New areas open to visitors at Boughton House
Historic Boughton House will open to visitors on Sunday 25th February, 2018 in conjunction with the National Garden Scheme. The NGS opening will offer visitors the first opportunity to access new areas of the stunning gardens as it gets set for the official opening of 2018.
Boughton House, Kettering, is home to the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, featuring a designed landscape including the canalised river and lily pond. For over 200 years the huge formal garden at Boughton lay hidden, reclaimed by nature, but now a substantial restoration programme has enabled visitors to see its beauty once more.
Two new areas of the upper Walled Gardens – the Wedding Garden and the Alpine Garden – will officially open to visitors for the first time on that day, enhancing the beauty of this Grade 1 Designed Landscape garden.
The Wedding Garden features a pavilion centrepiece with trees used at a recent family wedding. The new installation pays homage to the famous Chinese Pavilion which is displayed in Boughton’s unfinished wing and offers seating within.
The garden’s team have also been busy developing The Alpine Garden, a respectful nod to alpine specialist Valerie Finnis, who had been resident at Boughton, which features an array of hardy species. (pictured above head gardener Bernard Opara)
David Cullum, Parks and Gardens Manager at the Estate points out that it is wonderful to have the opportunity to introduce new elements to the visitor experience at Boughton: “Our focus in recent years has been very much on the restoration of the 18th century Gardens – which culminated in the opening of the Grand Etang lake in 2015,” he said. “The addition of these two new areas of the Walled Garden has only enhanced its beauty. We hope visitors will enjoy them as part of their visit to the Estate this February.”
The gardens will open between 11am and 3pm on Sunday 25th February. Visitors can also enjoy light bites in the 18th century stable block. For information on Boughton events and opening times for 2018 please see their website at: www.boughtonhouse.co.uk
Picture credits: all pictures ©Boughton House, middle: Head gardener Bernard Opara working in the garden.
