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Kiftsgate Court Gardens

Just right down the road from Hidcote is Kiftsgate Court Gardens. This garden was created by Heather Muir beginning in the 1920s. Muir's daughter, Diany Binny, came to live at Kiftsgate in 1954. She would add the half-moon pool and redesigned the white garden. She also first opened the garden to the public. Today, the tradition continues as granddaughter Anne Chambers and her husband maintain the gardens.    Heather Muir was a friend and neighbor of Hidcote's Lawrence Johnston (their houses are within one mile of each other), and he inspired her in the garden's design. However, the two gardens differ in character and have their own unique characteristics. While Johnston's garden is laid out in strict geometric lines, Muir took a more naturalistic approach. Muir added many heirloom shrub roses to the garden and is famous for the 'Kiftsgate' rose, which occurred from a seedling in the garden. Unfortunately, we were too early for the roses. There were a few like t...

Hidcote pt. 2


I am continuing my last post with more photos of Hidcote, this time focusing on the outer perimeter of the garden. Like most gardens, these areas were less formal in design. Along the outer fences, you get serene views of the English countryside with nary a building in sight.

One such vista occurs at the top of a long avenue called the "Long Walk". This expanse of lawn surrounded by hornbeam hedges is a stark contrast to the previous garden rooms that are packed with plants. 


The angle of the hedges gives an optical illusion, making the avenue appear longer than it is. Once you reach the summit, an open gate leads to a view of the countryside -


One can choose to walk back down the way they came up or take a route back through "The Wilderness" which runs alongside The Long Walk. The Wilderness is a woodland area with winding grass pathways that meander through mature trees and densely planted shrubbery.


If you walk to the opposite side of the Long Walk, you will stroll through three distinct areas.

The Stream Garden -



The Bulb Slope -





The Rock Bank -





Other areas seen in my wanderings at Hidcote - The Beech Alley -


An impressive compost area -



And finally, this feature, which continues to elude me.  It must be the Garden Yard, although I remember it being in the midst of the garden rooms which are in a different location. So I'm not exactly sure what this area was called -






I hope you have enjoyed this tour of Hidcote. It was certainly a memorable event for me and I'd love to explore it again later in the summer months.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. When one lives in a densely populated urban area like Los Angeles County, scenery like this is a revelation offering a touch of heaven.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amazing, I can't even imagine having that much property to garden on.

    ReplyDelete

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