Outings and visits

Outing to Wakehurst Place

In mid October, many of our members ,together with friends and families, visited Wakehurst Place and we were lucky enough to have a dry sunny day to explore this extensive garden.

There was still plenty of summer colour, especially in the walled garden and in the beds surrounding the house, where there was a magnificent display of brilliantly coloured dahlias, but there were signs of Autumn. Most notable were the reds and oranges of the Japanese maples reflected in the mansion pond and seen throughout the garden. Under the trees were extensive drifts of cyclamen hederifolium in pink, mauve and white.

Leading away from the mansion are many paths to different parts of this 170 acre garden and visitors followed one of their own choice. Some joined one of the volunteeer guides, whose knowledge of the trees is impressive. Throughout our tour our guide included information about the history and development of the garden and showed us large areas of replanting that has removed all sign of the devastating storm that felled so many trees twenty five years ago (to the very day of our visit!)

Many trees survived and the champion beech, the largest in the UK, the oldest oak and the giant redwood, the largest living Christmas tree, which will be illuminated for the festive season, are still there to amaze us.

There is so much to see each season that Wakehurst warrants return visits.
PA