Wakehurst Place

[arbwork]

Visit Wakehurst | Beautiful botanic gardens, West Sussex Why have I not been here before? interesting day of discovery, I highly recommend a visit.

[arbwork]

managed to be at the meeting point for the 11.30 guided tour led by Valerie, a Kew garden volunteer, informative hour or so with history of house and family, detailed info on national trust and Kew involvement, including loss of substantial amount of government, DEFRA, funding in the last few years, resulting in controversial carpark charging and other ideas to help income stream, this site includes Kew's Millennium Seed Bank! and is a very visitor friendly building, my thanks and admiration to Valerie and her colleagues who have the ability to retain information and gently give teach this to visiting groups

[David Humphries]

I've never been to Wakehurst, thanks for sharing the images Jerry (senior moment on t'other thread )

 

Yew reduction looks a tad on the harsh side

 

 

 

 

 

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[spandit]

Beautiful place - went there the first time about 2 weeks ago. Ate a fruit from the Chinese dogwood tree too...

[arbwork]

David, Wakehurst certainly warrants a family visit you would not be disappointed, I to raised an eyebrow at the Yew, seemingly smothered in other foliage until recently, interesting aerial roots type of thing going on, possibly held/ dragged down long enough to take root? high standard of work with explanation/ justification for arboricultural and other works throughout on going, I think permanent tree gang of 4 direct employed, a special place to work lucky people

 

spandit I first thought it to be arbutus spp. related! if it were in Portugal they would be having a go at making Aguardente de Medronhos with it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medronho, as you are still here to post then I guess it is not poisonous as I was told !!? , looks as if it should edible.

 

Franklin Tree one I have not been aware of in the past and not one that would have taken notice of had it not been pointed out to me

Edited August 26, 2016 by arbwork

[spandit]

Ah, it was a different strawberry tree, cornus kousa, I've planted one in my orchard but it's too young to fruit. They were very sweet

[arbwork]

the fruit reminded me a little of litchi ! with excellent crop this year, good luck with your orchard interesting project

[arbwork]

works of art feature throughout the site a good number themed on seed and pollen with an interesting section on pollination in the gardens complete with bee hive with warnings!

[arbwork]

The garden today covers some 500 acres and includes walled and water gardens, woodland and wetland conservation areas.

It was largely created by Gerald Loder (later Lord Wakehurst) who purchased the estate in 1903 and spent 33 years developing the gardens.He was succeeded by Sir Henry Price, under whose care the Loder plantings matured, Sir Henry left Wakehurst Place to the nation in 1963 and the Royal Botanic Gardens took up a lease from the National Trust in 1965.

Wakehurst is home to the National Collections of Betula , Hypericum, Nothofagus and Skimmia. The Great Storm of 1987 decimated Loder's plantings, toppling 20,000 trees ouch!! Since then, Kew has redesigned the gardens to create a walk through the temperate woodlands of the world. ( I borrowed the above words to give info on the estate )

[Andrew McEwan]

Great photos, on the trip list