On Easter Monday we enjoyed a walk through the south Buckinghamshire Shardeloes estate, finishing up with the all essential Ham Egg and Chips at the pub in Little Missenden. Afterwards our friends joined us on a garden visit in nearby Amersham.

A bright display of tulips greeted us.

And the sweet scent of Daphne was welcoming too,

as well as the owl who has a flip side of a Teddy bear.

We enter the garden down the side of the house where against the shade of the wall stand a collection of pots of hostas.

The garden is packed and not just with plants. We arrived at  opening time and already there are many visitors.

At first sight there is a glory of colour and interest, form and texture.

A stoney face watches us all.

The raising of the crown is repeated around the garden. You can glimpse through and of course it allows for more planting.

A bit of fun hides the fence.

 

Everywhere is neat and tidy. The colour comes from not just the flowers.

Foliage plays a large part in the planting.

Bright green sweet woodruff edges the paths.

Even the frog blends in with the colour of the foliage.

In the clean new shed is a display of photographs which shows the making of the garden; just a bare field in 1991. There is a picture too of Mary Berry presenting an award of longevity opening for the NGS.

Even the corner behind the hut has not been forgotten.

At the far end of the garden are the shade loving plants; Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ the dog’s tooth violet grows brightly.

pulmonaria pretty in pink.

Hellebores after a long season are still giving colour.  Looking splendid in the pot, they stand heads bowed on the circular paving.

Close by the circular theme is carried on with a pond,

and at the centre of the garden is the circular lawn,

Divided by the path which has become the home for pretty saxifrage and other alpines.

It is a productive garden too with signs of serious composting. The owner also brings in spent mushroom compost.

Euphorbia is supported by the apple trees.

While there is much to keep the plant hunters happy,  these old boys are enjoying their tea. The cakes are sumptuous but they are pretending they don’t know that.

Yellow and white seem to be predominant with many fine narcissi and this stunning magnolia.

A jolly witch is content to fly nowhere.

 

Plant sales are doing a fantastic trade. Propagated by the owner and sold for the NGS, we can’t resist.

Eventually we take our leave but not without admiring this enormous fritillaria imperialis.

 

——28——-