Longstock Water Gardens - Hampshire

This afternoon we visited Longstock Water Gardens, Hampshire - just north of Stockbridge (website here). These private gardens are only open the first and third Sunday afternoon every month during the summer. Here are some of the pictures we took.

Across the lakes

A rather unusual plant

The general effect of the layout of the gardens is rather reminiscent of a Japanese garden. The difference is the lack of fine-grained design and thematic structure - Longstock is sprawling and higgedly-piggedly in the English fashion.

View across the lakes

After we had spent an hour walking the lakes and the woodland behind, we exited the gardens into Longstock Park. A fifteen minute walk through the parkland brought us to the top of the hill and the nursery and tea-room. Clare ordered a flowering tree for the autumn, and then we took tea in what was apparently the greenhouse.

The very English tea-room

A civilised outing. Now I'm back home I recall I have 30 minutes piano practice to put in - enough diversions!