HAMPSHIRE
In spring there are the snowdrops and other bulbs, hellebores
and daphnes, giving way to hostas and then on through
a myriad of plants and colours in the daylily garden, the
cottage garden, the white garden, around the summer house
and along the salmon and peach borders.
Apple Court -in spring there are the snowdrops and other bulbs, hellebores
The Japanese garden has a traditional tea house by the pond,
and daphnes, give way to hostas
with plantings of clipped box and Japanese Ilex, an Umbrella
pine, acers, peonies and bamboos to create the mood.
The White Cottage, Beech
Groundcover is provided by the use of Soleirolia soleirollii
Although there is year-round interest for visitors to this
instead of moss.
one acre garden, the ever increasing collection of hellebores
The kitchen garden of Yeatton House lay abandoned more
among the spring bulbs make this a particularly good garden
than 20 years ago when the acre of land was taken over and
to visit in March – and perhaps take home a plant as a
the big makeover began. The house, in the south west corner,
reminder of the visit.
was the apple store, then turned into a squash court in the
Owners Mr. and Mrs P. Conyers have been gradually changing
1950s before being made into a dwelling.
the garden at the White Cottage for the past 25 years. When
The sea is less than a mile away, so the garden’s design was
they moved there in 1984 there were just elderly shrubs, two
partly dictated by the prevailing conditions and the need to
large fruit cages and a lot of grass.
create shelter for plants against sometimes harsh winds. The
Now there are hidden vistas and flowing grass paths linking
result is a delightful series of interlocking areas with their
various areas, with a wide range of shrubs and plants.
own character and also making a microclimate suited to
each group of plants.
One fruit cage collapsed in an autumn gale to be replaced by
a paved area with flower beds, proving that there is always
an opportunity arising from natural disasters for the keen
gardener.
The thin chalk soil has been much improved by the regular
addition of manure and the Conyers’ own compost. New
plantings of shrubs have been linked up and underplanted
with hellebores and geraniums, the hellebores and spring
bulbs giving way to colour provided by flowering shrubs and
herbaceous borders in succession through the season.
Half-hardy plants such as salvias, argyranthemums, dahlias
and fuchsias are propagated in the greenhouses and poly
tunnel. There is a soft fruit area, a conservatory with exotics
and a new area is the scree bed which contains ‘small
treasures’ needing good drainage and some attention.
Location: The White Cottage, Beech, Alton, GU34 4AQ. 2
Location: Apple Court Nursery and Garden, Hordle Lane,
miles N of Alton. Leave Alton on the Basingstoke road A339,
Hordle, Lymington, Hampshire S041 0HU.
and after about one mile turn left to Medstead and Beech.
Open: 1st March – end of October. 10am – 5pm. Friday/
Wellhouse Road is on the second right. Parking available at
Saturday/Sundays & Bank Holidays. Coaches and private
the village hall at bottom of the road, with a limited amount
parties catered for any day in season – contact phone
of parking at the house – always worth a try first.
number below
Open: Sun 21st & Mon 22nd March, 1pm – 4.30pm. Visitors
Admission: £4, children under 14 free
also welcome by appointment.
Telephone: 01590642130
Admission: £2.50, children free. Teas and plants for sale.
Email: applecourt@btconnect.com
Disability information: all paths are grass.
Website: www.applecourt.com
Telephone: 01420 89355
Country Gardener
17
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