Four Parishes Arts Society - July 2007

Visit to "Spring Pond Gardens", Laverstoke, 31st May 2007

On a cool but thankfully dry evening, a party of 22 members visited the above gardens owned by designer Carolyn Sheffield and her husband. Mrs. Sheffield welcomed us.

First of all we were shown the Arboretum planted in the year 2000 to commemorate the millennium. The trees were planted in threes or ‘families’ of each particular species. The Arboretum lies to one end of a beautiful stretch of land which runs in front of the house and formal garden. A deep ditch has been dug in front of the garden its high bank planted with hundreds of wild flowers. The ditch is there for a good reason – to protect the house from any unwanted intruders!

We were then taken into the garden and on into the conservatory which is situated on the end of the west wing. The inside of the conservatory full of exotic plants also boasted a pink clytostona hanging from the ceiling giving one the feeling of still being out in the garden. From there we entered a sumptuous and cosy lounge and then on into a magnificent dining room. Mrs. Sheffield gave us a brief history of the house :

Originally the dining room had been the hay loft so that explained the lofty ceiling! The house comprises of three long adjoining single storey buildings, with the hayloft in the centre of the west wing. The one storey buildings were originally cowsheds, stables etc. The buildings form three sides of an open square round the formal garden. The fourth side opens out to the arboretum and the view over the undulating vista of the Hampshire countryside.

We were privileged to see the house and garden in all its splendour but as Mrs. Sheffield explained, when they acquired the site the buildings were derelict, a garden non existent and the ponds dried up. This was born out by an old aerial photograph Mrs. Sheffield showed us. Twelve years ago work started on the site with the help of an architect, Mr. Francis Johnson from Yorkshire and the garden, which has been created by Mrs. Sheffield.

Mrs. Sheffield led us into the formal garden where we were full of praise at the variety and abundance of flowers, especially the roses. From the central building a wide path, running through the garden, leads to an ornamental pond with a central fountain. At each corner stands a statue or ‘Putti’ as Mrs. Sheffield explained, depicting the four seasons. In the background there stands an ornamental gazebo and behind this is the arboretum and the distant view of the countryside.

Around the back of the house there were three large ponds planted with a variety of colourful marginal plants, a well manicured knot garden, more roses and clematis of various hues clambering over the walls. So many flowers that not one ‘iota’ of soil could be seen.

Many of our party left wondering what we could do to enhance our gardens following Mrs. Sheffield’s lead!!.