annhig

There is a vineyard in Cornwall that is famous for its sparkling wine which has won prizes in blind tastings against champagne:

https://www.camelvalley.com/2012-cam...al-winner.html

wrenwood

I forgot about Sir Harold Hillier Garden and also Hinton Ampner, have to look at itinerary again!

annhig, what route were you taking when you went though Devizes area? If we didn't go to Basildon, we could drive from Winchester through Devizes and Castle Coombe, then to Greys Court.

Greys Court is only about an hour from Great Fosters where we stay our final night.

annhig

annhig, what route were you taking when you went though Devizes area? If we didn't go to Basildon, we could drive from Winchester through Devizes and Castle Coombe, then to Greys Court.>>

I came up the A30 to Exeter, kept on the A30 rather than taking the M5, and then the A303, and finally, just before Stonehenge, turned left onto the A360. This took me initially across Salisbury plain, and then through a few very pretty villages. No reason why you shouldn't stay on the A303 past Amesbury until you hit the A360; I don't know if this is more or less picturesque than the alternative which is to take the A345 from Amesbury to Devizes.

It does seem to be going rather in the wrong direction though and I'm not sure that it's any better than Selbourne and the Devil's Punchbowl.

wasleys

Don't miss St Peter's Church, Hever which is just outside the gates to Hever Castle. Anne Boleyn worshiped her and her father and baby brother are both buried in the church.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/church...ver/index.html

wrenwood

wasleys, believe it not I do have that on my notes to myself! We love old churches (and Abbeys)

Wow, you have a lot of info on that website!

wrenwood

What about Polesdon Lacey from Winchester?

janisj

Polesd<B>e</B>n Lacey is about 90 minutes by car from Winchester so up to you if you consider that doable.

annhig

I had to remind myself which NT property Polesden Lacy was, but this helped:

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/polesden-lacey

Bill and I went there a couple of years ago with his sister who lives in South London and we enjoyed it a lot but I'm not sure I'd want to see it enough to do a day trip from Winchester to see it [if that's what you are intending].

wrenwood

Oops sorry, I meant from Hever Castle.
If I do a Google Search for Polesdon Lacey Daffodils, pretty pictures come up

I was thinking of adding Polesdon Lacey to Day 5 with Ightham Mote (instead of the coast)
*Day 5
Ightham Mote *** have not been there

and ??? Maybe to the coast near Faversham?
Knole is pretty much closed in March


By the way, I got a lovely reply from Painshill after I emailed them
<We are indeed open seven days a week in March albeit still with Winter opening times (10am-4pm) . Our head gardener has said that at this time of year we can expect lots of snowdrops, daffodils and plenty of other early shrubs.>

And found quite a nice picture
https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1603...8bd8c070_b.jpg

Nonconformist

I think Polesden Lacey is too far to do from Kent. It might be a possible stop for your day moving from Kent to Winchester.

annhig

I agree that Polesden Lacy is rather far away for a day trip from Kent, but what about Scotney Castle?

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/scotney-castle

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/pla...times-calendar

Much closer and stunning in winter. I would also suggest considering Westerham, Chiddingstone, Ide Hill, Toys Hill all of which I think I mentioned above - all lovely and very well worth seeing and a lot closer to where you will be staying.

janisj

>>If I do a Google Search for Polesdon Lacey Daffodils<<

I would not make a special trip ANYWHERE for daffodils. You will see then <i>everywhere</i> in every garden. I didn't look it up but definitely agree, if Scotney Castle Gardens is open on your dates put it on your list.

wrenwood

Driving an hour or so doesn't bother us. I have to drive 20 minutes one way to the nearest grocery store (and I don't like that store) or 40 minutes one way to my favorite grocery store.

Not that Google Maps is always accurate, but they have 21 miles/39 minutes to Scotney Castle and 30 miles/52 minutes to Polesden Lacy so I don't see that much difference.

We have been to Scotney Castle, it's lovely, and unfortunately Chiddingstone Castle won't be open.

janisj, I don't choose our places to visit based on Daffodils. My business is Landscape and Garden Design. I have seen a gazillion Daffodils, and my crews have planted a gazillion Daffodils at my clients.

I have found that if a property has Daffodils, they usually have nice spring gardens with earlier spring Bulbs like Galanthus, Scillas, Crocus,etc and early Perennials such as Pulmonaria, Hellebores, Primula, Bergenia etc. So googling images for places + daffodils has shortened the time to find out if they have spring gardens

Anyway, I'm thinking I might combine PL with Painshill.

I originally planned Painshill with Wisley our first day when we leave Great Fosters to pick up our car. But if we want to sleep in that first morning and have a leisurely breakfast before we go to Heathrow to pick up the car, I doubt we will have enough time for both Wisley and Painshill.

I don't think we've been to Painshill, and if I remember, we were several hours at Wisley the last time we were there.

annhig, I think last time we went to this area in March you sent me to a website for smaller private gardens that are open at times ~ do you remember?

janisj

>>Not that Google Maps is always accurate<<

Sorry but google maps is almost <i>always</i> inaccurate -- at least for the UK. You need to add from 25% to 50%+ to every drive time.

>>janisj, I don't choose our places to visit based on Daffodils. My business is Landscape and Garden Design. I have seen a gazillion Daffodils, and my crews have planted a gazillion Daffodils at my clients.<<

I only based my response on yours so it did sound like you wanted to see the daffs there. But honestly Polesden Lacey would be on the OK list -- not amazing like many of the other places you are visiting.

annhig

<<annhig, I think last time we went to this area in March you sent me to a website for smaller private gardens that are open at times ~ do you remember?>>

Renewed - I think that you're probably referring to the National Garden Scheme - NGS - aka the Yellow Book:

https://www.ngs.org.uk/find-a-garden/

I hope you find something you fancy. Shame that you've already seen Scotney and that Chiddingstone Castle is closed. I was rather surprised to be told by a friend I visited on my recent trip to Kent that her GD goes to a nursery run at the back of the castle - fancy that - very posh!

Odin

If you are looking for other gardens in the Painshill/Wisley area, Claremont Gardens is very close to Painshill.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cla...ndscape-garden

janisj

The NGS/Yellow Book is your friend.

https://www.ngs.org.uk/product/pre-o...handbook-2018/

janisj

The NGS/Yellow Book is your friend.

https://www.ngs.org.uk/product/pre-o...handbook-2018/

janisj

Have no idea how that posted twice . . .

wrenwood

The day we go to Painshill and Polesdon Lacey, is there a prettier way back to Hever rather than the M25?