Haseley Court
The head gardener gave us a comprehensive account of the history of the house and garden. Part of the house is medieval and there was topiary here in the 16th century. Garden features included an impressive avenue of trees leading well outside the property precincts and some longstanding topiary at the side of the house. The main extensive garden comprised a number of rooms surrounding a wheel of finely pruned box bushes set off by Geranium ‘Rozanne’ in profusion. Extensive box and yew hedging was prominent throughout the garden. The individual planting was principally a glorious array of well-grown flowering perennials, complementing a further beautiful collection in the greenhouse.
Mill Barn, Chalgrove
The second garden was supposed to have been Adwell House In Thame. Due to ill health, this had to be cancelled at a week’s notice. It is all credit to our outings’ organiser and our new hosts that a change of venue was possible at such short notice. This relatively small cottage garden had much to impress in the way of trees, shrubs and fruit bushes, growing happily in close proximity to each other.The whole setting was enhanced by a mill stream flowing along one side of the property. Our visit concluded with a generous and delicious cream tea, the enjoyment of which was not hampered by a sudden downfall of rain.