maiden's Blush' with her Agatha Christie mug of tea.
Gardens to see, gardeners to talk to, plants to buy, tea with home-made scones and clotted cream to devour.
It was a wonderful garden and the owner gave us the warmest of welcomes, standing here next to a fine specimen of the rose, 'Great Maiden's Blush' with her Agatha Christie mug of tea. 
Gardens to see, gardeners to talk to, plants to buy, tea with home-made scones and clotted cream to devour. What's not to like!
Loved looking at these pictures. I noticed the sign mentioning "The Doomsday Book". I read it this past winter and so enjoyed it. I find it fascinating to actually see the area mentioned in the book. Sounds like a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteOh what a lovely way to spend some time.
ReplyDeleteThere's always a new plant or an idea that we can take away from a garden tour...and scones with clotted cream!
Lucky you!
Hello Rosemary:
ReplyDeleteOpen Gardens are such a delightful way in which to pass a summer's afternoon and we are always so very conscious of the generosity of owners in allowing people into their gardens.
On such occasions one meets lovely people, gleans no end of new ideas and, of course, very often aquires new treasures. Perfect. And there are the teas!!
It's been years since I visited Mells (since my estranged brother owned a house there) - I must go again. It was the home of Jack Horner too - he of the plum fame. The lady with the mug looks like my old friend, Fiona Quinn - I wonder if it is? It's been a few years since I've seen her.
ReplyDeleteClavey's farm looks like a beautiful place to visit. What a nice way to spend a weekend afternoon.
ReplyDeleteDelightful pictures!
What a wonderful way to spend the weekend.
ReplyDeleteOh what a beautiful place! I absolutely adore England, and am lucky enough to have family in London, Brighton, and Sussexx. The greenery always amazes me coming from California. Thank you for stopping by Yummy Mummy!
ReplyDeleteDear Bonnie, like me I am sure that you would love looking around Mells, it is a fascinating village.
ReplyDeleteDear Hostess, I was very good and didn't indulge in scones with clotted cream (but only because we were going out to supper later!)
Dear Jane and Lance, yes, gardeners are such pleasant people to meet.
Dear Tom, although we had a good long chat we did not exchange names. If she is your old friend then I suggest that you renew your friendship because she was quite delightful.
Dear Starting Over, Clavey's farm was my favourite garden. If you enlarge the map you will see where it is placed on the outskirts of the village.
A lovely weekend, Doc. I shall be posting what we got up to on Sunday.
Hello Yummy Mummy, you are the best macaroon maker in all the world!