Visiting English Gardens

The weekend of the 8^th, 9^th, and 10^th of July 2005 was a busy, but enjoyable one for several Goring families and their visitors from Bellême.

Early on Friday morning the French coach, and thirty one Bellemois arrived in Goring for a weekend mainly devoted to visiting English gardens. Included in the group were five Photographers from Bellême, and they had brought with them an exhibition of Photographs which went on show in the Free Church Hall for the rest of Friday and all Saturday.

Friday was a trip to Hampton Court.

On Saturday the French group split up. The Photographers went off with some English friends to visit Lacock Abbey, where the Fox Talbot Museum of Photography is situated.

The other members of the French party and quite a number of English hosts visited two beautiful gardens quite near to Goring. First the beautiful Blewbury Manor Garden in the morning, and then after lunch at Route One, we went onto Chalkhouse Green Farm Garden, where we saw some interesting old English animals as well as a lovely garden. Whilst there we all enjoyed a wonderful English afternoon tea!

On the Saturday evening we all went off to Benson Village Hall for Supper with “Gardeners’ Question Time” and a “Gardeners’ Quiz”.

On Sunday morning late we had Brunch in typical English style. After fortifying ourselves in this way we set off to visit Hillier’s Garden Centre at Hermitage. This was followed by visits to two more stunning gardens in Bradfield South End, ‘Mariners’ and ‘Potash’.

The gardens were all superb. All typically English, but each distinctly different with its own special charm.

The weather by this time was hot and sunny and for some time we sat in the shade under the trees and admired the views. We were all really glad to have another English Afternoon Tea in Streatley with which to conclude the visit.

On Sunday evening, before our visitors left, their driver had to spend quite a bit of time packing all their garden purchases into their bus! We hope everything arrived safely and that the plants are all growing happily in the Bellême gardens.

This visit is typical of exchanges which take place between Goring and District and the Bellême area in Normandy . There have been two Garden exchanges in France and two in Goring as well as countless other successful twinning occasions over the last twenty five years. If you think that you might be interested in taking part in any of our activities please contact us at events1@goring-twinning.co.uk