Leicestershire National Garden Scheme Open Gardens June
There are 14 gardens open to visit in Leicestershire during June, with many different styles and size of garden there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Opening the weekend of 1st and 2nd June 11-5pm is 28 Gladstone Street LE18 1AE. A town garden, divided into rooms bisected by a bridge and pond. The planting includes many unusual perennials, David Austin scented roses and a Hosta theatre.
Opening every Wednesday in June, 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th from 2 to 5pm is Stoke Albany House Desborough Road near Market Harborough, LE16 8PT. A large 4 acre country house garden with traditional style planting including a Nepeta walk, parterre with box and roses, Mediterranean garden, greenhouse, water feature and sculptures.
Two gardens open together in Wymeswold at 88 (LE12 6TU) and 109 Brook Street (LE12 6TT) are open on the 8th and 9th from 2 to 5pm and one admission fee covers both gardens. The garden at 88 Brook street has colourful planting of clematis, geraniums, globe thistles and roses ‘Goldfinch’, Kiftsgate, Albertine and Francis Lester. Water features, a stream, mini beach, and a ‘champagne’ pond, and an impressive display of two topiary elephants. Enjoy also the orchard, and wildflower and the garden’s wildlife of frogs; toads; common and great-crested newts; grass snakes; hedgehogs; and bats.
Nearby 109 Brook Street has a garden of about an acre with many mature trees. Lots of herbaceous planting plus a rose and clematis patio, a raised bed kitchen garden and an orchard. The garden features a wild area and both a fish pond and wild pond, with water lilies, and a wild flower meadow fringe. Vibrant planting in the hot garden on has exotic plant species in raised beds with a splash water feature to cool the air on a very hot day. There is an extensive rainwater harvesting system that includes 5000 gallons of storage operated by solar power. There will be a home raised plant sale.
The Secret Garden at Wigston Framework Knitters Museum LE18 2BA opens on Sunday 8th June 11-5pm. A Victorian walled garden approx. 70’x80′ with traditional cottage garden planting. The garden is managed by volunteers with much replanting during past 3 years. The garden is located in the grounds of a historic museum, (an extra charge applies). A unique garden in the centre of Wigston which still retains an air of tranquillity.
If you want to enjoy roses and Clematis, Dairy cottage, LE9 4JN has over 300 on display together with herbaceous borders full of Alliums, Poppies, Salvias, Dieramas, Hollyhocks, and Rodgersia. The garden opens on Sunday 9th June from 11 to 4pm when this traditional cottage garden will be in full bloom.
Opening every day from the 11th to 16th June inclusive and from 12 to 4pm is Neville Holt Hall near Market Harborough LE16 8EG. A large 10 acre garden designed by Chelsea gold medal winner and features 3 distinctive walled gardens. Looking good in June will be the roses in the Italian walled garden throughout the garden. Also featured is the long herbaceous borders full of colour with geranium, Nepeta, Sissyrinchium, and Artemisia.
The Old Rectory Newbold Verdon LE9 9NN opens from 12-7pm on Sat 15th and Sunday 16th. The garden surrounds the Georgian Old Rectory. It contains many species of trees, ranging in age from centuries-old to very young saplings. In June the rose garden will be in full bloom, and there is also a pond, many Hostas, woods, greenhouse, a box parterre and sculptures.
The Secret Garden at Glenfield Hospital LE3 9QP is a hidden gem of peace and tranquillity. Opening on the 22nd June from 10-3pm it provides patients and visitors with a lovely garden space set within the grounds of the Glenfield Hospital. It is 1 acre in size, and in June will features Roses, Lavender, Salvias, Penstemon, Sweet Peas, Erigeron Daisies, Geraniums, ornamental grasses and Wild Flowers. Also on show there will be a fine selection of fruit trees and brushes, herbs and vegetables. There will be a variety of Arts and Crafts Stalls together with a plant sale and (Story Telling), tales from The Secret Garden.
On Sunday 23rd Westbrooke House Market Harborough LE16 8AX opens from 10-4.30. The gardens comprise 6 acres approached through a tree lined driveway of mature limes and giant redwoods. Key features are walled flower garden, walled kitchen garden, fernery, lower garden, wildlife pond, spring garden, lawns, woodland paths and a meadow with a wildflower area, ha-ha and hornbeam avenue. There is a collection of over 270 miniature and very small Hostas.
Opening on 23rd June from 11 to 4pm is 15 The Woodcroft DE74 2QT About a ? acre garden with mature choice trees and shrubs, old and modern shrub roses, fern garden, wildlife garden, alpine troughs and mixed herbaceous borders. There is a comfortable gazebo overlooking recently planted wildlife pond and new for 2024 a large border at the bottom of the garden has been restyled.
Brickfield House near Market Harborough LE16 8XS opens on Friday 28th June from 12 to 4pm. The 2 acre garden enjoys stunning views overlooking the Welland Valley. It has been developed from a sloping brickyard rubbish plot and now features a kitchen garden, orchard, herbaceous borders filled with roses, perennials and shrubs, paths and many pots, filled with succulents, herbs and colourful annuals.
If you love pots and container gardening, a visit to Oak Tree House South Kilworth, LE17 6DU opening on Sat 29th and Sunday 30th will be an ideal day out. This extensive 2/3 acre garden features large herbaceous borders, many clematis and roses, vegetable plot, greenhouse, and ponds, also has a collection of over 300 pots filled with various perennials, succulents, alpines and annuals all of which add colour and interest.
Colourful Planting at Oak Tree House
Tresillian House, Melton Mowbray, LE13 0BQ opens on the 30th June from 11 to 4pm. A quiet secluded garden that features specimen trees, a pond, natural bog garden and koi carp pond, Many different unusual plants for differing seasons, Working vegetable garden and Heated and cold greenhouses. For the June opening there will be live Jazz, and a small art exhibitions by local artists.
Thanks to the generosity of our garden owners and visitors the National Garden Scheme donated a record of £3,403,960 to some of the UK best-loved nursing and health charities, which included £76,000 raised by Leicestershire.
Carol Bartlett Leicestershire National Garden Scheme Publicity volunteer