Winterbourne House & Garden

Originally designed as a small country estate with rustic outbuildings and large gardens, Winterbourne followed the style of the Arts and Crafts movement with examples of local craftsmanship throughout the house. Margaret Nettlefold designed the garden, inspired by the books and garden designs of Gertrude Jekyll. After a period of restoration, the garden was Grade II listed by English Heritage in 2008. The day starts with a networking Lunch and then you’ll hear from Lee Hale, Head of Winterbourne House & Garden during a tour to explore all the different gardens as well as learning about the history of the estate.

Schedule

1.00pm – Arrival & lunch
2.00pm - Talk from Lee Hale, Head of Winterbourne House & Garden. Join Lee on a tour of all the different gardens at Winterbourne, getting to learning about the planting process, how they maintain the gardens throughout the year as well as the history of the estate.
3.30pm – Opportunity to walk around the House and Gardens as you wish
4.30pm – Gardens close and event end
 

The Botanic Garden

Winterbourne is one of the best surviving examples of an Edwardian Arts and Crafts suburban villa garden in Birmingham. The garden was lovingly created by the homeowners, Margaret and John Nettlefold, using the books of Gertrude Jekyll as guides and inspiration.

When the Nettlefolds left in 1919, two subsequent families called Winterbourne home. The latter, John Nicolson, was an avid gardener and built on the existing foundation with further features such as a Japanese bridge and scree garden. When the University took ownership in 1944 the botanical garden was used for study and relaxation by students, and research by the School of Botany. Today the botanical garden is Grade II listed and offers colour and interest throughout the year. The restored walled garden complete with crinkle-crankle wall, is a riot of rainbow shades from May until October. The lawns are fringed with striking colour themed borders, and beyond lies an original sandstone rock garden and a woodland walk through Gunnera leaves and Rhododendron displays. The botanical garden contains plants from around the globe with collections of plants from China, North and South America and the Alpine areas of the world. The garden offers something for all ages, including activity trails for families and a children’s garden.

Lee Hale

Lee began his career as a horticultural apprentice at Birmingham Botanical Gardens and followed his training with further and higher education at the renowned Pershore College of Horticulture. Following a series of roles in the horticultural and heritage sectors, Lee returned to Birmingham in the late 1990s to take up a position as a lecturer and horticultural supervisor.  He is currently Director of Winterbourne House & Garden, the University of Birmingham’s botanic garden and an Arts Council accredited museum.