Back to Herefordshire - Part 3: Brobury House Gardens, Bredwardine

 

Thursday I suggested to B that we visit some new gardens at Brobury House in Bredwardine an area we haven't visited before. To be honest I had a bit of a cunning plan as this is Kilvert country!

Red admiral in the car park spotted while we were eating an early packed lunch.

Brobury House Gardens cover 8 acres and are built in terraces around a Victorian house. Water features and trees are major themes and there is a two acre water meadow by the River Wye.

The gardens reflect past owners.  The house, in the style of a Scottish Hunting Lodge, was built for a Mr. Houghton from Manchester in 1881. A General Pitman planted the orchards in colours to resemble his regiment on parade.  Most of the large old trees were part of the original design for the garden.  More trees were added over the years including a stand of paper birches.  The introduction of three formal water features on the terraces has been carried out in more recent years, for example, the Lutyens inspired pool with double steps and a parterre.  A stream at the bottom of the garden which runs into the River Wye has had ponds and waterside planting added.  There is also a bog garden with a Norfolk reedbed and further along the stream a waterfall has been constructed from local stone.  

The present owners Keith and Pru Cartwright have been here since 2001 and are restoring the gardens and developing them with garden designer Peter Antonius.

The gardens were built on what was once the vegetable garden for the vicarage where Francis Kilvert, Victorian diarist, was vicar for the last few years of his life.

He is said to have planted this mulberry tree on the terrace lawn.

The gardens were lovely with lots of hidden corners and features.

This feature has a sedum roof - what a lovely idea.

You can't tell from this photo but this bracket fungus was HUGE!

From the grounds you can see Bredwardine Vicarage where Francis Kilvert lived for a time before sadly dying just a few months after his marriage at the young age of 38.  Also in the photo is part of the Church of St Andrew's where he was rector.

Bredwardine Bridge with its 6 arches over the River Wye was built in 1762/4.  I wonder how many times Francis walked over this bridge? In fact walking round the gardens I thought of him often and could just imagine him playing croquet on the lawn.

This unusual tree is a Rubinia Pseudoacacia (Crispa)

The greenhouses date from the late 1800's.

The coat of arms of Mr Houghton the first owner.

Finally we had a cup of tea and cake sitting outside. For me Carrot Cake - gosh this must be the first photo of eating a cake out since before the pandemic!

As we were so close to Bredwardine I asked B if before leaving we could just drive round the village and perhaps briefly visit the church.  St Andrew's church will be the subject of the next blog post.

I hope everyone is staying safe and well.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would be grateful please if they could email me first - thanks).