Gardens in the Wild Header, Garden Festival Hereford

Whitfield Estate HR2 9BA

24/25 June 2017

We have moved our festival to South Herefordshire to Whitfield. The house is set in its beautiful parkland and has an outstanding garden with remarkable trees and wild flowers.

We made the move to because we wanted to include the stunning gardens and wild places to walk in this area. The format will remain the same, talks and stalls at the house in the morning and early afternoon with an opportunity to visit gardens and to walk in the wild in the afternoon.

Speakers

On Saturday - Sarah Price, Timothy Mowl, Jinny Blom and Peter Garner

On Sunday - Noel Kingsbury and Caroline Hanks, Anna Pavord, Timothy Walker, Mary Keen and James Clapp

Clustered in the garden at Whitfield will be stalls selling plants and gardenalia. There will also be plenty of delicious food

Gardens open GITW

Brockhampton Cottage, Grendon Court, Thruxton Rectory, Kentchurch Court, Nant y Bedd, The Pant and Court-y-Pella. These will all be covered by a roving ticket.

Come and walk in Herefordshire Wildlife Trust reserves, Crow Wood and The Parks

Supper and tour

On Saturday evening, Ted Clive, the owner of Whitfield will lead a tour of the garden. There will also be supper in the barn.

To book go to the Events page and follow the directions.

We are putting the finishing touches to our programme for 2017
Whitefield Estate HR2 9BA

Speakers

Sarah Price

An artist by training, Sarah’s transition to designer of the Olympic Park was inspired by her grandparents’ house in Abergavenny. “It’s surprisingly hard to set aside nostalgic memories and change a place that you love. Yet gardens are alive and constantly changing.”

Timothy Mowl

Emeritus Professor of History of Architecture and Designed Landscapes at the University of Bristol, Timothy has written books on the picturesque and Herefordshire historic gardens.

Jinny Blom

She studied drama and theatre design, then trained as a psychotherapist before joining designer Dan Pearson's firm in 1996. “Blom is rather fun to be around. Witty, with a broad, easy smile, she is a sharply intelligent woman who quotes Balzac while remaining comfortably down-to-earth.”

Peter Garner

Herefordshire county recorder will provide a floral tour of the wildflowers of Herefordshire.

Noel Kingsbury and Caroline Hanks

Their combined knowledge of wild meadows is hard to beat. Noel is known for his ecological and naturalistic approach to planting design and Caroline is the Herefordshire co-ordinator of the Campaign for the Farmed Environment.

Anna Pavord

We are delighted to welcome Anna back to talk about her latest book, Landskipping, and our attachment to place and landscape.

Timothy Walker

Former director of the Oxford Botanic Gardens where the national collection of euphorbias is held, Timothy will talk about this remarkable species.

Mary Keen

An internationally known designer and writer, Mary has made gardens for Lord Rothschild and designed the gardens around Glyndebourne’s opera house.

James Clapp

An experienced vegetable gardener, James has worked for Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir and teaches at Arne Maynard’s garden school. He will talk about how to get the most from your soil.

Seven very special gardens will be opening exclusively for the festival

Brockhampton Cottage

Woodland garden, 5 acre wild flower meadow, perry pear orchard and, in the valley below, a lake, stream and arboretum. The extensive borders are planted with drifts of perennials in the modern romantic style. Created in 1999 with the help of Tom Stuart Smith

Grendon Court

A contemporary garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith. Planted on 2 levels, a clever collection of mass-planted perennials and grasses of different heights, textures and colour give year round interest. Views of the new pond and valley walk.

Thruxton Rectory

Constantly changing 4 acre plantsman's garden created since 2007 and stocked with unusual perennials and roses together with woodland borders, gazebo, vegetable parterre, glasshouse and natural pond.

Kentchurch Court

25 acre garden, much of it in the picturesque landscape style. Herbaceous borders and working vegetable garden. Sweet peas, roses and clematis grown through the vegetable plots. Walled garden with newly created perennial borders.

Nant y Bedd

Blending the wild and tame, a 6.5 acre garden described by Sarah Price as ‘absolutely enchanting, of the place and so imaginative’. Sitting within a landscape of mature forest in the Black Mountains, heritage vegetables, a fruit garden, a wildlife pond, perennial borders and a riverside walk.

The Pant

Set in a secluded valley in the spectacular Black Mountains, walled gardens, an Islamic garden, a knot garden and an orchard lead up to 25 acres of landscaped woods with a green theatre, a ruined village and a large dry stone turtle. Wonderful views

Court-y-pella

A south facing four acre garden started from scratch in 2013. Mixed roses and perennials, 2 acre wild flower meadow with meandering paths. Wild life pond, stream, 100 newly planted trees and large land sculpture

Stalls

We have a great line-up of plant and gardening stalls. There will be plenty of food.

Supper

Supper and tour of Whitfield - Ted Clive has very kindly offered to take a tour of his splendid garden followed by supper.

Walks

Herefordshire Wild Trust will be guiding walks in nearby reserves, Crow Wood and The Parks.

“I'm already looking forward to GiW 2017: to hear renowned speakers, buy unusual plants, walk with expert guides and visit a fascinating selection of private gardens. I can think of no better way to spend a summer weekend.” Helena Attlee, author of The land where lemons grow

“A great festival with a strong personality and clear focus, set in the heart of one of the UK's most vibrant garden-making counties.”

Tim Richardson, author of The New English Garden

Put the date in your diary now! We hope to open booking on 10th March

If you need more information, contact us using the contact page on the website.

GARDENS IN THE WILD FESTIVAL HEREFORDSHIRE