Scampston Hall Gardens On A Sunny Day
Scampston Hall Gardens was designed by Piet Oudolf as a series of rooms, each in his characteristic style. The perennial meadow is a playground for pollinators, featuring Rudbeckia, Achillea, Phlomis, Verbascum, Helenium, Monarda and Geranium. Continue reading “Scampston Hall Gardens On A Sunny Day”
Pictures Of Hestercombe Gardens In Taunton, Somerset
Hestercombe’s celebrated Arts and Crafts style garden is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of garden design who finds themselves with time to spare in Somerset.
The estate dates back at least to the 11th c. and has been furnished with a 16th c. manor house, and an 18th c. pleasure garden of woods, follies, pools and cascades running through hills and valleys, but the Edwardian garden is its crowning glory.
Of course, the true test of an English garden is whether its constituent parts have atmospheric names. Daisy Steps, Chinese Seat, Great Plat, Valley of Cascades, Gothic Alcove, Temple Arbour, Witch House, Mausoleum and Grey Walk all attest to Hestercombe Garden’s greatness. Continue reading “Pictures Of Hestercombe Gardens In Taunton, Somerset”
Arley Hall’s Double Herbaceous Borders In Their Summer Glory
The grand sweep of the double herbaceous borders at Arley Hall Gardens has been delighting gardeners for about two centuries: this is one of the oldest examples of its type to be seen anywhere in the world. Exuberant summer perennials fill long, parallel borders, the garden’s brick wall and formal topiary hedging providing a traditional backdrop.
When you first walk in through the huge, decorative gates in summer and turn to see the flower borders stretching out before you, behind you, to either side, it’s hard to know where to look first. Continue reading “Arley Hall’s Double Herbaceous Borders In Their Summer Glory”
Celebrating The Southport Flower Show’s 90th Birthday
Remember the days when the Town Hall was the place to go if you wanted ‘further particulars’ about an event? How life has changed since then! At this year’s Southport Flower Show, we had no horse leaping events, but we did have heritage animals, courtesy of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, including a pig that was more rare than a giant panda (and much the same size).
The cultivars may have changed over the last 90 years, but gladioli like those shown on the 1929 poster were on display in 2019, together with just about every August flowering plant you could hope for.
Amongst so many choice plants, this solitary, perfect, innocent-looking, pink Japanese anemone caught my eye. Continue reading “Celebrating The Southport Flower Show’s 90th Birthday”
Penstemon ‘Stapleford Gem’
Spires of tubular flowers of blue, stained purple, help Penstemon ‘Stapleford Gem’ stand out in the garden. The flowers share a pout with the thicker petals of foxgloves, but have more of a luminescent quality. Purple beelines draw our eyes down the pale throat into the flower. Continue reading “Penstemon ‘Stapleford Gem’”
Delphinium ‘Flamenco’ from the Highlander Series
During the summer, I dedicate more time to taking photos than to sharing them. If you’re a flower stalker too, you’ll understand the temptation. After all, a delphinium waits for no man (or woman), blooming in response to triggers we understand at an abstract level rather than feel happening at a cellular one. It’s somewhere between a pleasure and a frenzy to be in full-on photo gathering mode, so, as September taps on the door, it feels good to slow down and enjoy revisiting summer’s photo stash.
This plant wasn’t labelled at RHS Tatton Park, where I saw it, so I’ve had to look it up. Delphinium ‘Flamenco’ is part of the Highlander series of Scottish-bred delphiniums. Continue reading “Delphinium ‘Flamenco’ from the Highlander Series”
Susan Rushton 