Details for the garden visit are as follows:

Three Gardens with James Alexander Sinclair

Blackpitts

James Alexander Sinclair will show us around his garden Blackpitts. He has been there for nearly twenty years and built the house and garden from a collection of tumbledown barns and a concrete farmyard. It is under an acre and completely enclosed by the surrounding barns. The borders and design has evolved over the years with plants being constantly changed: it is where James tries out strange combinations and can do anything he wants without the interference of any clients!

James will also take us to two more nearby private gardens on which he has been working.

Watermill

I have been working here for about eight years now. The site slopes very alarmingly in places and, as well as reviving and extending the gardens, we have also planted meadows and dug ponds for the greater good of nature. The place is based around the original millpond and is a good mixture of old and new. conventional and the slighty funky.

Heythrop

A new garden which we started about two years ago. It used to be a monstrous amalgam of mature leylandii (150 of them), mud and a ridiculous amount of rubble (eight feet deep in places). There are now formal ponds, woodlands, a Brobdinagian meadow and a new drystone walled garden gathered around an Octagonal greenhouse. Work in progress.

Arrangements for the day

Meet at Bicester Station at 10.10am. Our first stop will be Blackpitts at 10.45am where we will be served coffee. We will then travel to our second garden. We will stop for lunch and a glass of wine at Deddington.  From there we go on to our third garden. Coach travel between venues will be available.

The price for all garden visits includes lunch with a glass of wine, refreshments and travel between the gardens (where appropriate).

If you wish to travel by car please let us know.  We would also like to know if you have any special dietary or access requirements.