WELCOME
Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Garden Centre Magazine for Waterperry Gardens,
Inside this edition you can find a plentiful amount of information on what you can find instore, as well as a handy section on monthly garden tips. With knowledgeable and friendly staff on hand in store to help with advice or inspiration, complemented by the huge variety of stock available, you will be sure to find what you need for your upcoming garden and/or home projects. This edition also includes many different informative editorials and alongside you will find local businesses whose services may just be what you are looking for.
We have also launched a digital copy of the magazine, available to view on your smart phone instantly. Please scan the QR code, featured at the bottom of this page, and this will bring up the publication for you to view. You can also access the digital magazine at touchpoints in the garden centre. One of the most exciting features of our digital publication is that you can interact with the garden centre's social media or connect with local business websites with just a quick tap on your device.
As always, we welcome feedback on our magazine, if you have any comments you'd like to add, we would love to hear them. Please email: info@yhgmedia.co.uk
Kind regards and happy reading!
Johnathan Beveridge Magazine Editor
Just a stone’s throw from Oxford and within easy reach of London nestles Waterperry Gardens. Made famous by Beatrix Havergal who established her School of Horticulture for Ladies here from 1932 to 1971, it’s now home to 20 acres of beautifully landscaped ornamental gardens, a quality plant centre and garden shop, gallery and gift barn, museum and tea shop.
ABOUT WATERPERRY
The heritage of the horticultural school, run by the redoubtable Beatrix Havergal with her partner Avice Sanders, remains at the core of what we do at Waterperry with the sharing of knowledge of staff with visitors and apprentices alike.
The gardens themselves are evidence of Beatrix’ horticultural virtuosity, in particular the classical herbaceous border. This remains an object of admiration to visitors by virtue of the gardeners’ continuing faithfulness to its original conception.
Although the teaching school left its mark on the gardens, these were principally established for educational purposes, including the striking ‘living catalogue’ of herbaceous plants. Yet, since the closure of the school, extensive developments have taken place in the gardens under the auspices of the present owners, The School of Philosophy and Economic Science, far beyond their scope when purchased in 1971.
The gardens now occupy 20 acres. Bernard Saunders and Mary Spiller were responsible for this development through their combination of artistic and horticultural expertise.
This has resulted in a number of planted spaces that bring together geometrical and aesthetic principles with brilliant plant selection. The result is an uplifting and often surprising experience for visitors. These elements will remain uppermost in the minds of the garden team as the gardens continue to develop in the future.
Girl with the luminous lamp of wisdom. Sculpture by Nathan David FRBS.
PLANT CENTRE
We may have a reputation for being beautiful gardens but we are much more than that. We have a fabulous plant centre, housed within the ancient walled garden, that offers plant connoisseurs and budding amateurs alike the chance to buy unusual varieties of shrubs and herbaceous plants. Our experienced nursery staff ensure that our plants are high quality, hardy and reliable. Many of the plants you see in the Gardens are sold in the Plant Centre, enabling you to recreate your own little piece of Waterperry at home.
HERBACEOUS
An extensive range of asters grown onsite, alongside a carefully curated range of beautiful, British-grown perennials.
3 YEAR HARDY PLANT GUARANTEE
All our hardy plants are guaranteed for three years from date of purchase. We take pride in the quality and care of our plants and will refund or replace any that fail.
SEASONAL & BEDDING
Quality-grown plants from established English nurseries for instant impact and colour, with a range of herbs, vegetables, and soft fruit.
SHRUBS, TREES & CLIMBERS
An ever-changing range of shrubs, climbers, ornamental and fruit trees, as well as a stunning selection of specimen plants
OUTDOOR LIVING & GARDEN FEATURES
An inspiring range of water features, garden sculpture, and outdoor furniture, suitable for any garden space.
Our experienced staff are available to help and advise you during your visit.
Estate Entrance
Museum
Garden Shop
Gallery
Classrooms
Garden Entrance & Gift Barn
Outdoor Theatre
The Winter Walk
Seb’s Garden & Rock Garden
Herbaceous Border
Island Beds
Red Granite Obelisk
Alpine Garden
Nursery Stock Beds
Canal
Arboretum
Stone Sculpture
Formal Garden / Silent Space
Yew Henge
Family Apple Tree
Wild Walk
Colour Border
Mary Rose Garden
Modern Border
River Walk
Bridge
Truth Trail
Saxifrage Collection
Orange Tree House
Viewing Tower
Garden
WATERPERRY GARDENS MAP
BEES AT WATERPERRY
As you walk around the gardens you might notice some wooden boxes that look a little bit like small barrels. Some are on tripods and some are strapped high in trees. These are bee hives; not conventional hives on the ground but conservation hives designed to mimic hollow trees.
They are known as Freedom Hives because, rather than being intensively managed as conventional hives, the bees are given the freedom to live as they would in the wild.
GARDEN SHOP
As well as our wide variety of plants in our plant centre we also have a garden shop which has a great range of garden sundries, tools, bulbs and seeds. Our garden shop is stocked full of items essential to the avid gardener and the emphasis is always on quality.
Within our garden shop we also stock:
• Seasonal dry bulbs and seeds.
• Compost and fertilisers.
• Pest and disease control products.
• Weed killers and lawn care range.
• Gardening tools and plant supports.
• Gardening gloves and footwear.
• Wide variety of books.
• Bird Care.
• Waterperry apple juice and chutneys.
• Preserves, confectionary and biscuits.
• Pet Care.
GARDEN CARE ADVICE
The staff at Waterperry Gardens are very much involved in growing ornamental plants, fruit trees and bushes. We can give well-informed advice from first-hand knowledge and experience.
THE GARDENS
Waterperry Gardens is a magical place where you are surrounded by beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers, classical borders, modern planting, secret corners and long vistas. Over the past twenty years the gardens have developed and grown, and many new projects have been undertaken and completed.
You’ll find a Formal Garden, the Mary Rose Garden, a Waterlily Canal, a Walled Garden and the Long Colour Border, and we recently planted a small arboretum in the meadow area beyond the canal.
THE ORCHARDS
The five acres of orchards at Waterperry Gardens date back to the days of Beatrix Havergal who ran her famous school of horticulture for ladies until 1972. Chris Lanczak, our fruit consultant, trained under Miss Havergal and has worked at Waterperry for more than forty years. He now advises our new fruit manager, Sam Hughes and his small team.
Between them they grow around fifty different varieties of apple – including more unusual types like Ashmeads Kernel, Orleans Reinette and Kidd’s Orange. But they also grow old favourites like Cox’s Orange Pippin, Bramley and Egremont Russet.
Apple juice is available all year round from Waterperry’s Garden Shop, online and from several other retail outlets. Waterperry apples are grown, harvested and juiced onsite using time-honoured methods, which means our fruit and juices are low on food miles and high on taste. Plums and pears are also available in season along with bare root Waterperry fruit trees from the end of November to late March.
TEA SHOP
THE HISTORY OF THE TEA SHOP
As we sit in the Teashop at Waterperry, enjoying homemade cake and tea, looking around at the lawns, trees, and beautiful Georgian House, those deep philosophical questions arise, like how did we get here? Not just about us, but the same can also be asked of the wooden rectangular building we sit in.
It was never built as a catering outlet but as classrooms for horticultural students for when Beatrix Havergal, indomitable head of her horticultural college for women, wanted recognition and certification for her students. The courses were of the highest teaching standard, both theoretical and practical. But the estate could not teach practical science, as Miss Havergal’s courses were not recognised.
In stepped a patron to help, her name was Miss Kitson, a lady who was looking for a worthy cause to support. She agreed to fund the building of 2 classrooms and
1 laboratory and the necessary facilities. Planning permission was granted and work started in 1963.
Now Miss Havergal had space to teach her students, apprentices working for the colleges, local parks departments, and WI gardening groups. What she didn’t have was a teacher, so Mary Spiller (she became Gardens World’s 1st female presenter) a former student was invited to return to planning and teaching.
Horticultural courses were taught in these rooms right up to the 1980s, when slowly rooms began to be taken over by a little Teashop. A room divide went in and a new office was added. Eventually the teaching moved down to the old RAF buildings on the opposite side of the main car park giving space to our teashop and kitchens as they are today.
The Teashop is open from 10am, and our servery is open from 12pm daily.
AFTERNOON TEA
Have a special occasion coming up? Why not book one of our afternoon teas or purchase a celebration tea voucher from our Tea Shop.
Our afternoon tea includes a selection of homemade cakes, homemade jam, scones and clotted cream, a selection of sandwiches and homemade mini vegetarian quiche tart. A pot of loose leaf tea or your choice of Barrista Coffee.
We also have a great cream tea available.
To book please contact our Tea Shop team: Call: 01844 339254 or Email: teashop@waterperrygardens.co.uk
(We require 24 hours notice to book an afternoon tea.)
ENJOY HOMEMADE FOOD AT WATERPERRY
Whether you’re dropping by or spending the day, looking for a quick cup of coffee and a scone or planning to relax over a leisurely lunch, no visit to Waterperry Gardens is complete without including the Tea Shop.
The team at the Tea Shop make everything by hand on the premises, using the best locally sourced ingredients we can find often from our own walled garden. From delicious home baked cakes, vegan oat-bars, vegetarian lasagnes, chicken salads, toasties and sandwiches – we try to cater for everyone.
WATERPERRY GIFT BARN
A WIDE SELECTION OF GREAT FINDS FOR LIVING & FOR GIVING
At the Gift Barn we stock unique accessories for house and garden sourced from a range of designers and makers with a strong emphasis on new and emerging talent.
Our products include silk flowers, lotions & potions, home fragrances, candles, fashion accessories and jewellery. As well as children’s gifts and stationery products including gift wrap and cards.
The range of gifts and accessories in the Gift Barn is refreshed on a regular basis with new products joining the mix each week!
THE HOUSE FRESCO TOURS
Fresco Tours are usually available every Wednesday And Friday At 2pm.
The huge frescoes inside the house are unexpected and amazing, stretching over three floors of the building.
The history of the house and other parts of the house including the lovely ballroom are included in the tour.
Please purchase tickets from the Garden Shop for the guided tour which takes about 3/4 of an hour.
THE MUSEUM
You’ll be hard pushed to find a better collection of ancient tools and implements than those housed in our Museum of Rural Life.
Our 18th Century granary building provides the perfect backdrop for the wide range of horticultural and agricultural tools, which give a flavour of life in times gone by.
The museum is now mostly staffed by kind volunteers who will do their best to help you find your way through the many fascinating things.
GALLERY
Housed in a restored 18th Century barn, the Gallery at Waterperry Gardens near Oxford offers affordable, contemporary art and craft. We specialise in British work, including many Oxfordshire-based artists, and exhibit a wide range of ceramics, glass, jewellery, wood, paintings and textiles.
