It’s wonderful to get out in the real world to celebrate the season with all your senses. Surrey has a range of stunning autumn gardens to immerse yourself in. Add in the element of water with those cloaks of gold and amber shimmering in the rippling surface for a further dimension of quiet reflection as you stroll amongst the beauty.
Here are three of my favourites to experience this time of mellow fruitfulness and nature’s crescendo of vibrant fireworks.
COVERWOOD LAKES
At Coverwood Lakes in Ewhurst, water is ever-present and it’s all about the spectacular vistas across the liquid expanse. Spread over 14 acres in the stunning Surrey Hills there are four lakes to ramble around, as well as bog gardens, an arboretum and a marked trail through the 180-acre working farm with Hereford cows, sheep and horses.
The gardens were originally laid out in 1909 by Mr Stephens, son of the famous inventor of blue-black ink, known as Stephen’s Ink. By the time the Metson family bought the estate the gardens were in a state of neglect. Plants and trees were added, the paths reinstated and the lakes established.
The style is naturalistic with azaleas and rhododendrons under the canopy of evergreens and deciduous trees, accompanied by marginal choices such as lysichitum and gunnera. Golden tones reflect in the water, where you may spot carp swimming in and out of the water lilies, while a small waterfall links the second and third lakes. At the edge of the water is a well-placed bench, a lovely spot to sit and take in the atmosphere.
The House That Rocks
Transforming an impressive, seven-bedroom Victorian property in Dorking wasn’t without its challenges, but the result is a stunning family home that has had the interiors world raving
REMEDY FOR SUCCESS
Surrey’s Tracy Borman discusses the return of her heroine healer in the final book of her best-selling fictional trilogy
Love Celia
Actress Celia Imrie has travelled the world for work and leisure but wherever she goes there is a part of her which is forever Surrey
EXHIBITION OF THE MONTH
Art & Action: Making Change in Victorian Britain at Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village in Compton focuses on the Victorian roots of art activism
Electric dreams
The Range Rover plug-in hybrid brings silent electric motoring to this iconic luxury car
THE OPEN ROAD
Chris Pickering rounds up some of the best drives in Surrey
TOWN AND COUNTRY: Oxted & Limpsfield
With the North Downs looming nearby and glorious countryside surrounding it, Oxted is a town with real “escape from London” appeal and character, while nearby Limpsfield has a superb village vibe with its own community-run pub
Artist to the stars
Known as ‘The Face of Modern British Impressionism’, Mickleham-based Sherree Valentine Daines is celebrating four decades at the forefront of her field
A RIGHT ROYAL WELCOME
The Signet Collection’s inaugural hotel project is a reimagining of a former royal guest house, situated directly opposite Hampton Court Palace
TOWN AND COUNTRY: Godalming & Hascombe
On the banks of the River Wey, Godalming is a watercolour pretty town surrounded by pristine countryside and in-demand rural villages, such as Hascombe
