Medwell Court was laid out after the initial garden in 2000 when a new entrance became available to the Garden and the whole property was able to be seen as one. The raised area planted with box and Christmas Box shows the 20th century ground level which has been lowered to the level when King John’s House was built. The lead fountain was made by Norman and Underwood of Leicester as they were working on nearby Salisbury Cathedral.
The courtyard lies within the footprint of eight 18th century cottages which were demolished to become part of the Gun shop garden in the 1930s. The original, spine wall at the rear of the Oak Pentice remains, pierced by window openings indicate how small each dwelling would have been. The stone floor is from St Mary’s Church, Eling and Anna Valley House, from either end of the Test Valley.
The Spring Meadow is planted with apple trees of alternating red (Orleans Reinette) and yellow (Cornish Aromatic); a memory of the many orchards that use to be part of Romsey, they are underplanted by meadow plants that flower in the spring.
The Summer Meadow surrounds the Holly Tree left from the earlier garden, together with the Peace Rose on the edge of the meadow and the apple tree by the garden store. Musk Mallow, Greater Knapweed, Moon Daisy, Field Scabious, and Wild Carrot flower here through the summer, whilst on the North side of the dividing wall an espalier Morello Cherry provides the earliest summer fruit.
The water loving plants enjoy keeping their feet wet near the Holbrook stream, part of the many streams that run like ribbons through the town, the steam continues to pass under the road by Boots the Chemists, the original boundary of Romsey Town and Romsey Extra. Here look out for Dogwood (Cormas) & Guilder Rose (Viburnum Opulus). The building now used as a garden store was once a four hole privy. The stream was diverted underneath to take away the discharge, no doubt the smell here would have been very different in days gone by.
The Herber, the important medical chest of yesteryear.
The Abbey Flower Garden, lilies and roses, clematis and aromatic plants help to create a fragrant garden. On the walls are Black Worcester Pear & Jardonelle.
The compost area. The gardeners use a variety of composting techniques
The Victorian Garden, which has been the most recent to have been created. It was finished in and is dominated by the rich blue and red colours of rose lavender and peony. It is a lovely place to rest and have a cup of tea in Miss Moody’s Tudor Tea Rooms.