***************************************************************** * Gardens-Guide.com * 250,000 UNIQUE VISITORS in 2011 * 2,000 garden pages viewed per day from March to September 2011 * * 1,000+ Page Views! - One-Quarter of all gardens listed on Gardens-Guide.com * were EACH viewed more than 1,000 times in 2011. * * 500+ Page Views! - HALF of all gardens listed on Gardens-Guide.com were * EACH viewed more than 500 times in 2011. * ***************************************************************** *** UPDATE FORM *** Longstock Park Water Gardens 1) Please COPY the entire FORM BELOW 2) Make any changes in BRIGHT RED -OR- mark changed Section Headers with: *** 3) email the ENTIRE FORM UPDATED backto us: wd (at) armchair-travel (dot) com **************************************************************** **************************************************************** **************************************************************** *** also - SEARCH ENGINE BOOSTING for both YOU and Gardens-Guide.com *** If your webmaster could place a link from your own website directly to your page on Gardens-Guide.com, this will improve it's rankings in Google and other search engines. Please use the following format and info on your own site to link to your page in Gardens-Guide.com: at Gardens-Guide.com http://www.gardens-guide.com The premiere directory of open gardens in the UK and Ireland today Ask your friends and suppliers as well to link to your page in Gardens-Guide as well. Every link we get into your page helps rankings for both of us in search engines. **************************************************************** **************************************************************** **************************************************************** Garden Name: Longstock Park Water Gardens Last Modified: 25-04-2012 Garden ID: 0032 pic: 0032_longstockparkwater.jpg NOTE: If this says "missing", then please send us a picture for your page which is at least 1000 x 1000 pixels in size. Thanks! Owner: The John Lewis Partnership Address: Longstock Stockbridge Postcode: SO20 6EH County: Hampshire tel: 01264 810904 fax: website: www.longstockpark.co.uk email: watergarden //at// leckfordestate.co.uk English Heritage Grade: Opening Times: 1st & 3rd Sunday of every month Apr - Sept inclusive; 2pm - 5pm. (open on behalf of a charity) Longstock Park Nursery: All year; Mon - Sat; 8.30am - 4.30pm; Mar - Oct; Sun ; 11am - 5pm. 1st Nov - 28th Feb; Sun; 11am - 4pm. Best Times of Year to Visit: May - June July - August To see: Azaleas, rhododendrons Water lilies National Collection: Buddleja and Clematis Viticella. National Garden Scheme days: Yes Comments: 3rd Sunday in June Parties / Coaches: Yes Comments: Viewing by Appointment: Yes Comments: Book four weeks in advance, afternoon teas can be made available at Longstock Park Nursery. To make a booking please call 01264 810904. House Open for Viewing: No Comments: Admission Prices: PUBLIC CHARITY OPENING Adult £5; Child (under 16) £1. All proceeds go to charity concerned; see own website for list There is a minimum charge of £110 per group for a weekday group visit, contact garden for current charge per person. Parking: Yes Lavatories: Yes Disabled Access: Yes Shop: Yes Plants for Sale: Yes Lunches: No Teas: Yes Refreshments: Yes Picnics: No Dogs allowed: No Only on Lead: No Events: No Other Facilities: Guide dogs only. Teas at Longstock Nursery only Features: Designer: Description of Garden: The River Test, flowing nearby, feeds this exquisite seven acre water garden. The winding paths and little bridges taking the visitor from island to island, reveal wonderful collections of water irises, lilies, astilbes, primulas and many other water-loving plants. The walled garden features herbaceous borders, a rose pergola and the collection of clematis viticella. There is also a six acre arboretum. On request, the National Collection of buddleias with over 100 varieties may be visited. History: The main lake came into being by accident. In 1870, Alfred and Arthur East, the owners of Longstock House, dredged gravel from the banks of the River Test in order to build a private road to the property, creating the lake in the process. When the Easts sold the Longstock Estate in 1914, Reginald Beddington, the son of the new owner, decided to make an aesthetic feature of the water. In the 1920's, it was channelled into a central canal flanked by two small lakes and the margins were planted with perennial beds. The water garden you see now, however, was only created after John Spedan Lewis acquired the estate in 1946. With the help of botanist Terry Jones, whose keen eye for colour was invaluable when it came to selecting inspired combinations of plants, Spedan Lewis began an ambitious plan of redevelopment. He trebled the garden in size, adding a wealth of detail to the main lake with promontories, islands and bridges. The water-logged soil meant all the work had to be done by hand, and it was ten long years before the project was completed. Longstock's head water gardener, Jim Saunders - originally Spedan Lewis's butler - organised the digging and the garden remained under his stewardship until his retirement in 1983. Today there is still a strong sense of continuity: despite some damage caused by the storms of 1987 and 1990, much of Spedan Lewis's original concept remains unchanged. Local Inns: Peat Spade, Longstock Mayfly, Testcombe White Hart, Stockbridge Accomodation: Three Cups, Stockbridge Restaurants: Peat Spade, Longstock Game Larder, Stockbridge Mayfly, Testcombe Village/Town/Sightseeing: