Autumn has officially begun at The Treasure Houses of
England. Dubbed the second spring September is the perfect time to immerse
yourself in russet tones and see spectacular autumn colours in the floral displays as well as cultivated and wild parkland
at our magnificent houses.
We have put together a round-up of reasons to visit this
autumn.
Where else than Beaulieu – meaning ‘beautiful place’ to
admire autumn? Find peace and tranquillity in the walled cloisters and herb
garden. Take a tour of the Ornamental Kitchen Garden complete with 1870’s
restored vine house. Walk hand-in-hand along the scenic Mill Pond walk and wander
into the natural splendour of the Wilderness Garden.
As autumn sets in at Blenheim Palace, 2000 acres of parkland
will be transformed with an array of warm colours, making this a beautiful time
of year to come and take in the stunning landscape and views. There are a
wealth of events and activities to enjoy throughout the winter months;
highlights include the Literary Festival and Sunday Jazz.
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| Autumn in all its glory. |
Don’t
miss the Burghley Flower Festival (4
- 12 October) an autumnal celebration which will transform Burghley’s State
Rooms with floral displays created by local flower societies. Be inspired by
the botanical theme ‘Cities on the Grand Tour’ arranged with the 17th
Century art situated under opulent painted ceilings.
Take a stroll through
Ray Wood at Castle Howard and marvel
in the season’s striking tones and resplendent autumn colour, from the many
shrubs and trees, and huge array of ripened fruit and berries. Then make your way to the ornamental kitchen
garden - Castle Howard Potager – for the autumn vegetable garden harvest.
Having evolved over more than 450 years, the 105 acre Chatsworth garden continues to change
today. There is plenty to discover at every turn, including the ninth
installation of Beyond Limits, Sotheby’s annual exhibition of contemporary
sculpture in the garden at Chatsworth from 8 September- 26 October. The Kitchen
Garden is still producing good crops of plums, pears and apples to harvest, and
at the beginning of September the Display House will have blooms on the
passionflowers and water-lillies.
There
are over 100 acres of gardens at
Harewood. They are full of variety, with plants from all over the world -
all in the setting of a landscape created by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.
Harewood’s renowned Bird Garden is home to exotic species including penguins,
owls, flamingos and parrots
and the Himalayan Garden is an extraordinary world in miniature, a
plant-hunter’s paradise. There’s
also scarecrow trails around the grounds.
Hatfield House forms the
centre-piece of the largest private estate in Hertfordshire, with the woodlands
covering an extensive spread across the county. Thus they offer a rich
diversity of habitat and species. The woodland types range from the traditional
coppice with standards, woodland and include commercial conifer broadleaved
mixtures, continuous cover systems and minimum intervention woodlands.
Stock up on garden
essentials and a great array of plants at Holkham
Hall’s Plant Fair (28-29 September). Or for a chance to see the spectacular
arboretum with its many unusual and rare specimen trees resplendent in their
autumn foliage, book onto one of the Autumn Tours of the Private Gardens (19
October).
Set
in 500 acres of picturesque parkland, Leeds
Castle is the perfect setting for an autumn day out. Take a stroll through the Wood Garden, which
follows the curve of the River Len to the Pavilion Lawn. Festival of Flowers: (23-28
September) See the castle’s State rooms transformed into works of art
using flowers, by local florists, flower societies and clubs. Leeds Castle will
also host its first Fantastic British Food
Festival, (12-14 September) smell and taste goods from local food and drink
producers, retailers, chefs and cookery schools.
Woburn Abbey’s tranquil
Abbey Gardens are open for everyone to enjoy the brilliance of Humphry Repton.
Make your way through approximately 30 acres of serene formal and natural
garden environments: from manicured lawns and colourful flower beds to peaceful
woodland glades and ponds teeming with life.
Discover the bog garden, a recent addition with it carnivorous plants,
the romance of the Doric Temple which was carefully restored last year and
watch the recreation work in progress on the rockery and grotto.
