Furzey Gardens 22-09-2012
Image by Karen Roe
GOLD Winners at Chelsea Flower Show 2012.
www.flickr.com/photos/karen_roe/7277949390/
Set in the heart of The New Forest at Minstead in Hampshire this delightful, informal garden was established in 1922 and is renowned for its all year round beauty.
On the face of it, the Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust offers eight acres of peaceful woodland walks, exceptional trees and shrubs, lovely views across the Isle of Wight and a setting in Minstead, one of the area's most interesting villages, unspoilt and essentially everything an English parish should be.
But Furzey Gardens is also part of a much bigger endeavour. Its sister charity, the Minstead Training Project, provides residential care and horticultural training to young people with learning difficulties. Students from the project may frequently be seen working in the gardens or in the adjacent nursery, and in fact Furzey owes a great deal to the students, whose work on the land also helps them to learn the skills they'll need later in life. Plants raised by the students can be purchased from the Nursery Shop near the tea rooms.
The Project is founded upon a concern for the needs of people with learning disabilities and strives to serve individual cultural and spiritual needs. Everyone at the Project is expected to regard their work as a way of life, embracing an attitude of love and care for others. As a Christian-based trust, students and staff are welcome to join in the celebrations of the principal Christian festivals.
To be able to fulfil our aims we are blessed with staff and volunteers who are skilled, experienced, well trained, highly motivated and, above all, caring.
Our informal woodland gardens were first planted in 1922 and now contain an extensive collection of rare and beautiful plants from around the world.
There is interest all the year round. In the Spring, banks of Azaleas and Rhododendrons dazzle with colour and exotic Chilean fire trees light up the gardens. Secret paths lead past drifts of primulas to quiet scented glades, while viewing areas provide outlooks over the New Forest to the Isle of Wight. Flowering trees and shrubs continue the interest through the Summer with a blaze of Autumn display at the end of the season.
The Forest Cottage by the Gardens entrance is believed to have been built in 1560 with timbers reputed to have come from the Tudor boatyards at Lymington: the shape and style indicate their having been cut for shipbuilding. In fact, recent restoration work confirmed not only that the beams are ancient ships' timbers but also that the floorboards were once decking. Just imagine them being swept by sea gales and spray! Some of the oldest deck timbers which were dug up from under the floor in 2006 now form part of "Typhoon Tower" in the gardens so once again feel the full force of wind and rain.
Furzey Gardens 22-09-2012
Image by Karen Roe
GOLD Winners at Chelsea Flower Show 2012.
www.flickr.com/photos/karen_roe/7277949390/
Set in the heart of The New Forest at Minstead in Hampshire this delightful, informal garden was established in 1922 and is renowned for its all year round beauty.
On the face of it, the Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust offers eight acres of peaceful woodland walks, exceptional trees and shrubs, lovely views across the Isle of Wight and a setting in Minstead, one of the area's most interesting villages, unspoilt and essentially everything an English parish should be.
But Furzey Gardens is also part of a much bigger endeavour. Its sister charity, the Minstead Training Project, provides residential care and horticultural training to young people with learning difficulties. Students from the project may frequently be seen working in the gardens or in the adjacent nursery, and in fact Furzey owes a great deal to the students, whose work on the land also helps them to learn the skills they'll need later in life. Plants raised by the students can be purchased from the Nursery Shop near the tea rooms.
The Project is founded upon a concern for the needs of people with learning disabilities and strives to serve individual cultural and spiritual needs. Everyone at the Project is expected to regard their work as a way of life, embracing an attitude of love and care for others. As a Christian-based trust, students and staff are welcome to join in the celebrations of the principal Christian festivals.
To be able to fulfil our aims we are blessed with staff and volunteers who are skilled, experienced, well trained, highly motivated and, above all, caring.
Our informal woodland gardens were first planted in 1922 and now contain an extensive collection of rare and beautiful plants from around the world.
There is interest all the year round. In the Spring, banks of Azaleas and Rhododendrons dazzle with colour and exotic Chilean fire trees light up the gardens. Secret paths lead past drifts of primulas to quiet scented glades, while viewing areas provide outlooks over the New Forest to the Isle of Wight. Flowering trees and shrubs continue the interest through the Summer with a blaze of Autumn display at the end of the season.
The Forest Cottage by the Gardens entrance is believed to have been built in 1560 with timbers reputed to have come from the Tudor boatyards at Lymington: the shape and style indicate their having been cut for shipbuilding. In fact, recent restoration work confirmed not only that the beams are ancient ships' timbers but also that the floorboards were once decking. Just imagine them being swept by sea gales and spray! Some of the oldest deck timbers which were dug up from under the floor in 2006 now form part of "Typhoon Tower" in the gardens so once again feel the full force of wind and rain.
Furzey Gardens 22-09-2012
Image by Karen Roe
GOLD Winners at Chelsea Flower Show 2012.
www.flickr.com/photos/karen_roe/7277949390/
Set in the heart of The New Forest at Minstead in Hampshire this delightful, informal garden was established in 1922 and is renowned for its all year round beauty.
On the face of it, the Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust offers eight acres of peaceful woodland walks, exceptional trees and shrubs, lovely views across the Isle of Wight and a setting in Minstead, one of the area's most interesting villages, unspoilt and essentially everything an English parish should be.
But Furzey Gardens is also part of a much bigger endeavour. Its sister charity, the Minstead Training Project, provides residential care and horticultural training to young people with learning difficulties. Students from the project may frequently be seen working in the gardens or in the adjacent nursery, and in fact Furzey owes a great deal to the students, whose work on the land also helps them to learn the skills they'll need later in life. Plants raised by the students can be purchased from the Nursery Shop near the tea rooms.
The Project is founded upon a concern for the needs of people with learning disabilities and strives to serve individual cultural and spiritual needs. Everyone at the Project is expected to regard their work as a way of life, embracing an attitude of love and care for others. As a Christian-based trust, students and staff are welcome to join in the celebrations of the principal Christian festivals.
To be able to fulfil our aims we are blessed with staff and volunteers who are skilled, experienced, well trained, highly motivated and, above all, caring.
Our informal woodland gardens were first planted in 1922 and now contain an extensive collection of rare and beautiful plants from around the world.
There is interest all the year round. In the Spring, banks of Azaleas and Rhododendrons dazzle with colour and exotic Chilean fire trees light up the gardens. Secret paths lead past drifts of primulas to quiet scented glades, while viewing areas provide outlooks over the New Forest to the Isle of Wight. Flowering trees and shrubs continue the interest through the Summer with a blaze of Autumn display at the end of the season.
The Forest Cottage by the Gardens entrance is believed to have been built in 1560 with timbers reputed to have come from the Tudor boatyards at Lymington: the shape and style indicate their having been cut for shipbuilding. In fact, recent restoration work confirmed not only that the beams are ancient ships' timbers but also that the floorboards were once decking. Just imagine them being swept by sea gales and spray! Some of the oldest deck timbers which were dug up from under the floor in 2006 now form part of "Typhoon Tower" in the gardens so once again feel the full force of wind and rain.
Furzey Gardens 22-09-2012
Image by Karen Roe
GOLD Winners at Chelsea Flower Show 2012.
www.flickr.com/photos/karen_roe/7277949390/
Set in the heart of The New Forest at Minstead in Hampshire this delightful, informal garden was established in 1922 and is renowned for its all year round beauty.
On the face of it, the Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust offers eight acres of peaceful woodland walks, exceptional trees and shrubs, lovely views across the Isle of Wight and a setting in Minstead, one of the area's most interesting villages, unspoilt and essentially everything an English parish should be.
But Furzey Gardens is also part of a much bigger endeavour. Its sister charity, the Minstead Training Project, provides residential care and horticultural training to young people with learning difficulties. Students from the project may frequently be seen working in the gardens or in the adjacent nursery, and in fact Furzey owes a great deal to the students, whose work on the land also helps them to learn the skills they'll need later in life. Plants raised by the students can be purchased from the Nursery Shop near the tea rooms.
The Project is founded upon a concern for the needs of people with learning disabilities and strives to serve individual cultural and spiritual needs. Everyone at the Project is expected to regard their work as a way of life, embracing an attitude of love and care for others. As a Christian-based trust, students and staff are welcome to join in the celebrations of the principal Christian festivals.
To be able to fulfil our aims we are blessed with staff and volunteers who are skilled, experienced, well trained, highly motivated and, above all, caring.
Our informal woodland gardens were first planted in 1922 and now contain an extensive collection of rare and beautiful plants from around the world.
There is interest all the year round. In the Spring, banks of Azaleas and Rhododendrons dazzle with colour and exotic Chilean fire trees light up the gardens. Secret paths lead past drifts of primulas to quiet scented glades, while viewing areas provide outlooks over the New Forest to the Isle of Wight. Flowering trees and shrubs continue the interest through the Summer with a blaze of Autumn display at the end of the season.
The Forest Cottage by the Gardens entrance is believed to have been built in 1560 with timbers reputed to have come from the Tudor boatyards at Lymington: the shape and style indicate their having been cut for shipbuilding. In fact, recent restoration work confirmed not only that the beams are ancient ships' timbers but also that the floorboards were once decking. Just imagine them being swept by sea gales and spray! Some of the oldest deck timbers which were dug up from under the floor in 2006 now form part of "Typhoon Tower" in the gardens so once again feel the full force of wind and rain.
Furzey Gardens 22-09-2012
Image by Karen Roe
GOLD Winners at Chelsea Flower Show 2012.
www.flickr.com/photos/karen_roe/7277949390/
Set in the heart of The New Forest at Minstead in Hampshire this delightful, informal garden was established in 1922 and is renowned for its all year round beauty.
On the face of it, the Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust offers eight acres of peaceful woodland walks, exceptional trees and shrubs, lovely views across the Isle of Wight and a setting in Minstead, one of the area's most interesting villages, unspoilt and essentially everything an English parish should be.
But Furzey Gardens is also part of a much bigger endeavour. Its sister charity, the Minstead Training Project, provides residential care and horticultural training to young people with learning difficulties. Students from the project may frequently be seen working in the gardens or in the adjacent nursery, and in fact Furzey owes a great deal to the students, whose work on the land also helps them to learn the skills they'll need later in life. Plants raised by the students can be purchased from the Nursery Shop near the tea rooms.
The Project is founded upon a concern for the needs of people with learning disabilities and strives to serve individual cultural and spiritual needs. Everyone at the Project is expected to regard their work as a way of life, embracing an attitude of love and care for others. As a Christian-based trust, students and staff are welcome to join in the celebrations of the principal Christian festivals.
To be able to fulfil our aims we are blessed with staff and volunteers who are skilled, experienced, well trained, highly motivated and, above all, caring.
Our informal woodland gardens were first planted in 1922 and now contain an extensive collection of rare and beautiful plants from around the world.
There is interest all the year round. In the Spring, banks of Azaleas and Rhododendrons dazzle with colour and exotic Chilean fire trees light up the gardens. Secret paths lead past drifts of primulas to quiet scented glades, while viewing areas provide outlooks over the New Forest to the Isle of Wight. Flowering trees and shrubs continue the interest through the Summer with a blaze of Autumn display at the end of the season.
The Forest Cottage by the Gardens entrance is believed to have been built in 1560 with timbers reputed to have come from the Tudor boatyards at Lymington: the shape and style indicate their having been cut for shipbuilding. In fact, recent restoration work confirmed not only that the beams are ancient ships' timbers but also that the floorboards were once decking. Just imagine them being swept by sea gales and spray! Some of the oldest deck timbers which were dug up from under the floor in 2006 now form part of "Typhoon Tower" in the gardens so once again feel the full force of wind and rain.
