John's Garden Part 2

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Part 2 of John’s Garden – John’s garden is the private gardens at Ashwood Nursery in Kingswinford which are opened for charity several times a year. By the way in part 1 I posted a map of the gardens.

Opposite the Dell is the new island bed (number 12 on the map) a gorgeous bed of “seasonal interest including paeonia, salvias and tulips flowering against a tapestry of foliage shrubs”. Some fantastic colours in ths bed, absolutely loved it:

View from island bed towards long border:

View from island bed towards the forest garden:

Nan stopped here as she was getting tired but I carried on up past the long border (number 10 on the map) which is “a mixed planting of shrubs including hydrageas and hamamelis, trees, connifers, herbaceous and lillies”, once again some fantastic colours and gorgeous dahlias:

View back down the garden:

As I walked back down to nan I spotted a little pathway into the forest garden (number 11 on the map) this has a “softer planting of trees, hollies, shrubs, herbaceous and ferns with an emphasis on foliage and winter stems”. The light inside this part of the garden was a lovely dappled shade. Very peaceful in there:

View back towards the island bed and down the garden:

Back on the home stretch now I rejoined nan and we strolled down past the other side of the new island bed:

the pool and rock garden:

to the herbaceous border (number 13 on the map). Just before you reach the border itself there is a area planted with trees and bushes then there is a lovely little seating area, with this fantastic cloud pruned box (well I think its box):

Then you have the herbaceous border, which is “a traditional mixed herbaceous planting and spring bulbs with Magnolia grandiflora and a fine collection of Clematis viticella against the wall. Teasel sculptures by Neil Lossock”. The scultpures were quite fantastic, I’ll bet they look amazing in winter:

As you move back to the house you reach the old herbaceous border (number 14 on the map). This is apparently made up of “Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’, Aster frikartii ‘Jungfrau’ and narcisuss. Pinus sylvestris ‘Globosa’ in terracotta pots”. Here’s another one I don’t seem to have many photos of. Although that could be because nan was getting quite tired again and we were both getting rather hungry lol:

Rather than walking back around the house we cut down the path towards the south african border which is in the centre of the driveway. This border is made up of “kniphofia, agapanthus, eucomis, nerines, diasica, dwarf tulips and podocarpus on a mound of boulders and pebbles” quite an entrance really:

The path between the buildings:

The african border:

Once again I left nan for five minutes to have a quick stroll around the front garden (number 1 on the map). I do find it quite funny that the front garden is one of the last bits we saw lol. Anyway according to the map this garden is made up of “acer griseum, Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’, Quercus castaneifolia ‘Green Spicre’, Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’ and Fagus sylvatica ‘Purple Fountain’, hamamelis and hydrangeas underplanted with hellebores, hepaticas, cyclamen and lots of bulbs”. This garden was a lovely little secluded area with lots of little pathways and ways of peeking through to the rest of the garden:

Finally we left the garden past the crab apple walk (number 16 on the map) which is made up of “mainly malus, but also sorbus,m prunus and betula. Anemone pavonina and snowdrop walk”. Have to say I really liked the sheep lol:

We left the garden and went back into the nursery for lunch. Stuffed ourselves silly with tuna sandwiches and scones with jam and clotted cream (yummy) – yes I was extremely full after all that lol. After that we went for a little wonder around the gardens in the nursery:

Hellebores in flower!?!?

Love the sheep and sheepdog – we brought my nan a flock of sheep a few years ago, hmm could be going back for the sheepdog lol:

and around the nursery itself. Some fabulous plants there and not all that ridiculously expensive. Was very very tempted by the chocolate cosmos, but left it for now. Might have to go back though lol. All in all a really lovely day and even better the weather co-operated.

Hope you all enjoyed the walk as much as we did :))

• 6 Aug, 2012
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