"All seasons plantsman's paradise."
There is something of interest in the garden whatever the month but there are seasons of particular note:
February/early March is when visitors flock to see 'the snowdrops'- 70 acres of woodland carpeted in snowdrops, snowflakes and aconites following the burn to the sea.
Masses of bulbs follow; hellebores, pulmonarias and primulas weave their way between shrubs such as mahonia and ribes. The greenhouses are full of seedlings for the ornamental vegetable garden and the annual beds and the huge cold frames store cuttings for the garden and for sale at the potting shed.
The Woodland Border on the far side of the garden which has been an ongoing project brings together a selection of woodland plants from North America, Japan and China which can be enjoyed from March through to June. Under a canopy of Betula nigra and a range of snakebark maples, trilliums, Rodgersia, Diphyllea cymosa and many other choice woodland plants combine with a range of ferns and grasses to form a dense textural understory.
May/June is the time for the lilac walk featuring 26 varieties of sweetly scented lilac underplanted with muscari and anemones.
In June the moist garden is characterised by lush impressive growth. Bamboo provides rhythm as the path snakes around it. Generous drifts of Hosta combine with the red flowers of Rogersia pinnata ‘superba’. The scene is also punctuated with the sword like leaves and deep blue flowers of Iris Siberica. The massive rhubarb-like leaves of Gunnera manicata from Chile are among the largest leaves to be found in the plant kingdom.
In July the Steppe plantins are looking at their best. These habitat-themed areas contain a range of perennials and grasses from drier regions of the world. Cool, pastel coloured borders, they are planted in a diffused style which helps to maintain interest for as long a period as possible. This style of planting is reminiscent of the way plants combine in nature. Key plants include Sidalcea neomexicana, Salvia nemerosa ‘Cardonna’ and Phlomis tuberosa ‘Amazone’. Grasses include Pennisetum orientale and Stipa Turkestanica. Also of note during this period is our Early Flowering Area - here plants such as Phlomis russelliana and Knautia macedonica combine with a range of plants similar to the Steppe but planted in a less diffused but still informal fashion.
During August, September and October the potager, our ornamental vegetable garden, is looking magnificent as is the large border by the sun dial with the pinkish spires of Lythrum, and the flat yellow heads of Achillea and the large purple spiky foliage plant, Phormium Tenax from New Zealand. Its tough leaves are used for rope and basket making by indigenous tribesmen. The tall, arching grass Calamagrostis Karl Foerster sways in the wind above the pinkish/red spikes of Persicaria. Judicious use of evergreens helps lengthen the display.
The colchicum meadow is also in full bloom and the increasing varieties of colcichums can also be found in the woodland garden near the entrance and potting shed.
The winter colours of the garden cannot rival the riotous splendours of the other seasons, nevertheless they have their own charms. Traditionally evergreens are used to supply winter interest but the contribution made by the shape and bark colour of deciduous shrubs should not be overlooked and a variety of colour can be seen, from the ghostly white stems of the rubus in the woodland garden to the wonderful reddish bark of Acer guiseum and the berries not yet plundered by the birds.
|