Bentworth Lodge

Bentworth Lodge near Alton, Hampshire, GU34 5JS

Rosemary Andreae has redesigned the long classic English herbaceous borders of her impressive garden. In addition it features Victorian topiary, sweeping lawns, a 120 ft old rose border backed by a pergola of climbing and rambling roses, plus old and modern roses surrounding a fishpond, banks of contrasting rose favourites and a modern HT border. The long pergola walk is laden with wonderful climbing roses and there are roses adorning the lodge. There is a formal rose garden that leads to the long herbaceous border. Peter Andreae is passionate about trees and the grounds have wonderful majestic trees, including a huge tulip tree, which resurrected itself from the storm of 1987. Lunch can be taken in a nearby country pub.

Booking: £10.00 per head (HRG members, non-members £12.50) including refreshments. There is plenty of parking. Please book by 10 May. Visitors should bring gumboots in order to walk across a field to the simple pond garden if they wish. There are only a couple of types of roses there but the large pond is attractive. It will be signed from the drive.

Directions to Bentworth Lodge: Bentworth Lodge can be difficult to find. iPhones and Waze usually bring you up the drive, but older car satnavs may go wrong at the end, directing you to a farm track off Well Lane. Please do not go down Well Lane or you will get lost. It is not possible to stop on the main road so visitors need to look at the map earlier; or if they overshoot, to drive on until they can turn round. On 27 May there will be a house sign on the main road.