Walk the talk
RIGHT : Mrs Lywood .
If you are interested in viewing the gardens they are open annually under the NGS , five-and-a-half-acres with easy paths , numerous seats , good views , colourful perennials , shrubs and mature trees , a large geranium border overlooking grounds , bog garden , pond with fish and water lilies , newly installed scented garden , small secret courtyard garden and container planting on residents ’ patios , please enquire . www . thedowerhousewinchester . co . uk and apartments – and even a creche for staff ’ s children . This part of the business was sold so that she could focus on The Dower House , with it ’ s 43 rooms , made up of 39 long stay and four short stay rooms .
Mrs Lywood , who now lives in Bath , is still very much involved and visits The Dower House once a month when she gives talks on her great passion , gardening , always accompanied by seasonal photographs of plants in the home ’ s grounds .
“ Many people who live here arrive as active , elderly residents and The Dower House remains their home until the end ,” explained Philippa .
“ A number of residents now arrive when they need nursing care , which has changed the dynamics somewhat , but bridge , piano recitals and gardening are part of the vitality they enjoy in living here .
“ Many enjoy gardening , or simply appreciating gardens , therefore we arrange trips to view other gardens as well as admiring our own . It really is something special .”
Testament to that observation is extremely low staff turnover . Residents may live at The Dower House for a decade , meanwhile several staff have notched up a few more years – matron 14 years , one of the cooks 25 , a night sister has just retired after 27 years whilst the housekeeper had been here for 25 years !
Philippa is married to Tim , who now drives a Winchester Community Bus and they have three grown-up daughters , Charlotte ( who thinks nothing of spending the weekend cycling the length of Wales and back again ), Sophie ( new mum to Frankie ) and Kate ( a former England Junior Golf squad captain working in London after several years abroad ).
The girls ’ inspiration has come , in part , from their dynamic mother ’ s charity commitments , which have included treks to the Great Wall of China , Machu Picchu and the Arctic Circle with huskies . Philippa completed X-Runner UK for the British Heart Foundation , and most recently , ran the Stockholm Marathon for Southampton Hospital Charity , finishing in just over five hours . “ I ’ m six foot two and not a natural runner ,” she added . “ As anyone who has tackled a marathon will tell you , it ’ s the training which is harder than running on the day !”
With a yearning for explore new countries , Philippa is off cycling from Vietnam into Cambodia in November , a personal trip this time , not a charity event .
Residents and staff know what this joyous , surprising and inspiring woman gets up to … and perhaps a few more now .
When Philippa encourages people to remain active , she knows what she ’ s on about .
44 Resident www . residentmagazine . co . uk