Pergola in bottom garden May 08

well i think this is so peacefull just like looking through a window

This pergola started life in another part of the garden. Then we built the oriental pagoda and two wooden structures so close together didn't look right. I had been trying to think of some "gateway" for this part of the garden but didn't want trees or conifers - this was perfect. We measured up and dug the holes and carried the archway down the garden and placed it in the holes - it stood up straight and level - as though it had always been there!

Your garden is amazing.

Thanks - I've just found a book "Succession planting for adventurous gardeners" . It written by Christopher Lloyd, of Great Dixter, and describes exactly what we do - we keep pruning and letting different plants have their moments - the garden is like a giant orchestra! Things are crammed together but we prune very heavily in June, in addition to winter time.

Just completely - WOW!

Well, this is beyond fantastic!! I want to go there now! Beautiful photography too. Straight into my favourites.

i love the pergoda gonna have to borrow that idea.a tip i would give to people about keeping wood good and saving in the long run a lot of graft and money is never put wood below the level of dirt or le4t it contact it.works a treat

woooow can i move in lol :)

love it is that a globe artichoke in the front there.i got one its one of my faverites.i dont eat them the flowers are such a stunning blue

It's a Cardoon. It gets 8 foot tall!

they look alike dont you think.i love your garden could do with a concrete sculpture lol.i know a bloke www.noseypotter.com i here hes not to bad.lol im not realy into flowers as such.its not i dont like them i just prefer other things and after all if i feal the erge to see some i dont think it would be to hard to find a few.my front garden is so over planted its untrue .if you look on my photos youl see what i mean.we seam to have the same taste in plants ish.take care bye for now

I absolutely love the different coloured shrubs you've planted. What's the closest silver shrub called? This is what I'd like to do in my garden, less perennials and more shrubs. :-)

The silvery foliage is a Cardoon - it has thistle-like purple flowers in late summer, by which time the plant it 8 feet (2.6 m) tall. We cut it down in the winter. In France they cook the stems, which taste a little like celery.

i dont think you could better this picture of your purgler meaning its planted just right stunning

Thanks, everyone for your kind comments.

Sorry we're a bit quiet at the moment - we're busily preparing for our open day on Sunday 22 February. The snow took two of our weekends - we couldn't garden in that, and we work during the week, so there's a lot of catching up to do!

The conifers and shrubs give the garden structure and fortunately, in addition to the primula, the snowdrops and aconites are now in bloom. With no forecast of frost we should be heading for a bit of colour in the garden for next weekend.

its just right fourseasens pitty you live so far id give you a hand with it.im lucky as my open garden is in june.the trouble is the frost has got to my concrete planter so plenty of work there.good luck with your open garden bye for now

Thanks, NP. It's our flax that have been got really badly. The dilemma is whether to cut them right down, or try and prop them up - but the leaves look really sad.

Good look for June. Bye

there normaly hard as nails its 2 years of cool wet weather.my cordalines dont look so good either.maybe cut the flax back youl get nice leaves quicker though it will look worse.i believe you should go in faver of the plants health not how it looks but thats just my opinion.i normaly ask quite a few people if i have a dilema like that and see what the general answer is.as my nan used to say 2 heads are better than 1 even if there sheeps heads lol

this is beautiful

Breathtaking...