On a beautiful warm and sunny day members and guests of the society admired both the Oxford Botanic Garden and the nearby Waterperry Gardens. These contrasting gardens each displayed a huge variety of plants in most attractive settings. Whereas Oxford Botanic Garden is located in the middle of Oxford adjacent to the River Cherwell Waterperry Gardens are set in the countryside bordered by the River Thame with a woodland walk by the riverside.
The 7 greenhouses at Oxford create a range of climatic conditions from tropical jungle to desert and alpine environments. There is also a PhysicGarden with a splendid mandrake plant bearing fruit along with other medicinal plants.
At Waterperry we could enjoy lunch at the teashop then embark on the exploration of the extensive grounds covering 8 acres with beautifully landscaped ornamental gardens. In addition we could pause for reflection at a Saxon church dating back to the 13th century, followed by temptation in the Gallery where a wide range of handmade works of art including jewellery, ceramics, glass and prints made by local artists were on sale.
The Society would like to thank Geoff Allen of Travallen who made all the arrangements for a most enjoyable day out.
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