20 Gardens in 2 Days

Well 19 to be exact – one we couldn’t find.

Astley Country Gardens

The first group of 8 gardens, well spread out over the surrounding countryside, included a Grade ll listed half timbered house with sub tropical planting, stumpery with tree ferns and woodland temple, underground grotto and water features; classical style garden with a variety of features, a half acre garden with mixed borders and large paddock with specimen trees; a Grade ll listed C16 farmhouse garden with herbaceous borders, small feature courtyard leading to a part-walled terrace and lily pond; thatched cottage surrounded by mixed borders, bedding displays and woodland; spacious garden with beautiful views and a lake in a secluded valley with an arboretum; farmhouse garden with stream and bog garden, mixed borders and pathways through shrubs and woodland; country bungalow with choice plants in a cottage style garden and wildlife pools.

Broughton Poggs and Filkins Gardens

These two Cotswold villages, near Lechlade, contained 12 open gardens and an allotment. Scale and character varied from the grand landscape setting of Filkins Hall, to the small but beautifully formed Pigeon Cottage, Taylor Cottage and The Tallot.

There was also an interesting display of bonsai – including maples...

... and some interesting garden art.

Broughton Poggs Mill had a rushing mill stream; Pip Cottage combined topiary, box hedges and a picturesque rural view.

We also visited the small but perfectly formed Swinford Museum in Filkins. Two small cottages containing exhibitions of bygone Farming, music and masonry.

We were also entertained by the ‘Rock Choir’.

The village pub also had an unusual name – the Five Alls. Originally, this depicted the Queen who governs all, a Lawyer who pleads for all, a Parson who prays for all, a Soldier who fights for all, and a Farmer who pays for all. Some years later, however, a different mix of Alls was adopted, the Queen being replaced by the Devil, who takes all. Elsewhere in the country there are a few similarly-named inns with slight variations on the Alls theme: there is a Four Alls where the Lawyer is left out, and a Six Alls with both the Queen and the Devil included.