The Tulip Festival at Dunsborough Park
Every year the private gardens at Dunsborough Park are open for their annual Tulip Festival. This year we were lucky enough to visit.
Dunsborough Park, in the quaint little Surrey village of Ripley, dates back to the dissolution of the Monasteries in the fourteenth century. It was not, however, until the eighteenth century that the gardens were first professionally drawn out. Today, it is a spectacular garden full of interesting nooks and crannies, full of charm and a romantic atmosphere.
Digital and film cameras in hand, we explored every corner that the gardens had to offer. The first thing that greets you when you enter is the folly-cum-bridge that looks like it has been plucked straight from a fairytale. Bushy gunneras and rhododendrons surround the pond and the whole scene looks like a film set. Very magical.
As you continue over the bridge you are met with an assault of colour as tulips in rich jewel tones carpet the ground. We were mesmerised.
We would, however, warn you that the rather antiquated watering system may catch you unawares. The sprinklers are controlled by foot and are strategically placed along the borders…one wrong move and you’re going to soak the poor, unsuspecting visitors walking in front of you. Fortunately, it was only Julie’s father and chocolate Labrador who bore the brunt of the sprinkler system thanks to Arran’s misstep. This does, however, make for an amusing story.
You also cannot forget the bluebells - both Spanish and English - that fill in the gaps. Dainty white, violet and cerulean bells cover the floor in the more wooded areas of the garden.
After walking the whole garden, we stopped for some tea and cake. Delicious homemade cakes were provided by a local garden charity and visitors were invited to pull up a chair at large round tables. We opted for slices of chocolate cake, pineapple sponge, gingerbread cake and a mixed berry crumble slice. A cup of tea washed down the yumminess nicely.
After our pit-stop we began our second tour of the garden, taking in the spectacular display of tulips in the fittingly named Dutch Garden. We saw perfectly trimmed yew hedges, idyllic stone statues, red brick walls, secret corners and a charming greenhouse that is sadly in disrepair but continues to stand out as a beguiling feature of the gardens. We were particularly fond of the garden’s stone whippet guard dogs.
The gardens are also open for a short period in June for a display of roses, poppies, and peonies and again in September for a showcase of dahlias. We’ll definitely be returning to see more of Dunsborough’s seasonal delights.
