Round the garden part 2.

47 comments

I left you looking over the wall into the side garden. This is my favourite part of the garden. It has a large lawned area with no trees planted in it this time! There are trees, but they’re at the end and side.

It used to run from the three poplar trees (they have pretty pink, green and cream leaves) by the stream wall to the raised ‘top border’ at the other end.

Populus x candicans ‘Aurora’

The lawn used to be an area without a break, but I created an ‘island bed’ at the stream end three years ago. This is the part you see when you arrive in the side garden.

Let’s take a walk around. To get to the side garden, you walk across the front of the house from the porch. I have a collection of containers, both in the porch and along the house wall. We won’t stop and look at them today.

The little white daisies are Erigeron karvinskianus that seed themselves into the cracks in the path. I do remove some each year, believe it or not! I love this plant, and it grows all over the sunnier parts of the garden.

The gravel paths are home to self-sown Caifornian poppies and Cerinthe. I have to pull some out or the path would be non-existent!

In the corner opposite the garden room is a bed where I don’t really have a specific colour scheme, which makes a change! At the back is a large Viburnum tinus, and a very old Damson tree which has four different Clematis climbing up it – C. armandii, C. montanta ‘Broughton Star’ , C. cirrhosa ‘Freckles’ and a viticella.

Looking at the island bed, you’ll see which colours I used in its planting. I wanted it to be white, cream, burgundy and lime green. The new Halimiocistus was chosen because of its colours – now all I need is some sunshine to encourage it to open its buds!

Halimiocistus ‘Merrist Wood Cream’

This is the island bed from the side.

And from the other end. The bed has changed since last year. I made the mistake of planting Artemisia ‘Oriental Limelight’ because the foliage colour was perfect. What I didn’t know was that it’s a thug – it spread so much that it even invaded the area under the obelisk! I took it out last autumn. I’ve replaced it with two white roses, Astrantia ‘Shaggy’ and Echinacea ‘Green Wizard’ – they’ll be in flower later this year.

Across the lawn is the summer house, which is at the end of my wide border. The colours in here alter through the year, culminating in a ‘hot’ border.

The dark-leaved plant is Lysimachia ciliata ‘Firecracker’, which can be invasive if it’s not kept under control. I prefer it before it flowers!

The ‘hot border’ starts to come to life at this time of year.

Walk across the lawn to the largest bed in the garden. It was here that OH took out a very dead Lavatera last month, which I replaced by a Robinia hispida. I’m really pleased that it’s flowering.

I like to keep to mainly pink, mauve and purple flowers in this bed.

If you look towards the back of the garden, the raised border is in front of you. I call it my ‘top border’. Another favourite area…to get to the back of it there are flights of steps at each end.

Have a look at the bed to your right before we go up the right-hand steps. This is where I had to take out a very poorly Hebe last autumn, which I replaced with an Amelanchier. I don’t really miss the Hebe now. I took this photo in the spring when the tree flowered.

The bed has a different focus now the shrub rose is in flower. I don’t know its name, but it flowers twice. The Acer next to it is Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’.

From the steps, you can look across at this far corner of the garden.

There’s plenty of colour to look at in June. I have a seat up on the paving outside the gazebo, and if it’s a nice day, I take my lunch up there. It’s my ‘refuge’. I really love the Solanum above me.

I’ll leave you up there, or this blog will get far too long. It looks as though I’ll need to write part 3!

the top border from the end

I hope you have time to sit there for a while and enjoy the view.

14 Jun, 2012
23 likes

Comments

Bjs

It is all looking lovely, always admire how tidy every thing is If only I Could keep mine like it.

14 Jun, 2012

Scotkat

Spritz this was such a pleasure wish could stay long but will be back later.

14 Jun, 2012

Scotsgran

Just wonderland. You have a beautiful garden. Thank you for letting us see the changes from last year. Tetra bought all the Erigeron karvinskianus on the sales table I remember. I wonder how she used it in her garden. I do hope she comes back soon. That cerinthe is lovely.

14 Jun, 2012

Cinderella

You have the most beautiful garden Spritz. You are so lucky to have a lot of room to play (?) or should I say work with.

14 Jun, 2012

Spritzhenry

Thank you all. I'm glad you enjoyed the tour!

14 Jun, 2012

Waddy

What a beautiful garden! I am quite 'green' (if you pardon the pun)
Do you ever come indoors? I'm sure you must spend hours out there to keep it looking so wonderful. I've so enjoyed my 'look around' thank you :)

14 Jun, 2012

Jennyh

What a lovely garden you have Spritzhenry, I live in hope that some day mine just might look a little like yours! I will have to stop been a taxi driver, cook, char lady and diplomat.

14 Jun, 2012

Daylily

Absolutely beautiful :)

14 Jun, 2012

Nana_d

Wow it looks marvelous as always hope you are keeping well?

14 Jun, 2012

Pansypotter

A wonderful garden Barbara I could wander around there all day, I love your different borders and colour schemes, thanks for the tour will look forward to pt3 ;0)

14 Jun, 2012

Lijemc

enjoyed the view very much. It's all looking wonderful.

14 Jun, 2012

Andrea

Lovely garden...I agree with you about the Lysimachia, I also prefer the foliage...do you remove the flowers?

14 Jun, 2012

Sanbaz

so lovely to see photos of your garden again Barbara, it looks beautifull, hope your not over doing things though :o)) x

14 Jun, 2012

Dottydaisy2

Beautiful as always Barbara, so much going on, and a wonderful setting,I would be quite at home there, so pleased to have you back....

14 Jun, 2012

Suzywonkles

Beautiful garden.. all so lovely

14 Jun, 2012

Spritzhenry

What lovely things you all say! :-)

It's difficult for me when I get out there. I'm still not allowed to lift things, or use shears and so on, but yes, I do tend to overdo it. I regret it later of course, but I can't bear to see my garden looking uncared for. :-((((((

No, Andrea - I leave the flowers on usually. They do add brightness to the 'hot' border, I suppose.

14 Jun, 2012

Magnadoodle

Lovely, adore the California poppies and cerinthe together, that was the first two packs of seeds I ever bought, saved seed from them and had them for years, took seeds with me when we moved here 6 years ago, but hubby has habit of tidying out my kitchen drawer (aka junk drawe) and chucked out all my stored seed, only 2 poppies appeared self sown this year, both in paving cracks!! And not founf any cerinthe :( I just Adore your garden!!! Thanks for taking the time to share..... x

14 Jun, 2012

Andrewr

Thanks for the tour spritz - it's looking good (as always). I've found some of the artemisias can be invasive as well - don't EVER plant A. ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis' as she will travel very fast

14 Jun, 2012

Spritzhenry

Thank you both. :-)

Cerinthe are so easy - I just poke seeds in where I want them! Get another packet and try to keep your OH away from them! lol. I bet your Californian poppies will seed themselves from the two survivors.

Andrew, I heed the warning. No more Artemisia will EVER set foot (or root!) in my garden.

15 Jun, 2012

Scotsgran

What a shame Spritz. I have an Artemisia arbrotanum and it is very well behaved if it is trimmed back when it gets a bit leggy. It has a strong camphor like scent and never grows beyond a small shrubby bush. At one time I think every garden I knew had one. It lived by the gate beside a rowan tree and passersby squeezed the foliage to release the scent.

15 Jun, 2012

Magnadoodle

Yes the Cerinthe were easy - so easy to collect seed from too - a very elegant plant I think.....am keeping my eye out for seed but not seen any yet (but not been to GC - only supermarkets...)

15 Jun, 2012

Franl155

superb

15 Jun, 2012

Dottydaisy2

Always best to buy fresh Cerinthe seed, tip from well known gardener, old seed not true.....

15 Jun, 2012

Spritzhenry

Really? Maybe I'll get a packet today, then. I'm off to meet Louise at the GC this morning. :-))

16 Jun, 2012

Wilowisp

Your garden is gorgeous and has given me lots of ideas, not that it will ever look as good as this I can still dream!! thank you for sharing:)

20 Jun, 2012

Leighleigh

hi spritz. i love yor garden i cant believe how big it is-i feel swamped in mine! you do an amazing job! i dont think iwould even live indoors-just have a tent and a different spot every night lol looking forward to seeing more of your colours to come :-)

20 Jun, 2012

Spritzhenry

Oh, you'll see them, Leigh. Thanks for 'taking the tour' with me and your kind comments :-)))

21 Jun, 2012

Petaltracey

What a wonderful garden - and we can visit it on here at any time of day or night, wet or dry... I have a soft spot for those Californian Poppies - Orange being a favourite colour of mine! But the Halimiocistus is Wow - pretty special, and eye catching too.
Must get off now and get to work - But I'll be back... Thanks again Spritz for another fab-u-lous tour :o)))

25 Jun, 2012

Spritzhenry

I'm glad you found your way back here and enjoyed it.
Do come again - the kettle's on. :-D)

I prefer it in the sun, personally! ;-)))

25 Jun, 2012

Franl155

lol when I was looking at new places to live, I wasn't looking at houses with a garden, I was looking for grdens with a house attached!

25 Jun, 2012

Leighleigh

i think i would do the same if we decide to move fran! :-)

25 Jun, 2012

Andrewr

Fran - I looked for land with a house attached - that way it became MY garden, not someone else's I inherited

25 Jun, 2012

Franl155

nods! I've seen some beauties on eBay, bunalwos with a couple of acres attached - now all I need is to win the lottery. lol when I browse, i don't care about the house details, how much land has it got? THEN I look at the house!

25 Jun, 2012

Balcony

Lovely tour around your garden again, Spritz! I love everything about it!

25 Jun, 2012

Spritzhenry

Thank you, Balcony. :-)))

Would you like to come and deal with the bindweed up on the raised border? I can't get up there at the moment. :-(

I did inherit the garden, but I don't think our predecessors would recognise much of it now. ;-)

26 Jun, 2012

Franl155

can we see some pics of what it was like when you first moved in?? lol maybe you could send the pics in this blog, and part 1, to the previous occupiers, just to rub it in a bit what they could have done!

26 Jun, 2012

Spritzhenry

I'm afraid I didn't have a digital camera then Fran. :-( Our successors moved to Turkey, so I don't expect they'll be looking in any time - I don't think they have internet access.

27 Jun, 2012

Franl155

ah, right. can you scan old film pics in? lol that's how most of my "family album" got on the pc, bit of a drag if you've a lot to do, though.

27 Jun, 2012

Spritzhenry

Nope. I do regret not taking photos, but it's easy in retrospect. Too late now! I might have the odd one - I'll have to look.

27 Jun, 2012

Cosmosjane

Fabulous garden. Got to see part 3 now!

1 Aug, 2012

Spritzhenry

Hallo again - I'm glad you enjoyed it. :-)

2 Aug, 2012

Samjp

Only just seen this one Spritz and have to say I love your garden. You must have such vision to create such a fabulous garden. If I can make mine half as good as yours I'll be ecstatic.

Hope your well and getting to the point where you can start doing more in the garden.

4 Aug, 2012

Spritzhenry

Thank you! :-)

Yes, I'm getting stronger every week that passes. I can use shears for a while now, which is a great help. I get over-ambitious sometimes, and regret it later. :-(

5 Aug, 2012

Andrewr

Just don't try the one hundred metres against Usain Bolt yet then spritz :-)

5 Aug, 2012

Spritzhenry

No - it would be a 'stagger and collapse' race! :-((

6 Aug, 2012