This past weekend we finally had a break from the ridiculous amounts of rain we’ve been getting, so I decided to make a trip to The Fells in Newbury. The Fells is the former Summer home of John M. Hay (1838-1905) an American writer and diplomat. His estate alongside Lake Sunapee is well known for its historical significance and amazing gardens. The detail throughout the gardens was incredible…there’s gorgeous fountains, stone walls and carved figures throughout the property.
Fountain by the main house
This fountain here is actually fed from a brook up in the High Meadow Subdivison that runs down through the fountain and also feeds the Rock Garden. It amazes me how organized and thought out these gardens are. I can’t even begin to imagine how long it must of taken John Hay’s son Clarence and his wife Alice to design and construct these gardens. Thankfully due to efforts of the 150 active volunteers the grounds are impeccably maintained.
When at the property, they have a series of guided tours for either the house or the gardens. We did a house tour and our guide was awesome. Very knowledgeable and engaging. At the main house there is a cool little gift shop with an assortment of your usual gift items and adjacent to this, there is an art gallery! Here they have many different oil paintings on display that showcase the local scenery.
If you are not the most knowledge about gardening or are just starting out, this place is of great benefit. While going through the gardens, you can’t help but learn more about what’s planted via their guided brochure. Doing this you learn what you really like, and then you can go to their plant stand and buy some of the plants for your own garden….I’m just starting to embrace this whole gardening thing….quite the process!
Fairy Village-This was a nice little spot for kids to create their own “fairy houses”. Can’t see too many children getting crazy excited about gardens, so this is a great way to keep them entertained and probably out of trouble!
If you’re looking for something to do in the area, this is an awesome place to visit. It costs just $8 and the experience is well worth it. If you are reading this and have been to the Fells, please feel free to comment and share your experience.
Below are some pictures I took during my visit.
The Old Garden
Old Garden-large stone walled room
Old Garden-Looking through stone walls to fountain
Cool fountain in the old garden
The Rock Garden
The Rock Garden
The Perennial Border
100-foot Perennial Border
Fairy Village
Fairy Village
