A couple of weekends ago D who had seen them mentioned in the "I" newspaper I believe suggested a visit to the David Austin Rose Gardens and Nursery near Wolverhampton.
Entry is free and there are several large gardens to enjoy - The Long Garden, Victorian Walled Garden, The Renaissance Garden, The Lion Garden, The Patio Garden and the Species Garden.
I don't think I have ever seen so many roses in one place before but unfortunately the place was teeming with visitors (a weekend in June is not the time to go!). The perfume from the roses was unbelievable and it is a pity I cannot post smell!
A word of warning - there are a lot of photos of roses coming up so this is a post for those who love them.
At around this stage I remembered that some of you are rather fond of David Austin roses so I started to make a note of just a few of the names.
This was one of my favourites - The Lichfield Angel
Gabriel Oak
Timothy feeling rather overwhelmed!
This was another of my favourites - Dame Judi Dench
Jude the Obscure
Maid Marian
Thomas Becket
Green Man
The Lady's Blush
In particular I liked some of the rambling and old English roses. It would have been lovely to have bought one but B have already spotted the prices and I didn't have chance to look around for cheaper ones as D had retired to the car suffering with really bad ear ache.
No tea or cake either as they were queueing out of the door of the tea room.
If you like roses and live close enough or are passing nearby it is definitely the place to go although perhaps not at the weekend!
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera
17 comments:
What a glorious day that was! I remember the fragrance in the Rose Garden at Tatton Hall, so can only begin to imagine the David Austen gardens. I love real rose fragrance, but truly dislike anything synthetic as they never come even remotely close. Beautiful pictures of beautiful blooms.
Definitely a rose lovers paradise. Much as I like the look and smell of roses I hate the way most fight back when pruning them.
Rustic Pumpkin. Thank you. Normally I try and go most years to the Rose Garden at Coughton Court which is really lovely. I totally agree with you about the synthetic rose scent. To be honest since I had my first child I have developed a real dislike to anything with "perfume" - hence I now only use the Simple Range and Ecover cleaners etc. At least with the latter the smell isn't too strong.
Do you remember making "rose perfume/water" from rose petals when you were little?
Midmarsh John. Thank you and you are right those thorns are vicious!! We only have dog roses in our garden but it would be nice to have a small rose garden somewhere and I do like the ones that clamber over trellis's etc.
I don't think I ever tried making rose water perfume when I was little, but I did make rose petal sandwiches for dolly tea time!
Rustic Pumpkin - I expect your dolls loved them :) If you left the rose petals in water too long the liquid began to smell most unpleasant!
I've always wanted to go there, but it's too far for a day out (though that said, we managed Wightwick in April!) I have quite a few DA roses here - the ramblers just going over though Kiftsgate still in full bloom.
I have Lichfield Angel too, and Jude the Obscure (flowering now) and was lucky to get half a dozen for about £7.50 each at Malvern Fleamarket a couple of years back.
I imagine you were floating round on all that collective perfume.
Spectacular colours!
John Scurr - Thankyou. My sense of smell is not brilliant but even I could smell them throughout the whole place! What a lovely idea at Mottisfont - I've just checked the David Austin website and can't see any suggestion of a special evening opening.
Bovey Belle - Thank you and yes I remembered when we were there that you had some! Prices at the nursery were about £25 each and some people were pulling trolleys full of purchases!!!!!!! It sounds as though you got bargains :) I will have to keep my eyes open on my travels. The smell was unbelievable! (ps envious of your Lichfield Angel!!). My dad had a special round bed he called the Rose Garden and I really wish I could persuade OH to create something similar. Some of the rambling roses at DA I really fell in love with.
Simon Douglas Thompson - Thank you - the colours were superb! :)
Bovey Belle - ps I don't think it is that far from Wightwick Manor so might be worth checking if you ever return or move closer :)
What beautiful flowers, i would have loved it here and the smell... I only have one rose in the front garden but have been looking to get a climbing rose for the back.
So nice to look at your photos.
Amanda xx
It's a wonderful garden isn't it? We've visited a few times after we've been to Cosford Air Museum which is just across the fields,just noticed your comments about Wightwick Manor, it's quite close to Albrighton across country roads we went that way once to meet some friends there. The smell of the roses and the colour spreading ahead is what I remember most. We've never yet been able to get in the cafe even before it was refurbished. The new gift shop is lovely but very expensive. Glad you had a lovely day out:)
It looks lovely, I can only imagine the smell!
Amanda Peters - Thank you. Rambling roses and the old English varieties appeal to me. Would so liked to have bought one but they were expensive!
Rosie - Thank you - yes it is marvellous :) Thanks for confirming Wightwick Manor is fairly close. I know we went past DA Roses on our way to Morville Dower House a few years ago when Satnav sent us via the lanes!!! It sounds as though the cafe is always busy!! Didn't spend too long in gift shop due to son's ear ache!
Pam - Thank you - it was rather beautiful :)
I love a visit to David Austin Roses. We sometimes just visit for lunch in their delightful tearoom/restaurant :-)
CherryPie - Thank you. Tea room had people queueing out of the door when we went. A weekend in June probably not the best time !
I forgot to mention that I have no sense of smell either! I am not sure if I have told you that before?
CherryPie - I don't think I knew that. My sense of smell is not brilliant but I could smell the roses.
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