The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

A visit to Osborne House, Isle of Wight. The front Garden 12 August 2014

siris

By siris

7 comments


The drive to the House, the seaside home of Queen Victoria is bordered by Rhododendrons and specimen trees including a large cork Oak. It then opens up to lawns which were parched brown on 12 August when we visited.

The walled garden is opposite the front of the house, tucked out of sight in the trees. All eight faces of the walls are used, hence an aspect to suit a variety of plants. Most of us, if we have walls in the garden, only have a maximum of 4 faces! Here against this outside wall is a border with Acanthus and other hardy perennials.

A magnolia is the centre piece of this circular border of annuals.


Macleaya cordata and Achillea, almost to the top of another outside wall.


Further along, the flowered spikes of Echium purinana, a tender plant that can be grown in the South. Surprisingly a label in the border marking the spot for Dracunculus vulgaris, a vile smelling Arum. Luckily it had gone summer dormant.


Inside the walled garden, vegetables and flowers were growing in alternate rows, Chard by the path with Cosmos?


A row of Iris “immortality” with a row of Canna “Shenundoah” then a row of Globe Artichoke over 5ft tall.


Cannas seem to be a speciality. On the left is Canna Reine Charlotte 1892, the date of introduction to horticulture or a code? With Prince Charmotte to the right.


More Cannas


An espalier pear on an inner wall with a plum.


On a different wall a fig, no fruit. Looking at the smile on the face of the topiary pigs they have eaten them.


Out of the walled garden, past this impressive angel statue


and the boar by the visitors entry to the house.


After a visit to the house, no photos allowed. I will take you on a walk around the back garden and a stroll down to the sea.

More blog posts by siris

Previous post: Reblooming Iris germanica

Next post: Osbourne House, the back garden, 12th August 2014



Comments

 

Lovely gardens. What about the colour scheme in the bed in the second picture? So elegant and restrained, I love it!

21 Aug, 2014

 

That's a North east facing border,I think, facing towards the front of the house, the N W perennial border was almost 'finished'.

22 Aug, 2014

 

Very interesting. I enjoy visiting places like that :)

23 Aug, 2014

 

Had a couple of days on the Isle of wight, was going to go to Ventnor Botanical gardens, but it was tipping down with rain, so we cried off and caught the ferry back.

23 Aug, 2014

 

Lovely place to visit thanks for sharing :-), love those pigs lol.

26 Aug, 2014

 

Happy pigs. In the past I topiary-ed a Lonicera nitida Baggesons Gold. I thought my peacock was quite good, but bro in law thought it was a Dachshund! A one- legged dog!!

27 Aug, 2014

 

Very elegant isn't it, I do like the pigs and the handsome boar and I'd love a walled garden like they have in these grand houses.
Siris I always enoy visiting such places and thanks to goy I now get to see so many more, thankyou for sharing......

27 Aug, 2014

Add a comment

Recent posts by siris

Members who like this blog

  • Gardening with friends since
    7 Aug, 2007

  • Gardening with friends since
    25 Feb, 2011

  • bjs
    Bjs

    Gardening with friends since
    13 Apr, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    29 Mar, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    17 Jan, 2012

  • Gardening with friends since
    2 Nov, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    9 Aug, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    14 Jun, 2014

  • Gardening with friends since
    3 Sep, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    22 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    16 Mar, 2014