Second Coach Trip 2024

Coach trip Wednesday 2nd October 2024 - Waterperry Gardens
 
The weather was on our side for this trip. It had been so wet in the days leading up to it that the River Thame which runs along one border of the estate had flooded the low lying fields and made parts of the River Walk impassable. The remainder of the 20 acre Gardens were completely unaffected by the previous downpours, with paths and the grassy areas all in good condition.
 
The Gardens are known for their long herbaceous borders and it was impressive to see that even so late in the season, the colours were still so vibrant. The asters were giving a brilliant demonstration of how many shades of purple and pink were possible.
 
In the shelter of the walled garden they display raised beds of saxifrage and hold the National Collection.
 
The fruit trees were heavy with apples and pears and it was pleasing to see we could buy bags of apples of different varieties in the garden shop.
 
In addition to seeing the landscaped gardens, the Museum of Rural Life, the Saxon church, the gift shop and the tea shop with homemade goodies, the group had a tour of Waterperry House for over an hour. The tour was run by the Steward of the estate, who was most informative and entertaining in the way he told us the history of the house and gardens and the story of the fresco. The paintings are over 35 feet high in the centre of the house and depict philosophical teachings. This beautiful art work was achieved using the traditional fresco painting method and completed over several years. There was also the opportunity to visit the rest of the House.
 
For many of the group this was their visit to Waterperry. The feedback from the group was very positive and we are looking forward to the next trip in the Spring 2025...whereever that might be.
 
Sue Alexander, Social Secretary