The garden’s big day was, of course, the 21st June when we were open for the National Gardens Scheme. And a very successful day it was too. We had over 130 visitors, sold LOADS of delicious cakes and good number of plants, listened to a great saxophone quartet and raised nearly £1200.
The garden, on the whole, behaved really well – although I fear that our first flush of calla lilies that you can see above were down to one by the 21st. We are waiting for the second flowering now. The lavatera however, behaved impeccably – warned ten days in advance it got its act together and was positively rampant!
The roses, although already flowering at the end of May, held on – and indeed are still flowering now.
The upper patio, which has really come into its cool own in all the recent heat, looked lovely through the border as did the very delicate little Euphorbia graminea (grassleaf spurge) – a weed in warmer climes but very pretty if restrained!
Down on the hot bank in front of my study the dianthus has been doing battle with the erigeron which would really like to take over the whole bank –
although of course both now have to do battle with the no mow grass which, thanks to all that rain in early June, finally got growing.
The nasturciums, as you can see, originally planted to keep off the slugs in the growing garden, are rampant everywhere….
But much enjoyed by the visitors on the 21st.
From the main garden you now go past the apple tree with its newly installed firepit…
…and round to the growing garden via ‘begonia corner’. I have a great weakness for non stop begonias – and dark blue lobelia. I know the begonias are a bit brash but they are always bright and jolly, don’t mind being in the shade, don’t get eaten by slugs and go on for ever. What is there not to like.
Round that corner we also had a fuschia ‘recovery ward’. Magnificent prolific double blooms last year – look at them now…..
The left hand one a complete goner and the right hand one just shooting from the bottom. Only the middle one showing any signs of last year’s form. I am afraid it was probably all my fault as I moved them from one pot to another in early spring and they obviously did not like that at all. Oh well…. at least the lobelia is having fun.
So round to the Growing Garden which has proved a great success.
With the exception that is, of the cucumbers…… 10 out of 12 of which got eaten by the slugs….
But not so the corn on the cob, the potatoes, the chard and our runner beans.
Not so either the gooseberries, raspberries, and redcurrants – not to mention the tomatoes which, with their backs to a nice warm wall, are going gangbusters!
Meanwhile, our trusty Bramley apple looks as though it is going to give another massive crop. I thought that after last year it might decide to take a rest for a year – but apparently not….
For more on the Growing Garden see our dedicated blog here.
Spring 2026………