The passionate gardeners of Fowberry Mains Farmhouse.

Aaaahhhhh it's Friday evening, the beginning of the weekend.

Lovvvvvvverlyyyyyyy.

At this time of year we go open-gardening, every weekend if possible. Even Hugo, who isn't into gardening at all, enjoys accompanying me on these little outings.

The whole open garden thingy is run by this organisation. 

I'm always amazed we don't see more people our age, in their thirties with their children, visiting these open gardens. It's an absolutely brilliant day out, and cheap too. All the gardens are big, with large expanses of lawn for the children to run around on. Tea and cake are served, and more of the owners are clocking on to the importance of the teas at these events. It's unusual not to see vintage mis-matched china cups and plates, tables covered with cloths, and jam jars filled with flowers picked that morning from the garden, sitting pretty on the tables. On average the entrance fee is £3 per adult, with children often allowed in free. The tea and cake is charged on top of that, but you always get value for money, with a tea and three cakes of your choice offer usually being the norm for about £3. Some garden owners even do free refills of your tea cup!

There is almost always a plant stall, and most garden owners allow dogs on a lead.

Even if gardening isn't your cup of tea, these gardens are of the highest standard, (judges inspect the gardens to see if they're good enough to get into the scheme), so having a cup of tea and cakes in these sublime outdoor spaces, is like taking refreshments in the glorious garden of a splendid tea room. Hugo likes to take the weekend paper and have a little relax.

Hugo and I agree that this year the gardens are particularly good. The owners seem to be putting an extra effort in with the teas, they must have realised that the tea and cake is a large part of the attraction for some people (!).

The owners of this garden at Fowberry Mains Farmhouse got everything absolutely spot on. The work that must have gone into preparing for this event! We were even treated to bunting, and got the full vintage china and jam jars of flowers experience, like a Country Living magazine photograph coming to life.

This was my first cup of tea, before heading off round the garden. I couldn't face the three items of baking that were included in the fee for the tea. I chose this tea cup and saucer specially. Like you do.

This garden was heavenly, it was beautiful for it's setting, its planting, the relaxed feel to it, (though this relaxed feel involves a huge amount of work for the gardener), the colours. Heavenly.

The garden sprawled in to different areas, from relaxed and romantic, to more clipped and formal. I liked the relaxed, overflowing, romantic areas.

The couple who own the garden are garden designers, they own "Country Garden designs". I learnt this at the end of my visit, and suddenly it became very clear why this garden was so exquisite, they know their stuff.

We were made to feel very welcome in this garden, with chairs and tables dotted around the garden, beckoning us to sit and contemplate our surroundings. The sofa under the trees was a very special touch, I spent quite a bit of time sitting on it, listening to the birds tweeting and the sheep in the field over the wall behind me, baaing away.

Those views! To be able to sit in a garden with those sweeping vistas surounding the garden and house, it felt like an enormous privilege.

Even the vegetable patch was beautifully designed.

Such artistry, such a pleasure for those of us wandering around.

From my past experience of having a large garden, and not being able to keep up with the tending it required, I know just how much work goes into a garden like this. The creation of the garden must have taken years, maintaining it must be a labour of love. The owners must live and breathe plants and gardens, especially as its the way they earn a living. Hard work, back-breaking work, but good food for the soul.

Talking about food for the soul, I have to mention my current dish of choice, the fair isle dress I'm knitting.

It's progressed from this stage, when you last saw it, but I don't have any photos of it's most recent state.

I put the live stitches on a length of yarn, took out the circular needle, and tried the dress on. It needs some more length, till the pattern reaches below my knees, but not too long. I'm not too far off finishing the skirt section, and moving on to the arms, which  I "have a little plan for". You shall have to wait for the reveal on the arm plan I'm afraid.

Tomorrow, Saturday, there's an open garden to visit, I look forward to these little jaunts enormously. I get ever so excited infact.

Well, if I carry on any longer, there won't be much of Friday left, and I'd like to use some of the Friday that's left to do some knitting, on my fair isle dress. So I'll bid you farewell for a few days, wish you a good weekend with lots of nice weather, and hopefully see you on Monday. Toodle-loo. Love Vanessa xxx

 

Comments

[driftwood]

ooooh gorgeous, I've been thinking about you and your open gardens and meaning to ask you to recommend a fave - I guess I've missed a good one .....

[Lucille]

Stripy sleeves???

[Claire]

The garden looks fantastic - I'll have to look out for some - I'm always up for good tea and cake!
The Dress sounds intriguing...

[Isabelle]

Hi Vanessa! I do love your garden visit posts!! I hope you'll be going to agricultural fairs as well this summer! :o)
Have a good weekend!
Isabelle

[Marg]

Pretty, pretty, pretty and pretty! Your garden outings are always such a delight and your dress is coming along very nicely!

[Faeryfay]

I love going to open gardens. I, too wonder why more younger people and families don't do this on weekends. It is such fun. I adore the tea cups!:-)

[frances]

Vanessa, I am so with you in your praise of this beautiful garden...and the tea, too. There is nothing, nothing like this anywhere near here. Do relish the riches around you.

Thank you for taking all those photos!

Your mixed stitch dress is looking better with every view. I am so curious to see what you have in mind for the sleeves.

Have a marvelous weekend ... hoping that some of it will be spent outdoors. xo

[Alice @ Crochet with Raymond]

Hi Vanessa! The garden was beautiful and what a lovely way to spend a day... I can imagine having a good knit on that sofa, I hope you indulged! I've never read one of your garden visit posts, so that was a treat! Especially as its freezing here in NZ!
I'm wickedly wondering if you're going to knit ORANGE sleeves?
Have a lovely rest of the weekend

[alisonb2]

Thanks for the garden tour with pretty tea cups too! Your dress is amazing!

[andigal]

Lovely cups and saucers...I want the lot! Your dress is coming along wonderfully.

[Janice Perkin]

what an amazing garden - just my type no cake though?!

[MelD]

Now wouldn't it be great to be young enough to wear that dress and those shoes?! LOL, I have come to the realisation that some things are just not on when you're over 40 and a granny... sigh. I stay bright, but not quite that bright!

So, those sleeves... I'm thinking puffed sleeves to balance the colour and pattern? Puffed AND striped?!! Curious indeed...

And I adored the gardens. I'm off to collect up my teacups and find someone to have a teaparty with -

[Jennyff]

I'd love a sofa in my garden, and some cake and some bunting and everything. Fab garden, an inspiration, I'm equally enthusiastic about your knitted dress.

[mlle paradis]

gorgeous gorgeous garden - hubby and i also always seem to be the exception to the wrinkly demographic at these things but....any day now and I won't be able to say that anymore!

you look like you're having such fun with your fair isle work!

[Pipany]

That really is a beautiful garden Vanessa. I love the relaxed feel the vista gives it and the veg patch . In fact I love it all x

[AmazingClumsy]

Will a pattern of your beautiful, stunning, gorgeous fair isle work be available? And are you a member of ravelry? I would love to fave your stuff :)

[Jenni at Baa-me Kniits]

I can't believe that beautiful garden and in the middle of all those views.....how wonderful! Sounds like a great way to spend the weekends :-) Are you going to polka dot and puff the sleeves of that gorgeous dress??

PS We received our lovely book and the boys were thrilled with the note and the special message inside. You would have loved to have been a fly on the wall, listening to the eldest sit next to his brother in bed and read him the story.....brought a tear to my eye :-) Thankyou so much Jen xx

[Petit Filoux]

What beautiful photos! Thank you very much! It's made me all happy and cheerful! x

[Barbara]

Oh so gorgeous! I actually feel as tho I've been sitting on that couch under the trees ... Heavenly garden and china ... we do have a similar open gardens thing down here in Aus, a bit limited by the drought in recent years but this spring should be wonderful with all the rain there's been.

[joanna]

Visiting a garden with children needs a lot of balance, balancing the childrens need to run with the need to repsect the garden, balancing the childrens need to spend time with you and your own need to look around. Its hard to relax when you are having to keep a check on everyones behaviour. National trust gardens are working hard to encourage familes with games and activities. Its not that we dont want to take the children to gardens but its not much fun if you have to keep an eagle eye on them not to damage anything. Not everyone is relaxed about children and its fair enough as it's their garden, their pride and joy and the have every right to expect people to know how to behave.
oh sorry, that now sounds like a bit of a soap box when you just made a random comment. You are absolutely right, we should take our children to gardens.

[knittingoutloud]

Wonderful garden! Thanks for sharing. And a great knitted dress!!!

[the cornwall yarn shop]

the dress is fab, lovely bright colour beautiful....I adore the cup & saucers ..all the best rebecca