Celebrate Hallowe'en at the Gardens of Easton Lodge
Enjoy a Spooktacular Hallowe'en at the Gardens of Easton Lodge's activity day this weekend.
On Sunday (October 15) younger visitors can enjoy climbing into the new treehouse, making crafts and there will also be the tourist attraction’s traditional Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin competition.
Spokeswoman and trustee Jill Goldsmith said: “The gardens look particularly beautiful this time of year, with pinks, reds and purples in Peto’s sunken Italian garden, reds and yellows in the tree glade and of course the orange of pumpkins in the walled kitchen garden.”
The gardens, off the B184, were one of the most important creations of the Edwardian designer Harold Peto. The Countess of Warwick, “Darling Daisy”, regularly entertained society guests in the gardens, including the Prince of Wales before he acceded to the throne as Edward VII, and commissioned the Peto designs in 1902.
Visitors will also be able to relax with a cup of tea or coffee, bacon roll, soup or delicious homemade cake and listen to traditional folk, performed by local duo Karen and Tony.
Mementos including a calendar for 2018 and garden-grown produce will also be on sale.
Jill said: “It is the last open day of the season and what a year it has been. Through volunteers’ hard work, the second half of the walled kitchen garden has been brought back to life; a new stumpery has been started in the glade, and the range of planting in the Italian garden has been improved. While in June the trust was thrilled to be able to open its reconstruction of the Peto treehouse.”
The gardens and Peto’s designs surround Warwick House, which is what is left of the original extended Tudor house. The gardens were maintained until 1950, after which time nature took over. Warwick House was lovingly restored from 1971 and the trust took on the project to restore the wider gardens in 2003. Today’s visitors can see Peto’s Italian Sunken Garden and herringbone and cobble courtyard; the walled kitchen garden, in part dating back to Tudor times; and the arboretum in the Glade.
Opening hours on Sunday are 11.30am to 5pm (last admission at 4pm). Tickets cost £4 for adults and children under 16 enter free; dogs on leads are also welcome. A guided tour will take place at 2.30pm.
Jill said: “The trust is always looking for more people to join the team for open days, gardening and restoration work and anyone interested should email enquiries@eastonlodge.co.uk or leave a message on 01371 876979. Further information is on the website at www.eastonlodge.co.uk.
