Recently I've been working with my photos from Mottisfont Abbey and their amazing rose garden. In 1972, the gardens became the home for the 'National Collection of ancestral species and 19th-century rose cultivars'. Our visit was mid-June of 2007 which must have been a banner year for roses. We had been amazed at brilliant rose displays in Winchester City Gardens and Queen Eleanor's Garden at Winchester Castle but we were not prepared for the sheer abundance of blossoms we found at Mottisfont.
Since we were there on a weekday afternoon, the crowd wasn't too big and although I took hundreds of pictures that day (we also visited the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens on the same day) I could easily have taken hundreds more - in fact I wish I had.
As you can see, it wasn't just the roses. The plantings were brilliant and there was an abundance of display ideas for a multitude of different rose habits. The gardens have lovely perennial borders as well as plenty of fruit trees. The wonderful old brick walls are the best backdrops one could wish for. Can you tell I loved it? After Sissinghurst, this has to be my best English garden experience ever.
In addition to the gardens, the rest of the grounds were delightful and even the quick tour we took through bits of the house was worth the time. If you are anywhere in the area, don't miss this National Trust gem, and give yourself the whole day so you don't miss a thing.
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