Explore the Gardens and their surrounding natural landscape
The Formal Gardens
The view of the formal gardens is one that cannot be forgotten; not only due to the undeniable beauty that it exudes but also the distinctive features that are now associated with Hanham Court; most notably the extensive lawn that dissolves seamlessly into the surrounding nature at the ha-ha and the perfectly manicured topiary. Walking through the arched entrance to the gardens is a magical experience, as the garden is unveiled from behind the fortress of the Court.
The Rose Garden
Situated within the Formal Gardens, the Rose Garden offers breath-taking views across the Orchard, Wild Flower Meadow and beyond.
Roses wind around wooden obelisks in a shape that resembles spun sugar, producing voluminous, frothy white to blush pink roses all through the summer months. This area of the gardens has been designed with a different atmosphere in mind, taking inspiration from the romantic feel and structural beauty of Italianate landscapes, the perfect spot to sit out and enjoy balmy, late summer evenings with guests…
On the outer wall of the Rose garden, sits a stone water trough and fountain bringing a delicate freshness to the air. This overlooked by an enchanting wooden treehouse, mostly hidden from view by a large yew tree, which discreetly marks the entrance to the Rose Garden from the Chapel Border walk.
Our collection of roses include the blush pink Rosa ‘Great Maidens Bush’, deep red Rosa ‘Charles de Mills’ and bright pink Rosa ‘Madame Knorr’. All of which weave through and around the rich tapestry of box and yew topiary, and aged oak balustrades and obelisks, central to the Bannerman's design.
The Woodland Valley
Unlike the rest of the grounds, which are fairly exposed, the woodland valley hides peacefully under a canopy of trees. The lush vegetation acting as an ideal habitat for the countryside wildlife. Deer are often spotted darting between trees and ducks lazily float in the large ponds. Halfway down the valley is a bench named Elsie’s Copgie, which sits in the perfect position to enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Here, the sounds of nature seem to be amplified beneath the trees.
A stream runs through the valley, giving way to an ancient well and two large ponds, before reaching the newly constructed tractor barn, which neatly marks the end of the valley. The ponds framed by lush and statuesque tree ferns, and banks covered by swathes of snowdrops, hellebores, daffodils and a show of magnolias, come the Spring. The gardens and woodland at Hanham Court are influenced by Canon Ellacombe, a renowned 19th century writer and gardener, who resided in Bitton. It is thought that the thousands of surviving cyclamens and snowdrops at Hanham Court was thanks to the work of Ellacombe.
Located at the very top of the woodland lies the Stumpery, designed and built by the Bannerman’s. The Stumpery was a creative experiment that went on to inspire the Stumpery at Highgrove Gardens. Built using wood from the oak trees felled in the Great Storm of 1986, lush ferns grow from within and around the stumps to create an almost fairy-tale like backdrop. Central to the Stumpery is a small waterfall which cascades through it, the sounds of which providing another element for the senses to enjoy in this area of the grounds.
The Orchard & Wild Flower Meadow
Situated up on the hill overlooking the Wild Flower Meadow, the Orchard can be viewed best from the Rose Garden and from across the Formal Gardens. Today, the Orchard has approximately fifty-four apples trees, twelve of which are used for cooking and eating and the rest are harvested into cider. There are twenty-two varieties in total including Edward VII cooking apples, Lord Hindlips and Pitmaston Pineapple. Along with a collection of apples from other orchards, our produce from Hanham is given to a local brewery which are made into the Brislington Brainteaser. You can try the delicious cider at The Orchard Inn located in Bristol. During Spring, pheasant eye daffodils (Narcissus poeticus) appear throughout the orchard, spattering the ground with yellow and white. Later, blue camassia (Camassia quamash) bloom here, prolonging the vibrant colour in this area of the grounds. At the formal entrance to the orchard lies the walnut tree. The ancient tree looks its age; its branches winding in every direction, reaching the ground, creating a dome like structure and subsequent shelter for the plants beneath.
The Wild Flower Meadow travels adjacent to the Woodland Valley and stretches down to the bottom of the estate, overlooking the River Avon. One of the best views of the meadow is from the very top below the ha-ha, where you can appreciate the stretch of wildflowers and grasses. Here lies a trunk of a cedar wood bench, gifted to Julia Boissevain by Richard Boissevain for her birthday, to enjoy the spectacular scene of the meadow and rolling hills in the distance. During the summer months, you can see flowers such as oxeye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare), wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) and pincushions (Scabiosa) dispersed throughout the long grasses. It is also very common to see deer and their fawn here, surveying the land from the highest point of the meadow. At the very bottom of the meadow sits the gypsy caravan which was restored by RB Boatbuilding at Underfall, Bristol, in 2019.
The Vegetable Garden
Built on the elevated land to the west of the Court. The Vegetable garden consists of twelve long beds, twelve raised beds, two fruit cages, a chicken coop, a greenhouse with a herb border, all enclosed within a wild flower perimeter. Gardener, Elsie Boissevain, here has successfully grown an abundance of 100% organic produce and continues to experiment with different vegetables as well as growing methods. She has established a five year crop rotation to ensure the soil does not become depleted of its nutrients.
Elsie has grown an array of vegetables at Hanham Court from artichoke, to pumpkins, to rainbow chard and broad beans. The selection of vegetables varies each year depending on the weather, except for the sea kale and rhubarb which are perennial. Sweet peas climb wigwam frames that sit at the end of the beds, and during the spring and summer months, are blanketed by delightful pink, purple and white flowers. In order to encourage new flower growth throughout the summer months, flowers must be cut back on a regular basis. You will therefore find many vases filled with the delicate flowers dotted around the Court.
To promote soil health, biodiversity and sustainability within the garden, Elsie has introduced a number of beneficial practices to improve the growing conditions of the plants. Nettles harvested from the garden, are mixed with water and sprayed over the vegetables as a feed. Nettle is rich in nitrogen and so helps to activate the soil. A composting system has also been built, now an integral part of the working Vegetable Garden.
Companion planting is an organic method that was introduced to assist pollination and to decrease pests, and is one that has been very much adopted at Hanham Court. Calendula officinalis, or the Common Marigold, has been a successful addition in aiding pollination, attracting bees, butterflies and hover flies. It also functions as a fantastic sacrificial plant, attracting slugs, snails and aphids. As well as having many practical benefits to the vegetable patch, their pretty yellow flower petals are edible too.
The greenhouse, built in 2019, has been a marvellous addition to the vegetable garden and is now an integral part of daily life at Hanham Court. Vegetable harvest has been prosperous in the warm enclosure, growing produce such as aubergine, jalapenos, cucumber, chillies and tomatoes.
Sitting at the entrance of the Greenhouse is the lemon tree called Circe. Named by Izzie Boissevain, Circe refers to the sorceress and daughter of Helios, God of the sun in Greek mythology.
The chicken coop, which sits at the far end of the vegetable patch is home to six hens and three cockerels. All the hens have been rescued from battery farms and given a chance to have a better quality of life. Thankfully, many of the hen’s aliments have healed and their feathers have grown back. They are also able to produce a healthy number of eggs which are greatly enjoyed along with the vegetables from the garden.
