Rose Gardens to visit

The Royal National Rose Society is at The Gardens of the Rose, Chiswell Green, St.Albans, Hertfordshire AL2 3NR ; tel. 01727 850 461: website is at www.rosesociety.org. The newly-designed rose gardens at the Society’s headquarters were opened by Peter Seabrook on June 9^th. 2007. The roses are now becoming established and a full list is available at the gardens.

David Austin Roses, Bowling Green Lane, Albrighton, Wolverhampton WV7 3HB

Tel: 01902 376377

One of the world’s largest rose collections, including the charming ‘English Roses’, bred only by David Austin. Roses are displayed in beautiful garden settings and the plant centre houses a shop and tea-rooms.

C&K Jones, Goldenfields Nursery, Barrow Lane, Tarvin, Chester CH3 8JF

Tel: 01829 740663

International Rose Specialists and introducers of new varieties. Their catalogue includes some very informative comments by Keith on individual roses.

Webbs of Wychbold, Wychbold, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, WR9 0DG

Tel: 01527 860000

One of Britain’s best garden centres, set in 50 acres. The English Rose display garden, situated within their Riverside Gardens, features varieties raised by David Austin.

Bridgemere Garden World, near Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 7QB

Tel: 01270 520381/521100

A very large garden centre with display gardens.

The Country Garden Plant Centre, Black Birches, Hadnall, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3DH

Tel: 01939 210 380

Proprietors Mr. and Mrs. J.Jinks have a small rose garden and tea rooms. Their whole range of hundreds of varieties of roses in containers is on view in the plant centre, which is set in 15 acres of some of Shropshire’s most beautiful countryside.  They have roses named for special occasions and personalised roses. Contact them for a full list of roses available, or view their website.

Coughton Court, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 5JA

Tel:01789 400777

The gardens of this historic house feature a rose labyrinth in the walled garden. There are magnificent herbaceous borders.  The roses are at their best in June. The gardens were recently presented with an award of garden excellence by the World Federation of Rose Societies.

Lyme Park, Disley, ,Stockport, Cheshire, SK12 2NX

Tel: 01663 766492 (Infoline), 01663 762023

This National Trust property, partly funded by Stockport MBC, has a newly-restored rose garden with several hundred roses of all kinds. We await its development with interest, as 2008 will be its first season.

The Dower House, Morville Hall, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 5NB

Tel: 01746 714407

The garden aims to tell the history of English gardens in a sequence of separate gardens designed in the style of different historical periods.  Old roses are a speciality.

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses, Westbourne Road, Birmingham, B15 3TR

Tel: 0121 454 1860

An independent educational charity. There are 15 acres of ornamental gardens, including rhododendrons and azaleas formal terrace, rock garden and waterfall, Alpine yard, herbaceous borders, herb and cottage garden, rose garden and themed gardens. There is a programme of special events.

Winterbourne Botanic Garden, University of Birmingham,  58,Edgbaston Park Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2RT

Tel: 0121 414 4944

The Botanic Garden at Winterbourne combines 6 acres of themed gardens and plant collections set around Grade II listed Winterbourne House, bequeathed to the University in1944. It is a National Collection holder, and, within the walls of the former kitchen garden, the history of the European Rose is laid out over 32 beds, tracing the ancestors of the garden roses we know today. This was established in 1975 by J.G. Hawkes, the then Head of the Department of Plant Biology. Much work has recently been undertaken to renovate the gardens and improve facilities and there is an ‘adopt a rose’ scheme in operation to replace some of the roses. There is a new Alpine house and the original glasshouses have been restored. The gardens provide a calm oasis in a busy city.

Derby College Broomfield Hall, Morley, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 6DN

Tel: 01332 836600

The college also holds a National Plant Collection of old roses, which was presented to the college originally by Miss Viola Barrett. This has been identified and photographed onto a Plant Database available only at the college. The college has open days. Contact their library for any further information.

Haddon Hall, Bakewell, Derbyshire

Tel: 01629 812855

This house, the home of the Manners family, is steeped in history. The terraced rose gardens, one of the chief glories of Haddon, were added during the 16^th. Century. Roses, clematis and delphiniums soften the walls of this romantic house.

Renishaw Hall & Gardens, Estate Office, Renishaw, Derbyshire S21 3WB

Tel: 01246 432310

The home of the Sitwell family, its gardens were designed by Sir George Sitwell in the early 20^th. Century. They are divided into twelve smaller gardens, including three rose gardens containing many historic varieties under-planted with clematis, peonies, lilies and geraniums. These are inter-planted with unusual flowering shrubs. The garden as a whole has over 1000 roses, and these have recently been added to.  A rose nursery, Handley Nurseries, is in the vicinity.

Broughton Castle,  near Banbury OX15 5EB

Tel. 01295 722 547

Historic moated manor house. Home of Lord Saye and Sele for 600 years. Fine walled gardens with some magnificent old roses, David Austin roses and herbaceous borders.

Wightwick Manor, Wightwick Bank, Wolverhampton, WV6 8EE

Tel: 01902 761108

This National Trust house is one of only a few surviving examples of a house built and furnished under the influence of the Arts and Crafts Movement. It has William Morris original wallpapers and fabrics, Pre-Raphaelite paintings, Kempe glass and de Morgan ware. The attractive garden, with some rose beds, reflects the style and character of the house.

Coton Manor Garden, Nr. Guilsborough, Northamptonshire, NN6 8RQ Tel: 01604 740 219

Ten.acre garden in countyside setting. ‘A beautifully maintained garden of exceptional charm.’

Sudeley Castle & Gardens, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, GL54 5JD

Tel: 01242 602308

These include the famous Queen’s Garden with its roses.

Upton House, near Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX15 6HT

Tel: 01295 670266

A National Trust House, with an internationally important collection of paintings and collections of porcelain. The gardens are of interest in all seasons, including a bog garden and the National Collection of Asters, as well as a small rose garden.

Mattocks Roses, Nuneham Courtenay, Oxford OX44 9PY

Tel: 0345 585652

The specialist rose division of Notcutts garden centre with rose display garden.

Spetchley Park Gardens, Worcester, WR5 1RS

Tel: 01905 345224

The 110-acre deer park and the 30-acre gardens surround an early 19^th-century mansion (not open), with sweeping lawns and herbaceous borders, a rose lawn and enclosed gardens with low box and yew hedges. There is a large collection of trees and shrubs.

Haddonstone Show Gardens, The Forge House, East Haddon, Northampton,

 NN6 8DB

Tel: 01604 770711

Those who wish to see classic garden ornaments on display, may do so in the setting of the walled manor gardens. These are on different levels, with shrub roses, ground cover plants, conifers, clematis and climbers.

Arbury Hall, Nuneaton, Warwickshire

Tel: 02476 382804   NB -  limited opening times.

Extensive landscaped gardens, including a rose garden, and lakeside wooded walks.

The National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas now has a themed rose garden which is dedicated to the War Widows. Roses here are growing in very difficult conditions.

The National Gardens Scheme, a Charitable Trust, arranges for many privately owned gardens to be opened to the public on occasion in aid of their scheme, as well as having contributions from some which are open to the public. They produce booklets in some areas, and ones for Worcestershire and Warwickshire are available. As with information on most gardens, leaflets and further information are available from Tourist Information Centres and other outlets and on the internet.