We went to Kilver Court near Shepton Mallet. Kilver Court has designer outlet stores (no, no really, not part of the plan at all... we are talking Mulberry, Orla Kiely, Cabbages and Roses... seriously expensive even at the discount.. but OK... nice to see), a cafe of the relaxed, you won't be seeing any chips or ketchup in here but you can swim in the coffee cups and browse a newspaper kind of place, but most importantly a beautiful garden, look....
 |
| the rockery |
 |
| colour! |
Originally a space for workers to grow vegetables in the 1800's, created by industrialist Ernest Jardine.
Later the Showering family (manufacturers of Babycham, and owners of the adjacent factories) installed a grand version of George Whitelegg's Gold Medal winning rock garden shown at the 1960 Chelsea Flower Show.
In the 1990's Roger Saul of Mulberry fashion and Sharpham Park food brands fame, took over the property and installed a parterre... and a dear little Peter Rabbit vegetable garden for local school children to bring us full circle to Jardine's philanthropy.
The Garden is lovely to walk around, with lakes, waterfall, that amazing viaduct as a backdrop and some beautiful plantings... The factory buildings which overlook the gardens are restored, and can be hired as a conference or wedding venue. Lovely. The kind of place, if you lived near, to sit with a good book on summer afternoons... wedding parties permitting.
