May is a vibrant month, when the trees come alive with new leaf and pockets of colour are emerging from the green tapestry created by the herbaceous perennials. At Cambo one of the highlights is the lilac walk with its display of more than 26 varieties.
As you entered the woodland garden from the car park, you will have passed the entrance beds by the gate with the shaded, heart-shaped leaves of Epimedium along with the Dryopteris ferns which are unfurling this month. The fern leaved maple in the adjoining bed is Acer palmatum ‘viridis’.
Opposite the potting shed in the woodland garden you will find the deep pink, heart-shaped flowers of Dicentra spectabilis, whose flowers, when upturned and pulled open, slightly resemble a lady in a bath! Notice also the pure white one. Euphorbias are in flower this month, mainly green, but most eye-catching is the lovely Euphorbia griffithii ‘Dixter’, a bit of an oddity with its red leaves and stems. To the right are the pink spikes of Persicaria bistorta and the pale yellow spikes of Tellima grandiflora. The sharp linear leaves of Iris sibirica help to provide contrast and rhythm within this section of the planting. Two small trees which look striking by the entrance to the Walled Garden are Acer palmatum ‘Senkaki’ (pale green with red stems) and, to the left, Acer griseum, the paperbark maple with its lovely peeling brown bark. Both these trees are ideal for a small garden.
Just to the side of the entrance to the Walled Garden, Andy, our new assistant head gardener, has redesigned what was originally a Victorian Fern Garden with a selection of small plants suited to dry shade.
The Walled Garden is bisected by the Cambo Burn. On the west side of the burn, on the far wall, we have been planting the first phase of our Woodland Project with trees, shrubs and ferns. The planting will be completed next year.
Behind the long hedge of Prunus cerisifera, facing you as you go into the walled garden, is our productive vegetable garden which supplies the house and means that our wonderful vegetable potager can remain unscathed. For this we grow the plants in modules rather than sowing direct into the soil as we find this gives us more control over pests, climate and germination.
On the other side of the burn, we are planting out the 2500 plants that we have grown from seed in our ornamental vegetable garden. Following on from last year, our theme will be ‘diffusion’ – a mingling of light airy plants - with a stronger emphasis on red this year.
The border at right angles to the greenhouses has always been a spectacular autumn border but this is being redesigned this year to have a traditional emphasis. It will include well-loved and familiar plants such as delphiniums and peonies and should peak in July and August.
The moist garden is tucked in behind the big square prunus hedge by the sundial and here you will find the yellow globe flowers of Trollius europaeus mingling with the purple Lysimachia cilliata. The curious umbrella flowers are Darmera peltata and will be replaced later by large round leaves.
Gardeners’ Tip: Try to stay on top of the weeding early in the season and mulch with fine bark which reduces the weeding dramatically and increases water retention.
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 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). We have also taken delivery of a supply of ‘Wee Green Pokes’, environmentally friendly bags, which you may wish to purchase (£1.00) to carry your plants home.
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