We visited a garden in France today, quite near my home in Dordogne, just over the border in Charente. There has been a bit of a drought here, not enough rain. Their David Austin roses had suffered a bit, but it was lovely anyway.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Went to Great Comp Gardens near Sevenoaks today. I must admit that most of the photos I took were of close-ups. However, I did remember to take a few others.
I visited Great Comp some years ago @rowlandscastle444, primarily because of Dyson's salvia nursery there, but it was a lovely garden. Nice tea and scones as well !
Bressingham Gardens was a visit even further back in the mists of time. I remember the conifer and heather combo that was all the rage, we even had the same in an earlier garden. My OH loved the steam train museum (and so did l). It was pretty basic back in those days. Thanks for posting those photos @Busy-Lizzie. It looks lovely
I remember the conifer and heather combo that was all the rage, I have a funny feeling that's what's going on behind my bandstand. There's a 60ft Larch (deceased!) a big 40ft green tree (?) a juniper which I'm going to have to take a chainsaw to and has spread about 20ft! and two heathers (size M). Size in ten years 4ft my aunt Fanny. I suspect these are closer to 25 years. Lovely pictures @rowlandscastle444 and @Busy-Lizzie's OH. It's nice to see how my garden will look next year. 🤣
@AnniD I was very tempted to buy some of the salvia plants from the nursery today, but since we are still hoping to move house before the end of the year, it is pointless. One we put in last year has flourished - expanding from a couple of stems, to well over 100. It's been one of those successes. If we get the house we want, then they'll be room for a dozen or more. Rudbeckia too. My wife and I will fight over what to have - if we actually get it.
We had a lovely lunch at the gardens too. I had one of their delicious quiches. My wife had a ploughman's, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Couldn't manage cake, although I found space for chocolate cake later. 😁
Some photos from a recent visit to RHS Bridgewater in Salford.
There was some stellar plants in the main attraction - the huge walled garden divided into smaller gardens, but most of said smaller gardens were hard to differentiate thematically, it was all rather jumbled and poorly mapped and labelled. Sorry, didn’t feel inspired to take any photos there!
The most appealing for me was the Chinese Streamside Garden. There were some gaps to fill, specimens to mature further etc. but I loved the atmosphere, layout and planting:
A couple from the Welcome garden. This was the most coherent and accomplished space with good use of repeating, massed grasses and perennials. I couldn’t find a label for any of the Eupatoriums. OH liked the arching grass lining the path in photo one but no label there either. The Sanguisorba in the second photo is ‘Red Thunder’..
There were some impressive heleniums in the trial gardens. The first photo is ‘Meranti’, which had a good, rich colour and didn’t have much support. Most were trussed up like a turkey dinner so impossible to see growth habit:
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Good photos @Nollie, we were hoping to get to RHS Bridgwater this year as my brother lives nearby but recent ill-health intervened so next year perhaps!
Interesting what you say about the small gardens though.
Posts
OH went to Bressingham Gardens a couple of days ago. They were looking lovely, he sent some photos. I'm still in France, going back in September.
Splendid!!
Bressingham Gardens was a visit even further back in the mists of time. I remember the conifer and heather combo that was all the rage, we even had the same in an earlier garden. My OH loved the steam train museum (and so did l). It was pretty basic back in those days.
Thanks for posting those photos @Busy-Lizzie. It looks lovely
I have a funny feeling that's what's going on behind my bandstand. There's a 60ft Larch (deceased!) a big 40ft green tree (?) a juniper which I'm going to have to take a chainsaw to and has spread about 20ft! and two heathers (size M). Size in ten years 4ft my aunt Fanny. I suspect these are closer to 25 years.
Lovely pictures @rowlandscastle444 and @Busy-Lizzie's OH. It's nice to see how my garden will look next year. 🤣
I was very tempted to buy some of the salvia plants from the nursery today, but since we are still hoping to move house before the end of the year, it is pointless. One we put in last year has flourished - expanding from a couple of stems, to well over 100. It's been one of those successes.
If we get the house we want, then they'll be room for a dozen or more. Rudbeckia too. My wife and I will fight over what to have - if we actually get it.
We had a lovely lunch at the gardens too. I had one of their delicious quiches. My wife had a ploughman's, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Couldn't manage cake, although I found space for chocolate cake later. 😁
There was some stellar plants in the main attraction - the huge walled garden divided into smaller gardens, but most of said smaller gardens were hard to differentiate thematically, it was all rather jumbled and poorly mapped and labelled. Sorry, didn’t feel inspired to take any photos there!
The most appealing for me was the Chinese Streamside Garden. There were some gaps to fill, specimens to mature further etc. but I loved the atmosphere, layout and planting:
A couple from the Welcome garden. This was the most coherent and accomplished space with good use of repeating, massed grasses and perennials. I couldn’t find a label for any of the Eupatoriums. OH liked the arching grass lining the path in photo one but no label there either. The Sanguisorba in the second photo is ‘Red Thunder’..
Interesting what you say about the small gardens though.
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful