Our first coach trip for 2010 was to Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire. This was originally the site of the famous Waterperry Horticultural School for women and it still provides a range of horticultural and craft based courses. On a hot sunny day the eight acres of gardens where looking lovely, and have the added advantage of being in a beautiful country setting. The various rose gardens where at their best and looked all the better for having been planted amongst a variety of perennials. The herbaceous borders, formal gardens, alpine garden and water lily canal were all a delight to wander round; and for those feeling particularly energetic you could wander across the meadows to the riverbank.

We were lucky in that the house was open for guided tours and we had the opportunity to see the very extensive and impressive frescos which had only been painted eight years previously by art students (see Carolyn’s photographs). Apart from all of the above there was also the Saxon Church, art gallery, Country Life Museum and the nursery to inspect and the Tea Shop to indulge ourselves in.
Martin Higgins