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In most of the gardens I have recently visited, my attention has been on the planting combinations and flower and leaf colour and form. Usually I’m looking for plants I’d love to try in my own garden, or else I’m simply lost in admiration for flowers and plants I haven’t a hope of being able to grow.
My visit to Gooderstone Water Gardens was different, in that it was the landscape of the garden that impressed me most. Here you can almost lose yourself in a lush green world of man-made watercourses and large ponds, surrounded by trees and naturalistic planting.
The gardens are in what was once a very wet meadow beside a river. They were created by a retired farmer, Billy Knights, whose son made the joking suggestion that, since the meadow was too wet for grazing, it should be made into a water garden. That suggestion appealed to Mr. Knights and it wasn’t long before he’d had the waterways and ponds dug out.
Years later his daughter has restored the gardens and opened them to the public. They appear to be very popular with those looking for somewhere that allows them to spend some quiet time in a place that feels very close to nature.
The planting in the gardens has a relaxed and somewhat wild feel. In fact, there are many native trees and shrubs. There is also a wildlife trail and a bird hide where you can hope to spot a kingfisher. (We didn’t – but we did see a family of swans enjoying the peaceful waterways.)
Despite the natural look to the planting, there are areas where familiar garden plants add colour and texture. On our visit, we noticed vibrant heleniums, daylilies and purple loosestrife in the planting along the waterways. Elsewhere, the dramatic yellow spires of Verbascum olympicum towered over a mix of tall white daisies and the pinkish-purple spikes of Acanthus.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable garden visit. I know we’ll be back, because it’s one of my husband’s favourite gardens too. We’ve been here a few times and it always makes us feel good. It is a perfect place to just relax and wander, and to allow yourself to be immersed in a world of nature and peace.
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
That looks a lovely relaxing place to visit.. glad you’re getting out and about again. I imagine this garden would be a great escape on one of your hot days.
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It is such a peaceful place to visit that you feel you can really escape from the problems of the world for a while. Lots of cool and shady areas too, but coolest of all is to stay home with the curtains drawn and the fans on. (The cats have got used to ‘their’ fan very quickly!) 🙂
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It looks lovely. Many of those plants grow well in my garden which makes me think the soil must be quite wet. A cooling garden in the heat I imagine.
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It’s a good garden for finding some shade! And has lots of seats and a couple of summerhouses to sit in, so well-provided for anyone wanting to take it easy. It’s going to get so hot that I can imagine a paddle in one of the shallower waterways could be tempting, hehe! I think the soil is probably wet in many areas there – lots of plants that like moist soil. So different to here, even though it’s not far away.
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Dreamy scenes
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Thank you Flower! It was a lovely place to just spend time wandering and looking – an afternoon spent taking it easy. 🙂
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Wonderful series of pictures, Ann! So refreshing and soothing for our mind, soul and body!!🙂
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Thanks Indira! 🙂 It was a very relaxing and restorative afternoon – definitely made us feel good!
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Now, this is my idea of a perfect garden. I suppose the water is part of the reason, as well as all the plants thriving in that wetter environment that supports them. It does seem to have a more natural feel, and the mix of native and cultivated flowers seems especially pleasing. How long will it be until your pond looks like this? Well, at least on a smaller scale!
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I loved the natural feel and there must have been lots of insects, birds and others there. I’m not sure our pond can quite have that look because there isn’t a lot of space around it and, being quite close to the house, it is semi-formal. But I will try to create mini habitats around it and wildlife is already moving in…we shall see! 🙂
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Wow, those Heleniums! What beautiful gardens 🙂
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They were great – wish I could grow heleniums as well as that. (Mine don’t tend to last long – I think it may be because it’s too hot and dry.)
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Such a lovely garden. Obviously well-tended by knowledgeable folk who love the place. Another fine spot to while away an hour or more.
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It really is a lovely place. The planting is very sensitive to it and allows the gardens to keep their natural and relaxed feel.
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That looks great, the first photo is particularly appealing. I must see if we can call in when we’re next in the area.
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I hope you can – it a super place to spend an afternoon just relaxing and enjoying nature. This page gives directions to find it: https://www.gooderstonewatergardens.co.uk/directions/index.php
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Thank you. I’ve sent the link to Mrs P, who organises our itineraries!
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That garden definitely looks like a perfect place to do some wonderful photography! It appears very calming. You have to appreciate someone taking the time to create something like this and share it. Nice images Ann!
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It was a real labour of love. The farmer who created it was working on it all through his retirement, until he died at 93. He’d had the gardens open to the public for over 20 years. They were closed for 5 years after his death but then his daughter restored them and opened them again. It’s an amazing family achievement and a truly lovely place.
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I hope I will to continue doing what I love at age 93. That is very admirable indeed and is great the family is continuing with his efforts.
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Oh yes, I hope I will too – gardening and photography of course!
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Ann – just sending you a note – for some reason, recently I have not been able to leave a comment on your blog. I am not ignoring you. At least I can still like the blog. WordPress keeps asking me to log in but when I do it will not let me leave a comment. Really weird. Weird since I have two WordPress blogs.
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Thanks Syd! I sometimes get weird things happening with WordPress if I’ve had a tab open for a long time and I’m trying to use the reader. When that happens, likes don’t stick when I make them and I can’t comment. It resolves OK if I open a new tab. (I even used to find that it wouldn’t let me continue editing a post, which got a bit hairy but seems OK now.)
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What a lush place. You’re fortunate to have visited.
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Yes we were! And on a day that wasn’t too hot to enjoy walking around (although there were plenty of areas with shade).
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Thank you for taking us along on your visit to this wonderful garden. Ann. I’m always impressed by the wide-reaching impact some people have made by their lives, such as Mr. Knights and his daughter. What a lovely legacy for all the creatures who live there, and for those who visit.
Best,
Tanja
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Thanks Tanja! I love the fact that the daughter paid tribute to her parents by restoring and re-opening the gardens. It’s good to know that they are still loved.
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Yes, she made a far-reaching decision!
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That looks like a wonderful and peaceful place to be.
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It certainly is, Jill. You feel as if you’re far away from the everyday world and all its stresses when you’re there. 🙂
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