Holehird Gardens

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On our way home from a wonderful vacation in the Lake District a sign to Holehird Gardens caught our attention and we decided to see if it was open.  We were delighted to be greeted by electric gates which swung open and welcomed us up the grand drive.  We were not sure if the gardens were going to be open having looked on the website as we found the information a little confusing.  We parked the car and entered into the walled garden having made our donation, it was remarkably still and peaceful being the only visitors there.
It was a frosty morning having dropped to minus 3 overnight and the information we had read on the website became clear.  The garden is open all year round but is not staffed by the volunteers during the winter months.  Therefore the visitors centre that has a cafe, toilets and shop is closed.  Being the only visitors in the entire space at 10:30am on a Sunday we made our way slowly around the circumference of the large walled garden whispering to each other so not to disturb the abundant wildlife.  The wide planting beds had been prepared for the winter with much of the perennial stock cut back hard.  

Here we found horticultural heaven, the love in this place obvious in the meticulously organised labelling of every plant, tree and shrub, the carefully chopped stems, the frost-tender plants heaving in the lightly heated greenhouse.  

 Whilst this is the end of the season for many gardeners we continue to find beauty in the simple things and the pull of the outside captivates us throughout the year.  During our 90 minute visit we met three other keen gardeners who had also braved the cold to pay a visit.


The combination of this crisp Clematis White Columbine paired with the Rose Rural England  on  a pilar is divine, the gates leading out to the Rock Garden and Fell Border bearing the initials of the Lakeland Horticultural Society that in a former career stood for something else entirely.  


 Holehird Gardens houses national collections of evergreen ferns, Himalayan poppies and Astilbes so there is something to see whatever the season, for us the draw of the ferns sufficed i'm sure you will find something equally special here, the views are stunning alone.
Mountain range labels for view in picture below.

Mountain range from Gunnera pool and cascade

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