(^104) Hampshire Life: February 2019
bulbs underfoot. Peeping out of the grass
are scatterings of crocuses, daffodils,
snowdrops and aconites. The Wakefields
have not significantly changed the outline
of the garden but have continued the
tradition of caring and maintaining the
property while adding to the plant palette.
Also open on the 10th, The Down House
in Itchen Abbas is impressive with a sea
of snowdrops, crocuses and aconites set
against dramatic coloured stems of cornus
and salix inspired by a visit to the winter
garden at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in
Romsey. Owners Jackie and Mark Porter
have added a path through the bulbs to
create a woodland walk, so take time to
fully enjoy the beauty close up. Structural
elements, including a large rectangular
formal lawn punctuated with large urns
and rope swags set on timber posts, form
an exciting juxtaposition to the swathes
of colour on the ground. Unusually the
garden is planted not only for year-round
interest, but with a particular focus on
winter interest so it’s full of inspiring ideas
at this time of the year.
Little Court, in the pretty unspoilt village
of Crawley, is an harmonious scene of soft
mauve crocuses, planted over 50 years ago,
accompanied by other spring bulbs and
early plants, gnarled ancient apple trees,
and all comfortably enclosed by old mellow
walls. Patricia Elkington and her husband
Professor Andrew Elkington have created
a simply lovely garden with a balance
between wildlife, plants and humans. The
garden opens four times in February to
catch the peak crocus time. Your final treat
is a visit to the historic Chawton House
Library on the 24th, where snowdrops
are scattered on the south lawn and in the
wilderness of this 14-acre listed English
landscape garden under restoration. Sited
opposite Jane Austen’s House Museum,
Chawton aims to foster research and
understanding of early female authors
and houses a unique collection of women’s
writing.
All these gardens may be on a larger
scale than your home garden but you
can translate the combinations into the
smallest of spaces, even containers,
and you are sure to be inspired by these
delightful early flowers and the impact
they can make to enliven the cold days
before the explosion of the next succession
of bulbs; the tulips which we will be
visiting next month.
GARDENING
PAY A VISIT
Bramdean House
Bramdean, SO24 0JU
February 10 (2pm-4pm)
Admission £5,
children free
The Down House
Itchen Abbas, SO21 1AX
February 10 (1pm-4pm)
Admission £5,
children free
Little Court
Crawley, SO21 2PU
February 17 & 18
(2pm- 4.30pm)
February 24 & 25
(2pm- 4.30pm)
Admission £5,
children free
Chawton House Library
Chawton, GU34 1SJ
February 24 (11am-
4pm)
Admission £5,
Formal hedging at Bramdean House is a
foil against scatterings of early bulbs
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