Set within a walled garden above the River Severn on the Worcestershire border is one of the oldest and finest arboreta in Britain. It was begun around 1800 by Earl Mountnorris who owned the Upper Arley village estate. But by the 1950s both arboretum and the village cottages had fallen into neglect. Enter Roger Turner, Midlands philanthropist and iron and steel man. He set about restoring the arboretum and brought Arley village back to life, repairing properties, building new homes and a community centre. When he died in 1999, the estate was left to his Charitable Trust. The arboretum was first opened to the public in 2002, its objectives both recreational and educational. So could one a imagine a lovelier venue for last Saturday’s gathering of nurserymen and women all selling their very special garden plants?
The fair was set up just outside the walled garden entrance and overlooking the parkland. For the small price of £2.50 you could go to the fair and spend the whole day in the arboretum.
And then into the arboretum:
Arley Aboretum and Upper Arley village for more information.
Tish Farrell 
Never heard of this one, Tish! Thanks for taking me there….
Glad to have you along, Sue 🙂 It’s not far from Bridgnorth – just across the border from Shropshire.
Oh, OK!
What a beautiful place, Tish. And your warm and colourful images are very inviting
Thank you, Debbie.
I have only been there in autumn which was lovely as you can imagine, but spring is also a good time to visit an arboretum it seems. The horse chestnut and the wisteria look magnificent. So what did you buy?
2 sorts of phlox and a very blue scabious. I really have no more room in my garden.
Time to move…. 😀
That has crossed our minds…
Lovely indeed. Thanks
Thanks, Ron.
Now this would be a fun outing.
It was 🙂
Beautiful, Tish!
Thanks, Pete.
Looks like the perfect place to be on a bright spring day. Great photo gallery, Tish. 🙂
Thanks, Sylvia. It’s lovely in autumn too.
Absolutely stunning. I went to a plant nursery today in Embu. I will blog about it next month.
Oh yes. I’d forgotten. Kenyan plant nurseries are beautiful. There used to be one on the side of the road not far from our house in Lavington. I remember coming home with the most beautiful datura. Moon lilies!
The rhodie shedding petals has my name all over it xx
Of course! 🙂
That was wonderful. Almost as good as being there. I want a couple of those chickens, but I think my dogs would think they were prey. So they would have to be really huge chickens to beat back the dogs 😀
The chickens were very handsome, and the cockerels pretty feisty so they might just keep a dog in its place.
Looks like a magic way to spend a day!
It was Thom. And I forgot to mention the brownies and ice creams!
What a splendid way to spend a sunny day. I would be very tempted to buy lots of new plants. I’ve been looking forward to this post Tish
There were lots I would have liked to buy.
Most beautiful photos Tish!
Many thanks.
You in your element I reckon. What did you buy? And I bet the expression on your face wasn’t like that of the woman in the second image!
It was hard not to want everything. I bought I white petalled phlox with a purple eye, a bluey mauve phlox – neither in flower yet, a claret coloured astrantia because I like that papery starlike flowers, and a very blue scabious, also not flowering yet. But my small garden beds at the house are bursting, and there’s only so much creeping into the farm field one can do…or is there…
Adore your glorious shots….!
They create such a wonderful atmosphere….
many thanks, Anna.