Thursday 30 April 2015

End of Month View (April)

With the garden due to open for the NGS at the end of May this will be the last End of Month View before then. There are several projects still to finish, we are not panicking yet!
I hope you enjoy the view.

The herb garden is situated in a raised bed with a standard gooseberry in the middle and a red currant trained as an espalier on the side fence with Box (Buxus) edging the front.


Just off the Patio is what used to be called the spring bed.  I have enlarged it as much as possible and this is the new 'Hot Bed', home for Dahlias, Cannas and tender annuals. (It doesn't look big enough in the photo!)

The White and Green garden is a formal garden, with Box hedging, spirals and at the back centre, a standard Ilex aquifolium 'Argentea Margenata'. The Lunaria var. variegate is now in full bloom.

The Oriental Garden is undergoing a few changes to its design and this view is towards the gate which leads back on to the patio. You can see more of this garden in my post:He-who-creates-garden-creates-happiness.


Looking through the Rose and Vine covered arch towards the banana bench...


...with zingy coloured Euphorbia 'palustris' ...


...brightening up both sides of the path, waiting for the Allium 'Purple Sensation' to join them.
The grass at the front is the New Zealand sedge, Chionochloa rubra.


The Three Graces reflecting on life at the end of the shrubbery walk.


Blue Bells behind the Prunus serrula, with its beautiful bark, along the never ending woodland walk...


...passing by some Primroses and Viola (Violet) labradorica 'Purpurea'.


The greenhouses are full of tender plants to be sold on the plant stall during the open weekend, these on the left are Dahlia coccinea var. 'Palmeri'. The seed original came from The Garden House, Devon.

 


On the right side is Cosmos 'Rubenza' and Tagetes 'Cinnabar', this is the waist high strain developed by Christopher Lloyd at Great Dixter. We hope these will sell well, for the NGS, along with the perennials that have been propagated.


The other greenhouse contains the Dahlias waiting to go out into the new Hot Bed.


Back on the patio under a north facing wall,  plants such as Hostas and Ferns are bursting into growth...


...with the charming little flowers of Epimedium x 'Rubrum' providing some colour.


We will be ready!

You might also like to see:  Murphys-mad-march-garden-tour.

To see more garden End of Month Views please visit Helen at The Patient Gardener

Please click on any photo to create a slide show.


18 comments:

  1. Of course you will be ready, it already looks ready. I have it in the diary and hope to come. It will be interesting as I have been for some years so will be good to see how things have changed.

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    1. Thank you for your confidence Helen, We just need some warm rain and then sunshine over the weekend! We look forward to seeing you again.

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  2. All looking wonderful. Your herb garden looks particularly fab.

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    1. Thank you Anne, I do like having herbs in the garden (So does the Chef).

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  3. It certainly looks as though you are ready. I know all the work involved as we opened for the NGS for 5 years, unfortunately once my muscle problem started, there was no way I could keep up to the standard they require. Wishing you lots of visitors and nice weather!

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    1. Thank you Pauline, well done for opening for 5 years.

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  4. It looks as though you are well-organized and prepared, those dahlias are well ahead too. Such a shame I am too far away to visit! Hope you get the right weather for final preparations. I love the bark of your Prunus, and the raised herb bed has given me food for thought for when we eventually replace a length of hedging with a wall.... Happy gardening!

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    1. The Prunus is always admired for its bark by garden visitors. The raised bed works well for herbs helping provide the extra drainage they prefer.

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  5. Your garden looks amazing already, so will be even better in a month. I hope the weather is good for you.

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    1. Thank you, warm rain and sunshine over the open weekend is all that's needed!

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  6. It's all lovely... and so far away...! I am encouraged by how well the different sections help to define the planting choices. My earlier garden was too unorganized, so I am trying be wiser this time around ;-)

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    1. Thank you Amy, we always intended to create garden rooms to allow for different planting choices and styles. The page The Garden shows what it was like from the beginning.

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  7. Oh I wish I was near enough to visit on the big day Brian! Your garden is looking quite fabulous. You have reminded me that I have a packet of tagetes 'Cinnabar' in my seed box. Maybe I still have time to sow some.

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    1. Thank you Anna, I am sure they will soon germinate now the weather is warmer.
      They are very impressive when in full flower.

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  8. Your garden looks beautiful and I am sure your visitors will love it. I am too far away or I would certainly be there. I opened my garden for the NGS for years and I know how much work is involved. I hope you will get a lovely sunny day for your opening.

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    1. Thank you Chloris, We have helped friends for a number of years who open for the NGS so know what is involved. You just have to remind yourself that the money goes to good causes.

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  9. Wishing you a month of warm rain and sunshine Brian. Everything looks great and your new hot bed sounds wonderful. I see the lovely Chionochloa standing out, gorgeous! Do you find the Viola labridorica spreads around? I grew it about 4 years ago and find seedlings everywhere - I wish it would seed beside some primula, your wee combo there looks lovely.
    Good luck with it all, hope it's a busy one :)

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  10. Thank you Angie, the Chionochloa is a lovely sedge that appears to need no maintenance. The Viola does spread itself around, I wish I could claim to have planted it with the primula, it is nature showing the gardener how to do it!

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