Westbury Manor Garden

Location: Central Fareham - West Street                                                                                             .
Gardens of Westbury Manor Museum, next to Fareham Bus Station.
Size: 1/3 acre

 

Situated to the rear of the town centre museum lies a small period garden based on plants from around the world

with an array of shrubs and herbaceous plants chosen to reflect the Victorian plant collectors of the time

 

The house at Westbury Manor was first built in the 1600's, being extended and adapted to its present style during the late 18th century and subsequently during the mid 19th century.  A private residence until 1932, it was sold to the Fareham Urban District Council to provide offices which remained here until the new civic centre was built in 1976.

 

Westbury Manor itself was renovated during the late 1980's and reopened as Fareham Borough Museum in 1990.  The building is now Grade II listed.

 

The garden at Westbury Manor is the result of detailed cooperation between Fareham Borough Council, Hampshire County Council, Museum Service and The Hampshire Gardens Trust.  Funding was provided, by both Fareham and Hampshire, the funding from Fareham being made possible through the Winifred Cocks Bequest.  An active member of the Fareham Society, Winifred Cocks made provision in her will for the use and eventual sale of her own house for local museum purposes.  The resulting charitable bequest set up in her name provided funding not only for this garden, but also for the restoration and fitting out of Westbury Manor itself in 1989/90.

 

The shape of the garden at the rear of the house has changed little.  In 1953 part of the garden was sold to the Hampshire and Dorset Bus Company to add to the area of the 'old' bus station, which had its entrance onto West Street. The Development plans during the 1980's boom did not come to fruition so that following the Council's departure the rear garden area was left as a temporary car park.

 

Between 1778 and 1932 Westbury Manor was home to (amongst others) seven Admirals of the Royal Navy.  To respect this local history the Victorian garden laid out as a compose rose with the house (England) at its centre.  In the South East corner of the garden there are shrubs and herbaceous perennials introduced from South East Asia, China and Japan  In the South West corner, there are plants introduced from South America and the Pacific rim, from New Zealand, Chile and Peru. To the west there are trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials introduced from North America.

Planting:

Rose Bed - A collection of old fashioned shrub roses underplanted with Tradescantia x anderanniana (North America 1962).

America beds - Trees, shrubs and perennials from North America, Azalea bed.

Rose Tunnel - Victorian climbing roses 'Gloire de Dijon, Celine Forestier and Felicite et Perpetue

Cottage Garden - A collection of shrubs commonly found in 'Victorian Country' gardens, with uses in the kitchen and flowers for the home - Lavender, bay, sage, mallow.

Chinese Border - shrubs and perennials from the Far East.

Ribbon Border - Hardy perennials laid out in 'ribbons', one behind another, including phlox paniculata (Eastern North America 1730), Aster novi-belgii (East United States 1710), Campanula persicifolia (Europe/South Africa/Asia 1596), and Sisyrinchium striatum (Chile 1788)

 

Planting Plan available in museum for reference.  Westbury Manor Museum - open 10-5 Monday-Friday, 10-4 Sunday.

 

The Victorian Garden at Westbury Manor was formally opened on 20th October 1994 by the Mayor of Fareham, Councillor Mrs Tessa Short and Mrs Gillian Drummond, Chairman of Hampshire Gardens Trust.

 

Support for the development of the garden was also been provided by the following; Fareham Horticultural Society, Fareham Lions Club, The Fareham Society, The Pulheim-Fareham Twinning Association, Solent Fushia Club, Fareham and District Ladies Circle, Fareham and District Round Table, Friends of Fareham Museum, The Rotary Club of Fareham, Soroptimist International of Gosport, Fareham and District.

 

Contacts: Westbury Manor Museum and the Hampshire Gardens Trust (this is an external hyperlink)