First Visit Nerves!

Some months ago, I mentioned that Nigel and I had been to see Kathryn Robey, curator of the Dorothy Clive Gardens, just over the border in Shropshire. As a result of that meeting, we agreed to team up to offer joint bookings for garden visits by coach. The idea is that visitors would spend the morning at Dorothy Clive Gardens, and have lunch at their lovely tea rooms. Then after they were fed and watered, they would drive the eight miles over to Betley Court Gardens.  

Sunday saw the first of these bookings, from the Southport Chrysanthemum & Garden Society. The nerves felt for the first visit were certainly heightened – not just our first coachload of visitors, but a horticulturally knowledgeable coachload of visitors!  We prepared as best we could, and braced ourselves. Fortunately, the weather forecast was for light cloud, with rain due at 4 o’clock, so we kept our fingers crossed that the trip would be completed without having to get the umbrellas out.

The visitors had been briefed in advance that there are no facilities yet at Betley Court Gardens, but Nigel had arranged for the two Mr O’s, our handymen to set out some chairs on the lawn for less mobile people to enjoy the gardens from.  The group was quite large, forty-five in total, and Nigel had prepared a talk to (hopefully) entertain them with during the visit. We also put together a rudimentary visitors’ pack, with a self-guided guide/map of the grounds, postcards and leaflets. As I couldn’t be there on the day, one of our most established tenants, Mr PJ agreed to assist Nigel, for which I’m very grateful.

I’m pleased to report that the visit went very well – “Well nobody threw anything!” Nigel said afterwards (his standard response after any public speaking by the way!). People enjoyed Nigel’s stories, and he was able to share his growing horticultural knowledge of the garden. Our ancient Helesia carolina, (as mentioned on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners Question Time) is in flower, and attracted interest even in its dilapidated state.

Nigel, rather bravely I thought, provided a feedback questionnaire and asked the visitors to pass their verdict on the gardens. We received a lot of responses, and I’m pleased to say, they were overwhelmingly positive! Its always a bit daunting asking folk what they think, just in case they are negative, and of course, these visits are taking place before we’re properly up-and-running. Betley Court Garden is like our big horticultural baby, and we’ve put a lot of heart and soul into it, so any harsh or unjust criticism would have stung. However, we did not have to worry, and crucially, we gained an insight into how the visitors saw the grounds, and what they would like to see if they came again.

One respondent commented that we should make more of our specimen tree collection. Wow! We have a specimen tree collection? Why aren’t we making more of it? Put that on the ‘to do’ list, Nigel. Another suggested labels with the Latin binomial names on for the more curious visitors. Discerning lot, these garden visitors, they like to know exactly what they are looking at. There were the expected comments about the state of the paths in places, fair comments. We were also provided with suggestions for flowers that would suit different parts of the garden – with Latin names too, naturally.

And, unsurprisingly there was huge support for the provision of a tea room and toilet facility. The need was illustrated, at the end of the visit by the orderly queue that formed outside ‘Murphy’ loo (yes, we name our WC's...doesn't everyone) – the one available toilet in the building. Our visitors wanted to be comfortable for the long drive back to Southport and I can’t say I blame them!

So, thank you Southport Chrysanthemum & Garden Society for your visit, kind words and advice. We hope to see you next year, by which time we hope to have put in place some of your suggestions.

Ladybird Su