Waterperry Gardens facts for kids
Waterperry Gardens are beautiful gardens with a museum in the village of Waterperry. This village is close to Wheatley, which is east of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England.
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Discover Waterperry Gardens
Waterperry Gardens has a long and interesting history. In 1932, a lady named Beatrix Havergal started the Waterperry School of Horticulture here. This was a special school where women could learn all about horticulture, which is the art of growing plants. The school taught many students until Beatrix retired in 1971.
The Waterperry estate was very famous for its delicious Royal Sovereign strawberries. These strawberries were so good that they were even sent to Buckingham Palace and shown at the famous Chelsea Flower Show!
In 1972, a group called the School of Economic Science bought the Waterperry Estate. They still own and run Waterperry Gardens today. The money earned from the gardens helps support their school.
What You Can See in the Gardens
The gardens cover eight acres and are beautifully designed. You can explore many different areas, including:
- An alpine garden with small mountain plants.
- A formal knot garden with plants woven into patterns.
- Long herbaceous borders filled with colorful flowers.
- A peaceful walk along the river.
- A lovely rose garden.
- A canal with beautiful water-lily plants.
There are also five acres of orchards, which are fields of fruit trees. Waterperry Gardens is also home to two special collections of saxifrage plants. These collections are recognized by Plant Heritage as part of the National Plant Collection scheme.
The gardens are especially known for their wide variety of snowdrops. These delicate white flowers bloom in the spring, making the gardens look magical.
Museum and Other Facilities
Inside the gardens, you'll find the Museum of Rural Life. It's located in an old granary building from the 1700s. The museum shows off old tools and equipment used in the countryside long ago.
Besides the museum, Waterperry Gardens has other great places to visit:
- A gallery where you can see art.
- A garden shop to buy plants and gardening tools.
- A gift shop for souvenirs.
- A plant centre where you can buy plants for your own garden.
- A cozy tea shop to relax and have a snack.
Waterperry in the Media
Waterperry Gardens has even been featured in music and TV!
- The music video for the song "Yesterday" by artist Natalie Shay was filmed right here.
- Since 2017, the Waterperry Opera Festival has held amazing performances in the grounds and house. In August 2022, over 4,000 people enjoyed their 10-day festival.
- In 2023, the BBC show Make it at Market used Waterperry Gardens as the setting for its second series.
Famous People from Waterperry
Some talented people studied or worked at the Waterperry School of Horticulture:
- Mary Spiller: She was a teacher at the school and later became a presenter on the popular radio show Gardeners' Question Time.
- Pamela Schwerdt: She became a joint head gardener at the famous Sissinghurst Castle Garden.
- Valerie Finnis: She was an expert in alpine plants.
See also
- List of museums in Oxfordshire
- Museum of Oxford
