Come in and have a wander around. A view from the front gate looking up the driveway
Below: Some of the plants on the left of the driveway (including my favourite Rodgersia pinnata - not yet in flower but look at those handsome purple leaves)
Below: From back of house, a view from just outside my office window
Below: From back of house, a view from the kitchen window, looking over the patio
Below: And now a look into the garden on the south facing side of the house. This is our "spring garden" - snowdrops, daffodils, tulips, Erythronium, Camellia, Azalea etc etc etc.
The birds love the big Rowan Tree (and the bird feeders we hang from it
) The bloom is just going off as you may see. The scent is absolutely beautiful. You catch that in the evening when walking around to the front of the house as we continue this tour.
The pink flower in prominence in this photo is a real puzzle to me. It may be red campion, but it sure loves our garden. My dad planted it. It spreads slowly, certainly not invasively and divides easily. I have planted it in various beds all around the place and given divisions to friends.
My sister's husband is a cousin of the late great John Cushnie - of Gardeners World fame.
She introduced me to him at his garden centre and I took a slip of the plant to show him.
Pulmonaria he immediately said. Problem is, I cant find any photos of any Pulmonarias which look identical
Below: Under the Rowan Tree, a peep at a lovely little (in my garden!) woodlander - Brunnera macrophylla 'Dawsons White' .
Its on the left of the path in the previous photo (above)
Below: Looking back on the side garden - the cluttered bed is full of Daffodil leaves - have to wait a few weeks for them to die away. Next closeup will be the plants on the right of this photo
Below: The close up.
Paeonia officinalis 'Rubra Plena' is the centre of attention here. Those big blood red flowers are so heavy they each need staking. A bit drab otherwise so Ive planted a Geranium and a couple of Osteospermums for colour. Also Anthemis Susanna Mitchell - you can see a few of its airy pale yellow flowers.
I'm very fond of the dead nettle (Lamium maculatum 'Wooton Pink') in this photo. It "glows" in the evening like a beacon.
The white "snow" on the ground is the fallen bloom from the Rowan tree.
Below: and now we enter the front garden. My "new" border on the left.
Next 3 photos will show some of the flowers down that border (just awakening)
Below: My new Acer dissectum with silver plants for contrast. Artemisia 'Powis Castle' has grown too big in only one year and is leaning all over Nepeta racemosa 'Walkers Low' (blue spikes - a gorgeous plant)
Below: Lychnis flos-cuculi Jenny (pink) has almost insignificant flowers when viewed close up, bu they float in the air and look beautiful from a distance. 2 planted here (2012) and a new white one planted a few weeks ago for a nice combination
Below: and a look into Penstemon corner. None in flower yet but five or so have survived the winter.
Anthemis Susanna Mitchell is first to burst into bloom
Below: Turning round and looking over the front lawn to the driveway
Below: Looking back up the new fence border.
Ive planted Livingstone Daisies in that little bed under the tree. No flowers expected for a few weeks yet, but if all goes according to plan will be spectacular.
The white flower in that little bed is Centaurea montana 'Alba'. Its taken a hit from a football, unfortunately
Below: Turning round and looking over the front lawn to the driveway
Below: Looking up the front garden to the house.
The yellow flower in prominence is my yellow equivalent of Erysimum 'Bowles's Mauve'.
Beautiful scent
Next close up will be a nice little flower at the base of the arch.
Below: Inside of the base of the arch - not much space for anything, but this one is perfect.
Saxifraga (London Pride Group) 'London Pride'
In the pic are a self seeded Welsh Poppy (yellow) and a poppy (mine are a few weeks behind yours Eric)
Below: OK, now lets have a dander around the back garden.
Starting with a view from the back door.
Note the Laburnum in the background. Grown from seed about 20 years ago.
That big weeping conifer is Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula'. The huge Camellia × williamsii 'Donation' (to the right of the seat) is the pride of spring, but the show is just over for 2013.
The main path up the garden is just to the right.
Below: A view up the main path
Below: A view to the left of the main path. (I cant show you a view to the right of the path (yet)
)
A pink Azelea, a gorgeous pale yellow Hemerocallis (Daylily) - don't know the variety as given to me by a very special gardener, Polemonium caeruleum white-flowered and a distant view of Poached Egg Plant corner
Below: A little rockery at the top left of the main path and a view of Poached Egg Plant corner.
Once planted, those Poached Egg plants are there for ever! I have extended the corner every year for a number of years, but not this year. That's yer limit
They die off, disappear and about three weeks later next years flowers come up in greater abundance
Below: Another view of Poached Egg Plant corner, looking back down the garden and a glimpse of Laburnum walk (the path to the right).
Below: The big Rhododendron at the top of the garden, planted in rememberence of my father (my sisters idea). It takes a battering from footballs and other missiles but still manages to look good each year.
Behind the Rhodo, the big tall bush with numerous clusters of pink bell shaped flowers is Weigela florida.
Below: Turning round, and looking down the garden.
This is the "football pitch", golf driving range, bicycle track etc etc.
Below: and another view of "Simons Pond Bed" (left) and the point of Jakes bed (my beloved dog laid to rest here) with even more Poached Egg Plants. I dug all them all up after they self seeded last year and planted some Penstemons and a lovely Veronica 'Charlotte' . They came back (as you see) but I "weeded" most of them away to allow the others to see the sky!
I have to say, Ideas Genie Pro came in useful to help me remember the names of a few plants in this little exercise
Hope you enjoyed the tour
