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Garden Owners,
Please copy this information and paste it into an email to:   wb [at] armchair-travel [dot] com

Please make any changes in BRIGHT RED in your email back to us.

Regards,
Armchair Travel Co Ltd
http://www.armchair-travel.com
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Garden Name: Long Close
Last Modified: 26/01/2011
Garden ID: 0237

pic: 0237_Longclose.jpg

Owner: Mr. J.T. Oakland and Mrs. P. Johnson
Address:
Main Street
Woodhouse Eaves
Loughborough
Postcode: LE12 8RZ
County: Leicestershire

tel: 01509-890616
fax: 
website: www.longclose.org.uk
email: longclosegardens {at} talktalk.net

Features: 
Five acre garden and wild flower meadows. Spring bulbs, magnolias, rhododendrons, azaleas, herbaceous borders, potager, lily ponds and parterre. Many rare shrubs and trees. New woodland walk.

English Heritage Grade:


Opening Times:
Apr - end July and Sept - mid-Oct; Tues - Sat; & BHs 9.30am - 5.30pm.
NGS Days: Sat 14 th May (2-5), Sun 15th May (11-4)
Visitors also welcome by appointment

Best Times of Year to Visit: 


To see: 


National Collection: 


National Garden Scheme days: Yes
Comments: Sat 14 th May (2-5), Sun 15th May (11-4)

Parties / Coaches: Yes 
Comments: 

Viewing by Appointment: Yes
Comments: group visits by appointmnt 

House Open for Viewing: no
Comments: 

Admission Prices:
Adult £4; Child £0.50. Must be accompanied by adult.

Parking: Yes
Lavatories: Yes
Disabled Access: No
Shop: Yes
Plants for Sale: Yes
Lunches: No
Teas: No
Refreshments: No
Picnics: Yes
Dogs allowed: No
Only on Lead: No
Events: Yes

Other Facilities:
Spring mini-plant Fair. Teas & Light refreshments on NGS days and for groups by prior arrangement. Limited access for the disabled. DIY Tea-making facilities available. Guide dogs only.


Designer: 
Description of Garden:
A secret garden hidden behind a high wall which protects the many rare plants that thrive there is to be found in this charming Leicestershire village. The terraced lawns, flanked by herbaceous borders, lead to a fine informal woodland garden, underplanted with bulbs, magnolias, camellias, massed rhododendrons, azaleas and other flowering shrubs. Elsewhere there are three lily ponds, a parterre, a potager and a large collection of penstemons. The adjacent wildflower meadow is also pretty in late spring. Organic methods are used in both the garden and the meadow and there is an abundance of wildlife.


History: 
The house dates from the 17th century or earlier but the garden was started in earnest by a Col. Heygate who, in the early 1930's purchased the whole of the Waterer's stand of rhododendrons and azaleas when the Royal Agricultural Show came to Leicester. He left his gardener to guard it overnight and collected it by horse and cart the next day! This formed the perimeter of the garden. After WWII George and Marian Johnson bought the property and planted many interesting trees and shrubs and then began to open the garden to the public in the 1950's. The present owners, Mr. J.T. Oakland and Miss P. Johnson, took over the care of the garden fifteen years ago and it since then it has been regularly featured in the Press and on TV. They purchased the property in 2000.

Local Inns: 
Three good inns serving food in village.

Accomodation: 
Good B & B in next village
Hotel in Loughborough

Restaurants: 
Two good restaurants in village.

Village/Town/Sightseeing: 
Beacon Hill in village
Woodhouse Eaves 
Bradgate Park
Newton Linford