A couple of photos caught my eye on the internet the other day, enough for me to look into where they were taken. My search took me to the website for West Green Gardens & House, though the House is not open to the public and the Gardens just from Wed-Sun each week plus Bank Holiday Mondays.
Situated on the outskirts of Hartley Wintney, Hampshire, West Green is just off the A30 and not far from M3 - easily accessible, yet the hustle and bustle of everyday life seemed miles away.
This charming place is operated as privately owned, though it is actually leased from National Trust, and turned out be a really beautiful Gardens. We were a bit early in the season for some of the blooms, which would have added considerably to the colour, and some parts of the grounds were still chained off after winter work and reseeding etc. However, we saw enough to know that a return visit is a definite 'date for the diary' - probably in June, as all the chained off areas should be fully accessible by then.
We found many really photogenic spots around the Gardens and there is the future promise of even more once the chains are removed to allow full access.
The vistas around the lake looked great, as did the area in the photos above - all will improve further as more blooms open up and more leaves appear on the trees.
Magnolias were in full bloom, while Daffodils, Tulips and Hellebores were also very much in evidence. Primroses adorned the woodland part of the walk, while it was pleasing to note the well-presented paths - everything here is beautifully maintained.
There is also a very nice Courtyard Tea Room, plus a picturesque walled area just across from this room with seating and tables set aside for alfresco dining - a wonderful setting.
All in all, a great place to visit and one to which we will return readily in a few weeks.
