A visit to Holehird Gardens

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Holehird Gardens sit on a sloping site on the hills above Windermere with views westwards over Lake Windermere to the fells beyond. Sitting in ten acres it consists of a walled garden, mixed borders, woodland plantings and an incredible six National Collections - Astilbes, the Mouse Ear Hostas, Hydrangeas, Meconopsis, Polystichium and Daboecia. It is also the home of the Lakeland Horticultural society who manage the gardens and run the welcome centre and plant sales.


The Mouse Hosta collection


Mixed borders in the walled garden

Autumn colours starting

Easily done as a day trip, we headed south through the Lake District past Ullswater and over the scenic Kirkstone Pass in September. Just before Windermere you will see signs for Holehird on the left. After navigating the automatic gate and making yourway up the driveway you come to the car park in front of the walled garden. The entrance is through a gateway in the walled garden wall. Ahead you will see the walled garden which is the heart of the gardens and to your left the visitor centre. This is run by helpful and friendly volunteers and you can make a cup of coffee for a wee payment, which was very pleasant as it had just stopped raining and was quite chilly. You can find out more on the Holdhird website. Because the site is on a hillside, some paths are steep or uneven, so comfortable walking shoes are advisable. There are toilets on site and the garden doesn't allow dogs in.



No such thing as a day off, always gardening,
running a garden business or visiting gardens


The walls frame the planting areas which include island beds filled with bold colours, herbaceous borders, climbers on the walls and alpine trough plantings near the patio. The autumn colours were just getting going when we visited, Acers were colouring up and late perennials like Rudbeckia and Crocosmia were still giving plenty colour and interest. We wandered around the walled garden with our coffee and took refuge in the lovely greenhouse as a shower passed through. The gardens are full of a great mix of planting providing interest all year round so no matter when you visit there will be something to see, including the views over the lake and mountains in the distance.


In the glasshouse during a shower of rain



Enjoying the early autumn colours



One of a collection of stone troughs
planted with alpines

From the walled garden we walked around to the rock garden, set above the walled garden looking out over the gardens. Mature trees and shrubs are underplanted with a great selection of perennials, ferns and alpines including the national collections of Polystichum and Daboecia. Small paths wind up and down taking you through between the borders.

Cornus and autumn crocus


The Lakeland Fells in the distance

The National collection of Astilbe

There are over 200 hundred astilbes in the collection here, providing a fabulous carpet of pinks, reds, purples, whites and creams when in flower from mid to late summer. The vibrant new growth in spring also provides colour earlier in the year.

Windermere

Actaea

Great Lakeland views

Acer leaves


From the rock garden paths take you down towards Holehird House (not open to the public) from here you can explore the lower gardens which features a cascade, a pool (Gunnera Pool), woodland paths and a path through the trees that brings you out at the National collection of Hydrangea that also has its home at Holehird. In the gardens there are about 200 hydrangea that are suitable for growing in the Lake district conditions. The colours when we visited were fantastic. 



Cornus fruit











A great planting of Cyclamen 


After Visiting the gardens we wandered northwards and stopped off at Ambleside for a walk around and a late pub lunch. We visited the bridge house and Maisie enjoyed a walk around the park before we headed home through sun and rain, making for some great light on the fells.



The Bridge House, Ambleside







 



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