June is when planting begins in earnest. Much of the preparation and planting of the vegetable production area is already complete and the gardeners are now busy planting. It is an exciting time for them as they see their plans take shape in the ground, using blue string grids as a measuring aid and to relate to the grids on their planting plans.
The area opposite the potting shed is in its first wave of flowering with Iris Siberica creating a rhythm with its lovely detailed dark blue flowers and its linear leaves alongside the pale cream plumes of Aruncus diocius, Goat’s Beard, and the pink bottlebrushes of Persicaria bistorta growing through loose groupings of aquilegia and geranium.
Facing you as you enter the walled garden is our ‘calendar’ border planted with a diffused steppe theme as partner to the border opposite (in front of the glasshouse). Most of the plants have been raised from seed and it is hoped it will start to fill out next year and create a long-lasting season of interest from June to October.
Following the path round, behind the impressive block of Portuguese laurel hedging, you will discover the moist area characterised by lush impressive growth. Bamboo provides rhythm as the path snakes around. Generous drifts of Hosta combine with the red flowers of Rogersia pinnata ‘superba’ and the scene is 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 found in the plant kingdom and angelica provides dramatic focal points as it self seeds informally.
Turning left as you enter the garden, and adjacent to the alpine house, is Penny’s garden (Penny was Sir Peter’s aunt and used to live in the house), which is currently under development. The plan is to have a range of small treasures to enjoy all within one area.
Between Penny’s garden and the lily pond are the traditional ‘1/4’ beds filled with many familiar plants, such as geraniums, iris and nepeta. The beds immediately opposite have just been designed by our student, Jennie Sinclair, to form a foreground for the potager (an ornamental vegetable garden based on a traditional French idea of combining vegetables with perennials and annuals) and create a transition from our herbaceous plantings to the potager.
The potager itself is a fusion of annuals, vegetables and perennials in a naturalistic design inspired by nature and in keeping with the general informal planting style we have been developing over the past few years. It is redesigned every year and contains around 1500 plants. The second area, cross the path beyond the potager, is a planting of early flowering perennials, many grown from seed, and it is hoped it will have a long season of interest extended by grasses and late flowering perennials. The white airy flower with the smokey linear leaves is Libertia ixioides and the blue spikes nearby are Salvia nemerosa ‘Cardonna’. The beds are connected by the purple foliage of Aster laterifolius ‘Lady in Red’ and the tiny vivid pink flowers of Dianthus carthusianorum combine beautifully with the grass, Stipa tenuissima.
The double late-flowering borders on the way up to the cartwheeling statues are bulking up at the moment providing an interesting display of textures before the main flowering season begins next month. The season begins with signal plants used in small quantities to signal the beginning of the flowering period, eg red Astrantia major var Rubra, the white star-like Asphodelus Albus and the familiar Geranium ‘Johnsons Blue’. These plants have good leaves which will act as a foil for other plants later in the season.
We deliberately do not label every plant in an effort to retain an informal atmosphere but if there is something which particularly interests you and there is a gardener around please feel free to ask him about it. Alternatively if you email a digital photograph or description and rough position in the garden we shall happily reply. (cambo@camboestate.com)
Plants for Sale at the Potting Shed
We have a wide selection of interesting and unusual plants and shrubs for sale at the Potting Shed and also some down at the main house in the courtyard round the back. There is always someone around in the afternoon Sunday to Friday inclusive to help you with your purchases, but if there is no-one on duty, please put money, or cheque, into the honesty box or come down to the office (Monday to Friday 10-4).
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