I've been promising D for ages that we would make our annual "pilgrimage" to the National Herb Centre at Warmington, near Banbury. We go there to buy herbs and walk the nature trails.
The centre was established in 1997 by Peter Turner with the aim of providing a place where people could see, enjoy and learn about herbs. Research projects have also taken place here.
We later bought the yellow Calibrachoa for a little watering can plant container we have at home.
It was very hot already when we arrived so we decided to walk the nature trails first before it got even hotter.
At the start are 6 lovely demonstration gardens full of herbs.
The downhill walk to the fields. When we first visited it was August and wild marjoram was in flower here and the plants were covered in Common Blue butterflies - I have never seen so many in one area. This visit we only saw a Red Admiral and an unidentified skipper that whizzed past.
So many different grasses - I would have loved to try and identify some and have since bought a Field Studies Council guide (one of those fold out charts that are so good) to help with id.
There are many paths you can follow on the nature trails and we usually do a circular walk but this time to be honest it was just too hot to walk up and down slopes in full sun
so we sought shelter in the woods where it was much cooler.
Walking back - a mental note has been made not to visit in future when its 30 degrees centigrade!
We sat in the car for a while to eat our sandwiches and have a cup of tea although we have eaten in the bistro there in the past and the food is very good.
Then we had a good look round the nursery area.
The stone dragon they had there last year has disappeared and I don't like this one quite as much.
They sell all sorts of plants and shrubs and there is an amazing variety of herbs. We did look for a "lemon curd" thyme we had seen in one of the demonstration gardens but failed to find one so bought a lemon scented one instead. Parsley was also added to the basket. We already have majoram, chives, sage, rosemary and mint at home.
We already have Ragged Robin at home by the pond but I did buy a Fox and Cubs plant as its one of my favourites. I also bought a pot marigold and some borage.
Apart from the heat it was a lovely day out and my plan that going on a Sunday would mean there wouldn't be a rush hour on the M42 roadworks went well! We did the return journey in 55 minutes even with the 50mph speed restriction for miles.
I do love that part of South Warwickshire/Northern Oxfordshire and. although we've explored the area several times, one day we will visit more of the picuresque villages and churches there.
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 for an email first - thanks).
I would’ve been in my element there! I love herbs..especially Thyme..in fact I’m expecting an order to arrive this week…Thyme,Marjoram and Lavender. Herbs are doing well here as we’ve had little rain! I’ve also just planted some Borage which my sun grew from seed and I’ve sown Ragged Robin, which has germinated. A lovely blog post! 😁
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolutely glorious place to visit? I would be in 7th heaven there. I love my herbs. At one time I had more herbs than anything else in the garden. Until my lovely neighbours killed it I had a rosemary that had moved with me three previous times and was over 25 years old. It's really lovely there, too, isn't it, with all those paths and meadows to wander through. I don't blame you for taking sandwiches. I think the eating habits have changed for a lot of us since the pandemic. I know mine have. I don't think I've eaten out since January 2020.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely, I can feel the heat from your photos. Good to shelter and walk in the woods for a while but I guess hard to cool down even there. It looks an interesting place with lots to see. I love herb gardens there used to be a lovely one near Hardwick Hall that we used to take Mum and Dad to for lunch sometimes when we visited. It closed a few years ago now. Glad you found some fox and cubs for your garden, I bought some Oxeye daisy seeds today for next year:)
ReplyDeleteSal - Thanks so much. Herbs are great to grow as they are so useful for cooking and when they flower the pollinators love them. They have a huge variety at the National Herb Centre - its a great places for herbs and other plants and compared to so many other nurseries their prices are reasonable.Although during lockdown in 2020 I ordered some mail order and postage and packing was high I seem to remember!
ReplyDeleteRustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much and so sorry about your Rosemary - what a horrid thing your neighbours did. OH was upset over his very old Rosemary plant too as he took it to the caravan and the cold winter there finished it off :( I think he had taken a few cuttings though so all is not lost. Those little herb demonstration gardens they have there are just lovely and its a great place to walk so many different paths. I have eaten out occasionally more recently but if I can sit outside! Only sat inside once at Kenilworth Castle as it was raining and I was a nervous wreck as a woman walked past coughing and sneezine!!! I'd much rather sit inside to eat but not these days!
Rosie - Thanks so much. I've never liked it when its really hot but this seems to have got worse the older I get :( So sorry your lovely herb garden near Hardwick Hall closed. I've tried scattering seeds of Fox and Cubs at home but none ever came up and as the plant was so reasonable I thought I'd try one and hope it spreads as long as it doesn't suffer from lack of rain as planted it in Herefordshire garden! Glad you have bought some Oxeye Daisy seeds :) We had them for a while in the wildflower area at the top of the garden but only get a few now. They are so lovely and I would also like some Cow Parsley up there and some Wild Garlic!!!!
The garden walks looke lovely, I have never been to the herb centre.
ReplyDeleteWe passed near to Banbury on our recent travels to Northamptonshire for a wedding.
CherryPie - Thank you and its a lovely place. There are some lovely villages and churches in that area too and NT Upton House isn't far away.
ReplyDeleteOh I'd have loved to visit there too - I used to be really keen on my herbs, but as the years go on . . . That said I brought a pretty Silver Thyme recently and have it in a pot for the bees to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI have Fox and Cubs growing wild in my lawn! It loves it here but then it is very old established hay meadow out front and haymeadow and moss on the main lawn!
I got a couple of apps for my phone this week. The Merlin bird songs one is so interesting, and yesterday afternoon I got a plant one called Plantnet for wild flowers. I shall go for a walk with it after lunch and see what Umbellifers are about as I never remember their leaves for ID.
Bovey Belle - Thanks so much. I would love a proper dedicated herb garden but my old one got taken over as perennials spread from the adjacent border. Now we grow in big pots.
ReplyDeleteFox and Cubs is one plant I would love to have.
Sadly, I have an ancient mobile inherited from husband. Its rubbish - I think it does take apps but its a horrid thing to use and I only take it with me when out alone. OH has several apps on his - a bird call one and I know you can get wild flowers ones. I am the same with Umbellifers!!!
Interesting, not a place I'd heard of - and that nature trail looks fabulous. I love fox and cubs and bought a single plant two years ago - no one told me they are invasive thugs (in the nicest possible way) - they've spread all over the garden and now form mats of rosettes over the borders. if I'd known I'd have posted some to you.. or the seeds which are as I write drifting hither and yon across the garden in the breeze. We love it.
ReplyDeleteThe Wessex Reiver - Thanks so much Andrew - it really is a lovely place. Fox and cubs just reminds me of peaceful country churchyards. I've already been told its an invasive thug! I haven't told OH that! but I don't mind. I've tried scattering seed I've collected in places but never seem to get any results but thank you so much for the kind thought. I still have some more seeds in Herefordshire I may well scatter those around and hope :)
ReplyDelete