Horatio’s Garden at Stoke Mandeville

September 15, 2018 / thegardengateisopen / 12 Comments

The Garden Gate was open wide for the new Horatio’s Garden at the spinal unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital Horatio’s Garden

Horatio’s Garden is one of the beneficiary charities of The National Garden Scheme, and several of us were privileged to be able, at the official opening last Sunday, to mingle amongst the amazing patients and all the wonderful people involved in the garden’s creation.

We followed the signs through the hospital corridors and out into the new garden bathed in the afternoon sunshine. Inpatients can be here in the spinal unit for a seriously long time often confined to beds and wheelchairs, so a beautiful outdoor space is of huge benefit. The gradients and surfaces have to be gentle and ultra smooth. A little bunting added to the gaiety of this great occasion.

Just as a reminder, I was here back on a snowy day in December, this being the final garden in my Ninety Garden Challenge Stoke Mandeville, Horatio’s Garden. (90).

On the spot where Joe Swift explained his designs to Olivia Chapple, the Founder and Chair of Trustees it was hard for me to imagine how this would look…

…now it has been transformed into a delightful space where two smiling volunteers welcomed us in.

What a cold miserable building site it was then, diggers removed 2,500 tons of earth…

…now it looks as if the garden has always been here.

Part of the garden stretches along a covered walkway which obtrusively dominated the site and where visitors and patients enter the main hospital from the car park…

now you are blissfully unaware of the busy flow of hospital life as a simple wooden fence gives privacy, and the border and stone wall give all year round interest.

Right now it is the asters that provide a splash of colour;

and the elegant seed heads of the miscanthus provide texture as they sway gently in the breeze.

The team of workers who constructed the garden ranged in number from 5 to 15 each day, and have now been replaced by some 48 volunteers who work under the guidance of head gardener Jacqui Martin-Lof. At no wish of offending the many head gardeners I have met, she surely is the most elegant.

I am reminded that back in December the only feature I could just make out under the blanket of snow was the shape of the pond…

…today it is a delightful place to sit, reflect and listen to the soothing sound of flowing water.

On one side of the pond is a curved wall with an artful window opening.

Mary Berry, who has opened her garden in Buckinghamshire for over 20 years and is President of the NGS came today to open Horatio’s Garden.

Olivia Chapple, Mary Berry and George Plumptre

Speeches were made, and Olivia Chapple who spoke passionately and without a single note, engagingly gave thanks to the many, many people involved. We all felt such huge admiration for an amazing lady who is the driving force behind this dynamic charity.

Swifty told us that if it had not been for Olivia’s determination the unsightly hospital generator would have unfortunately remained as the centre piece of the garden.

We were then entertained by Magnus Chapple who sang a song he had composed. There were plenty of places to sit and even the smooth bonded resin was comfortable enough for some.

Mary Berry cut the ribbon and declared the garden officially open.

With a big green knife she also cut the cake which was then taken round by cheerful volunteers.

Tea flowed from the garden room, a delightful wooden and glass building where patients and families will be able to enjoy the space and light without feeling they are in hospital.

A young gingko biloba already past the height of the roof is determined to reach that blue sky.

Down on the ground in the flower beds there is a healthy selection of herbs and the waft of mint is prolific today.

This lovely guy picks a sprig of rosemary; he says it is so much better than the air freshner used on the ward.

Access for wheelchairs is usually so limiting but here they are the norm and can be wheeled effortlessly straight out from ward to garden,

where there is plenty of room for a trio to meet.

Wheelchairs come in all shapes and sizes, upright, gyrating and well you could say, almost dancing.

Three great designers enjoy a moment together, Swifty sporting the dahlia ‘Horatio’ pinned to his lapel, is joined by Cleve West who designed the first Horatio’s Garden at Salisbury Hospital, and James Alexander-Sinclair who designed the subsequent Horatio’s Garden at the Scottish National Spinal Unit in Glasgow.

Earlier I had caught sight of Bunny Guinness, but she must have hurried away to complete her designs for the next Horatio’s Garden that she is creating at Oswestry.

Every garden needs a good greenhouse and Horatio’s Garden in no exception.

Accessible and specially equipped, it will be used as part of the therapy programme,

where plants for the garden will be propagated as well as herbs, salads and fruits which the patients can enjoy themselves.

I am reminded again of how it looked before (incidentally the turquoise box behind the fencing in the centre is that generator)…

Ample space for a couple of large hospital beds. It was delightful to see these patients enjoying the fresh air and the warm sun on their faces.

We have enjoyed the gaiety of the afternoon and can see that much thought has gone into the design of this garden. Planned to encourage wildlife and provide colour and texture throughout the year, it must be a sanctuary for those patients facing hugely difficult and life-changing times.

And we must not forget the inspiration behind this extraordinary charity, Horatio Chapple whose short life has given so much and another reason why some of us open our own gardens.

——-9/18——-

Madingley Hall, gardens and health. (8/18)

September 1, 2018 / thegardengateisopen / 13 Comments

Having spent a tedious morning on the phone to the Department of Work & Pensions, followed by a lengthy call to BT to try and sort out longstanding internet problems, I decided it was time to visit a garden and restore my equilibrium. Twitter brought my attention to the fact that Madingley Hall was opening its gates as part of the NGS Gardens and Health week.

Driving through the impressive iron gates and sweeping up the drive, the big blue sky and the gentle green meadow had an instant calming effect.

Having parked the car I found the entrance to the estate is through the walled garden. This dates back to the 18th century, with the first recording being of a plant inventory dated 1757. Today a blackboard notes the plants of particular interest.

Two gravel paths diverged……… and I am faced with the age-old dilemma, which one should I take ?

The borders are overflowing with every type of herb to promote well-being;

aromatic…

medicinal…

culinary…

Not only are these plants of a curative nature, but also many can be used for dyeing. Much information about the history and use of these plants is displayed and I realise that I could do much to alter my wardrobe.

Enclosed by hedges the sunken garden is a delightful spot to sit and soak up the sun; planted with white flowers such as perennial sweet pea and gaura lindheimeri, it is softened by the gentle clumps of stipa tenuissima.

There is such variety within these walls, a wooden rose pergola runs roughly from north to south providing much-needed shade rather than colour at this time of year.

Mature trees also provide plenty of canopy and across the curiously patterned round lawn is a circular raised alpine bed.

where the tiny autumn snowflake Acis autumnalis seems a little premature on this warm summer’s day.

Running from east to west is the fine hazel walk Corylus avellana shown on the tithe map of 1849; it is a lengthy 60 metres (just under 200ft) long.

The path emerges from the mature planting into an open expanse of lawn with a thatched summerhouse nestling in the corner.

No sense of autumn approaching here; the border has plenty in flower, hibiscus, heliotrope, alstoemeria and helenium all provide late summer colour.

Leaving the walled garden through a door in the wall and passing the crenelated box hedge on my right I descend some steps to the courtyard in front of the Hall.

Over the ornamental pond and to my horror, I find a patient abandoned on a hospital trolley. Startled, I wonder that it must be the first corpse I have found in a garden, then realise I have blundered into a serious first-aid course and, being of the somewhat lightheaded disposition, I quickly scurry away and

take deep breaths in front of the heavenly hibiscus.

At the east end of the Hall is a formal raised terraced garden with a circular pond surrounded by smooth quirky-shaped topiary.

The view east to the lake is totally unspoilt and uncluttered.

Stepping down to the wide North Walk, I see the balustrade is repeated along the edge of the croquet lawn,

broken at the centre to reveal an avenue of giant clipped yew bollards marching into the far distance.

It is a fine view for this small statue of a buddha protected behind a semi-circular pond and perched in a recess in the wall.

Madingley Hall was built in the 1540s and the development of the garden over the years is a fine example of the history of garden design. Growing at the west end is a large yew taxus baccata, which is thought to date back to when ‘Capability’ Brown improved the estate.

The yew topiary garden was created in the 1920s when some of the topiary were transferred from nearby Histon Manor. Waiting for their annual clip the different shapes seemingly move around an astrolabe mounted in the centre on a stone plinth.

A large elegant croquet lawn with its backdrop of mature trees, must have provided plenty of entertainment over the years. The game is still played today by the many students and staff who now occupy the Hall, which was bought by Cambridge University 1948.

There is a different feel down on this north side of the site; here it is spacious, green, still and silent. Today the majestic trees are quite lovely; upright, spreading, weeping and clipped they create a verdant theatre.

Some trees are multi stemmed and like a cluster of balloon strings they reach up to the sky.

The wild flower meadows have finished their display but next May they will return. Richard Gant, the Head Gardener is tidying the edges of the clipped yews. He has been responsible for these gardens for 30 years. The names of the trees roll off his tongue, for his knowledge and enthusiasm is truly impressive.

And it is as if this weeping Redwood, Wellingtonia (sequoiadendron giganteum ‘Pendula’) bows its head in respect.

Sadly this Cedar of Lebanon, Cedrus libani is unwell with white rot caused by a type of bracket fungus. Now fenced off, the decay of this tree is being closely monitored.

I follow the dog walkers along the wooded path, a section of the route created to celebrate the 300 years of Capability Brown.

It is a beautiful spot enjoyed by the locals. By the lakeside the remains of the footings of the old boat house are guarded by a “lake keeper” who is in fact surprisingly friendly.

From the other side of the lake you can see the small church tucked in to the left of the drive. I have completed my walk and so I return back through the gates and up the drive to the hall.

Madingley Hall is an institute of continuing education and a centre for events and conferences. The 8 acre garden sits within an estate of some 12,500 acres; it is beautifully maintained and reads like a manual on garden history with the different areas reflecting the changing trends in design throughout the garden’s life. It is impressive too and thanks to the Head Gardener, Madingley has been opening its gates for the NGS for the past 27 years.

The NGS have worked hard to highlight the connection between health and gardens, having commissioned the King’s Fund a few years ago to publish a report. My visit today endorsed the feeling of well being that a garden can induce and after such an enjoyable and peaceful afternoon, I left the Hall in a better state of mind than when I entered.

Great Thurlow Hall, wet, wet, wet.(6/18).

April 15, 2018April 15, 2018 / thegardengateisopen / 9 Comments

Last Sunday was yet another wet, wet, wet day. Unable to work in my own garden and combined with Easter excess I decided that the only thing was to visit another garden. As I approached Great Thurlow Hall in Suffolk through a deluge of rain, signs of Spring were just visible on those manicured hedges around Newmarket

Too wet for anyone to stand at the gate to the Hall, the entrance to the garden was diverted through the church porch next door, left of the drive.

Crossing over the daffodil drive I headed through the thin green mossy-capped walls into the kitchen garden.

There a wide open space now represents the skill and toil of many years. The straight path ahead waits to burst into spring perennials and roses. Over to the left, a verdant plot is home to fruit trees, and to the right is the glasshouse and much industry.

Perhaps the produce is blessed by the ecclesiastical presence.

No loud signs here to tell you to keep out, just hazel sticks making an obvious statement.

The wall does not stretch the entire way round; one side is rather attractively the river bank.

The open iron gate leads onto the lawn below the house.

Euphorbias brighten the corner where benches are positioned,

then up the pretty steps and across the rose garden

to the terrace where you gain a view over the bridge to the gazebo beyond. Built in 1963 this was an anniversary gift from wife to husband of forty years; I smile at the thought that the best we could do was a watering can.

I walk cautiously along the wet York paving where the solid hedges of yew bring structure and interest,

and frame the view on such a murky day.

The formation of the pond is a perfect shape for the vista beyond and the despite the weather the fountain plays on.

Some chaps really don’t mind the weather.

Against the house is a tangle of wisteria, determinedly dormant it is hard to imagine how beautiful this will be in a few months time.

Not everything is dormant however; the red leaves of this cherry are trying their hardest.

The garden was created by the present owner’s grandfather during the last century. The wooded area, carpeted with snowdrops now in the green, is to the left of the house and screens the farmyard; the sounds of the cattle remind us that this is working farm. There is a variety of trees, some of which were planted by members of the family to commemorate the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.

Ha ha, we are at the end of the lawn,

where the slate ball seems to have gently rolled away from the house and come to rest.

Unlike Wordsworth, I have to confess that I am not a great fan of daffodils but it is on a day like today that they certainly play their part and look so attractive reflected in the water.

and of course there are so many varieties.

It is a watery landscape with the river Stour flowing through much of this garden.

The mown path makes one follow the course of the river and along the banks willows weep and bridges tempt you over to the other side,

and clumps of delicate primroses grow. Are they, in general particularly good this year?

It is very peaceful, but occasionally there can be heard the sound of rushing water.

The five bar gate is a reminder that we are in rural countryside surrounded by grazing pastures.

The path deviates off to take you around the lake. It is a haven for wildlife. On the island is a monument placed in memory of the present owner’s grandmother.

Walking back towards the house I find this bench in the most perfect position. This is a garden that has been opening for the NGS for 60 years. In time you will be able to sit and admire a Gingko biloba presented by George Plumptre in recognition of such longevity.

The drifts of daffodils are planted along the bank to flower in succession, one band is in flower, the next ready to come and close to the water they are still tightly in bud.

It is not just the plants that are reflected in the water.

Over 130 people visited today, not bad for such a wet day but private gardens like Great Thurlow Hall are popular and with years of opening will have acquired a considerable and loyal following. Opening again on the first weekend of June, I do recommend you should plan a visit, the children will love this watery space.

——-2018——-

5 Burbage Road, Herne Hill; a tiny touch of Spring.

March 17, 2018April 15, 2018 / thegardengateisopen / 8 Comments

Following the book launch of the National Garden Scheme’s Gardens to Visit at the Royal Festival Hall last Thursday I decided to walk along the Thames, jump on a train at London Bridge and travel to North Dulwich. As I walked the 5 minutes down Half Moon Lane the sun came out and there was a feeling of Spring in my step.

The garden, situated behind an Edwardian-style house is just 150 ft x 40 ft, but from the terrace it looks so much bigger.

Rosemary and her husband have lived here for over thirty years, so the garden is well established. On the terrace there is every sort of container, pots, watering cans and old-fashioned sinks.

White Bergenia, blue rosemary and pink hellebore provide a welcome splash of Spring colour.

Rosemary is a botanical artist and there is definitely a touch of artistry in the garden. Positioned on the side wall, the iron stag’s head with antlers twisted into holly leaves has a good view.

Lawn, trees, topiary and euphorbias are combined to provide shape and form, a rich tapestry of green.

I take the path that runs down along the left side of the garden; in just the first few steps there is a delightful variety of shrubs.

The sunshine is pushing open the new leaves of this Photinia glabra, although not as red as the more commonly seen Photinia x fraseri ‘red robin’, it is a delightfully rounded evergreen.

A bee is really getting into this pretty camelia.

The squawk of a parakeet can be heard as it flies overhead, no doubt keeping his eye on the raised bird baths. The garden is cleverly divided, whilst remaining ‘open plan’. Divisions are not oppressive but subtle allowing the eye to see over or through. The lawn appears to squeeze through the line of rounded box balls,

and moves towards a fountain gently bubbling over the rim of the tall jar. Fritillaria gracefully grow from tubby twin pots placed at the corner of the paved surround.

Three mature apple trees grow in the centre of the garden; below this one is a daphne and the scent is a delight.

More box balls intermingle with shrubs and perennials, and the brick path behind brings you into a bricked area.

The mood changes with a medley of metallic containers; nothing is left unplanted. Even the tree in the centre is not as natural as you might think.

Opposite, the wave bench by Anthony Paul marks the gravel garden. Surrounded by wooden sleepers the idea of this dry area was inspired by the great Beth Chatto.

Up through the gravel grows this little gem; at first glance I think it is a crocus but on closer inspection I realise it is a tiny species tulip.

Carrying on down the path towards the end of the garden I look back at the skilfully pruned apple tree,

the prunings of which are used to line the woodbark path that leads across to the bug hotel at the end of the garden. The garden is open in three days time and Rosemary is concerned that it is nearly a month behind. She worries that some of the daffodils are tightly in bud,

but there are splashes of Spring, such as this Pulmonaria pushing up through the ivy,

and a pink patch of cyclamen.

Brilliant hellebores, pink, red and white are out all over the garden.

Plants are positively thriving here, the result of well worked soil, and there can be no doubt that compost bins are clearly an important ingredient in this garden.

In every inch of this garden there is so much variety, and returning along the opposite side of the garden is a cloud-pruned Phillyrea latifolia, its dark green glossy foliage so striking in the afternoon sun.

For a moment there is a strong scent of fox; it is a curious coincidence as from out of the border Charlie appears…

… he is in pursuit of the goose on the lawn.

This tender sculpture can’t bear to watch and ever so gently turns away.

Back just below the house there is a ‘plank of pots’ with the suggestion of an alpine collection.

Against the garage wall is a decoratively trained climbing rose, a sort of final swirl to this creative garden.

I am itching to return home to pick up my secateurs but before I leave I am amused at the idea that these happy plants have moved to the windowsill to gain a better view of this delightful garden.

The weather forecast for the weekend is not great but this should not prevent an enjoyable visit to this treasure of a garden. Keep calm and visit a garden.

——-2018——-

Houghton Hall Walled Garden; all wrapped up and waiting. (3/18)

March 5, 2018April 15, 2018 / thegardengateisopen / 9 Comments

Last month Norfolk NGS was privileged to be invited by the Marquess of Cholmondeley to launch the 2018 booklet in the Stable Cafe at Houghton Hall. Nationally the NGS is the single biggest donor to Marie Curie and over delicious plates of sausage rolls and cake we listened to eloquent speakers from the charity who endorsed the very great need for us all to continue to open our gardens for the scheme.

There had been a light dusting of snow that morning and the stable block appeared to have been built from gingerbread rather than the local carstone. Set in an arcadian parkland the naturally white deer roam freely.

Houghton has been supporting the NGS since 2004, closed during the winter it was a great opportunity to gain an ‘out of season glimpse’ at what goes on in the old kitchen garden behind the closed garden gate.

It is seemingly the dormant period and head gardener Ollie was away on holiday but there was much industry behind the high walls.

At the entrance the wall flowers are biding their time, embedding the wheels of the cart into the gravel; it is a gentle reminder to us all that access for wheelchair users is not as easy as it might be. However here at Houghton they provide electric buggies.

I usually begin my visit at Houghton by turning left but today I headed right drawn by the clumps of large snowdrops, their flowers dropping like pearl earrings, elegantly white against the rich dark soil in the border.

Within these walls Lord Cholmondeley, helped in the early years by his then head gardener Paul Underwood and later by the designers Julian and Isabel Bannerman, has created a living memorial to his grandmother, Lady Sybil Cholmondeley.

230px-Sibyl_Sasson,_Countess_of_Rocksavage.jpg

Sybil Sassoon, Countess of Rocksavage by John Singer Sargent, oil on canvas, 1913

The five acre garden is situated just south west of the stables; the bold and beautiful architecture has a solid presence throughout the garden.

Divided into different gardens, hedges of beautifully kept beech and yew act as the inner walls. Peering through into the formal rose parterre the central statue is shrouded as protection from the Norfolk winter. Imagine the work in pruning those one hundred and fifty glorious roses.

The olive trees collectively stand by, waiting to be positioned for the summer visitors, their clean terracotta pots soak up the weak winter sun and some warmth from the greenhouse.

Inside there is much being propagated. Overlooked by the outrageous Strelitzia reginia, is it a wonder that this is called a Bird of Paradise, you might be forgiven for thinking it really is an exotic bird.

The double sided herbaceous border looks spectacular in the summer; this morning the clean lines, smooth chunky buttresses, razor neat edges, and the well-mucked brown earth are testament to the bold design and high standard of horticulture. The lawn is rolled out like a spotless carpet before me, little wonder I have been requested to keep off.

Ragged yew balls atop the clipped pillars,

the box is unclipped too, the idea to help prevent the dreaded blight.

Less susceptible to pathogens and pests is the Holm oak Quercus ilex, clipped into shapes reflecting the fine finials on the stable roof.

The long oak pergola covered with wisteria is being pruned today ready for that dramatic display in April and May. To the side are peony borders mixed with regale lilies, an idea the Bannermans reproduced from a visit to the grand chateau Vaux le Vicomte.

Pruning is cold work but it is coffee time and I am honoured to be invited to join the team in the sheds, secretly hidden behind the greenhouse. No boys shovelling coal here now, just a myriad of lagged pipes.

Even the area behind the sheds is a delight and although the Cholmondeley family have a private garden north of the house, it is through this gate that his Lordship enters the garden.

Another hidden area beyond the walls; is this what makes the garden a horticultural triumph? The tops of the fruit cage are showing above.

Rustic and strong, the netted structures house a selection of fruit bushes,

and a clematis softly clambers over the aged wood the wispy seed heads look lovely against the blue sky.

Green corridors separate the garden spaces. The long vista provides another view of the shrouded statue in the rose garden, and to the left

is the croquet lawn where the Houghton Cross has come to rest; made of slate it is a creation by Richard Long.

Stepping back into another space I find each compartment has different styles of planting, contrasting textures and a change of atmosphere.

I am surprised to find rabbit guards in here but gates can be left open, and we know it does not take long for our furry friends to find their way in. This is the productive area; on the ground are step-over apples,

trained against frames are apple tunnels,

and in the orchard are the old apple trees.

The thin layer of ice formed on the water surrounding the meteorite fountain shows it is a cold but clear morning,

and in the corners of this area, swirls of box encircle the outstretched arms of the lime.

This is the most southern path along which is placed the rustic summerhouse,

which has fine views back down the herbaceous border towards the greenhouse. How can that grass look so good in February?

Just when you think you have seen it all, through the horizontal branches the vertical trunks signify there is yet a further space;

with pleached limes and obelisk, I can feel that formal french influence again.

A muddle of ghost-white stems of rubus cockburnianus is the only disorder in such a perfectly ordered garden. In spite of it being winter there has been much to enjoy; the pleaching, the pruning, the twining and twisting, the structures and textures. The peace.

Returning to the entrance the inanimate ancient stone lying heavily on the ground appears today to have almost human features.

This of course is only one part of this beautiful estate. I leave slowly via the back drive and admire the natural drift of snowdrops, early signs of Spring and only a matter of time before the gate is open in time for Easter and we can explore the rest of the gardens and the park. Houghton Hall.

Pembroke College, a peaceful and pretty peramble. (1/18)

January 14, 2018January 15, 2018 / thegardengateisopen / 17 Comments

It is just over a year ago now that I began to blog about my garden visits. The first was Robinson College, Cambridge and I remember being surprised it was open on 2nd January. It is still very much open for the NGS and I thoroughly recommend a visit: Robinson College

However finding myself back in Cambridge in that awkward time between Christmas and New Year I stumbled across yet another college garden. Having spent a happy morning in the excellent Fitzwilliam Museum I was just wondering what to do next and how to avoid the throng of ‘salesaholics’, when I found the 14th Century gate of Pembroke College conveniently open.

The site is made up of a series of interconnecting enclosed spaces and the well established gardens are very much part of the fabric of the college. I entered via the porter’s lodge on Trumpington Street (just left of the horses below).

Pembroke_College,_Cambridge_by_Loggan_1690_-_gbooks_prG_KpObd3UC_PA80-IA1.png

Bird’s eye view by David Loggan 1690

Pembroke is the third oldest College in Cambridge and I began in the medieval Old Court. It was indeed a haven of calm, away from the jostling crowds of shoppers. The lawn, like green baize, stretched out serenely, so smooth it was of course strictly out of bounds. So I followed the paving right handed and walked towards the chapel.

A group of agaves huddled together seem to wave at me, and cause me to pause for a moment to read the many names on the war memorial tablet. The chapel here was Christopher Wren’s first building.

The upright growth of the Juniper ‘sky rocket’ seems to echo the tall chimneys, and although the little gate is closed,

access to the next court can be gained via a ramp; a simple feature and one I wish more gardens would employ; unless you have a wheelchair you have no idea of the importance.

So many roses are still flowering in December and will look even more colourful together with the catmint during the summer months.

Behind the chapel is the Victorian Red Building; four petalled flowers in stone grace the lower parts of the building,

whilst in the border across the lawn the real white petals of the hellebore are bright against the dark soil.

The crab apples of Malus robusta Red Sentinel look as fresh as they might in the autumn.

Moving round to the library lawn, I should show you the entire fine statue of William Pitt, who sits with his back to the library, but it is his foot that fascinates me pointing as it does towards the neat square turf.

The gardener has been here for 50 years and the many varieties of well-tended shrubs cheer up a corner here and there and providing interest during these bland winter months; either grouped together,

or planted singly, like the bold and trusty evergreen Aucuba japonica, with its splattered leaves… did someone once spill their cream?

Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’ illuminates a shaded pathway,

and the bluish-leaved melianthus major makes a handsome combination with the purple-leaved pittisporum.

Nearby the berries of Nandina domestica are abundant and joyful. This is a plant that I had never previously come across, and am grateful for the coincidence that it is profiled in this month’s The Garden magazine.

I thought these were outdoor decorative christmas baubles until on closer inspection I realised that they were the dried fruits of the pomegranate, punica granatum.

Moving northwards away from the library court is an informal area, known as the Orchard. Medlars and mulberry grow behind the viridescent round pond which was created from a wartime water tank,

A great avenue of mature London Planes, their upper boughs a tangled pattern against the wintry blue sky.

An arbor provides a little mystery to the entrance of the Master’s Lodge. Whilst the nearby Fellows’ Garden remains closed today,

the Foundress Court bordered on two sides by the newest accommodation, is wide open and the Henry Moore Figure in a shelter 1983 is for all to admire.

Foundress Court has a strong connection with Nihon university in Japan, something which is perhaps suggested in the design of the inner courtyard.

A simple pot, almost a modern still life, does much to break the monotony of the smooth walls.

Leaving the new build I walk towards the ancient bowling green; considered to be not quite the oldest in Europe it is however unique in having a ‘rub’, that is the ridge that runs down the centre. The green is only for Fellows to play which they do with wooden bowls that go back to the 18th century and are sliced rather than spherical. Notices implore us not to walk on this precious ground but there are plenty of benches placed all around for those of us who must be content to sit and admire.

The aged tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera is bursting out of the paving.

Over the hedge is New Court, originally built in the fourteenth century when it was known as First Court, where students play croquet on the lawn. A delightful area, it is surrounded on three sides by a low stone wall border made up of many unusual plants complimented by a delicious variety of decorative shrubs against the court walls:

The graceful catkins hang down from a Garry elliptica,

and the silvery grey Teucrum fruticans flows down to the paving.

A splash of colour is provided from the bright berries of cotoneaster.

Ridley’s Walk is named after Bishop Nicholas Ridley, one time student, Fellow and Master who was martyred in 1555 for his faith. I am sure the Bishop would be pleased with the diversity of plants growing along the walls which even includes a mature banana tree, Musa basjoo; obviously happy in the warmth of this corner it has been known to have borne fruit.

The walk leads into the final garden, Ivy Court. Simple in its layout with ten clipped yew, and four grass quads, there is in fact not a single leaf of ivy.

Another cunningly devised ramp takes you up into the arch.

Disabled access in fact ends here but it has been a delightfully easily-accessible garden, with it gentle ramps and smooth paths of generous width.

I am back at the beginning in the Old Court. Many Abutilon grow against the warm walls of this ancient college, and on this chilly but bright day this little gem looks particularly charming as it grows through the branches of a ceanothus.

And finally, there is the Solanum jasminoides, a member of the potato family; it looks most decorative on the window ledge under the reflecting pane of glass.

So much there has been to enjoy in this garden in mid-winter, and it could be said that if I had been allowed, I would have found many flowers to pick for a fine ‘nosegay’ today.

With new notebook in hand and a camera from Father Christmas I am all set to visit the many gardens to be open in 2018…

——-Jan 2018——-

T’was the week before Christmas. (*****)

December 23, 2017January 20, 2018 / thegardengateisopen / 36 Comments

T’was the week before Christmas I’d finished the year

Ninety great gardens so far and so near

The stockings were hung on the gateposts with care

In the hope that the NGS raised such good fare

All gardeners now were so snug in their beds

With visions of plum trees that danced in their heads

With camera on auto and notebook on hand

From cottage to castle I travelled the land

Allotment, walled garden, the street and the square

Hospital, Manor House, Hall and parterre

Through twenty-four counties I cut quite a dash

Most gardens were open, and most didn’t clash

In all sorts of weather, even fresh snow

the owners of gardens put on a fine show

.The statues and sculptures so big and so bold

The carvings and sundials so bright to behold

Water in fountains in ponds and in lakes

Wheelbarrows, mowers and rusty old rakes

Of snowdrops and dahlias I now know so much

To some it is knowledge to most double-dutch

The cakes were delicious but never would last

I used to think thin but now I think vast

That Gardens are good for you – never in doubt

So off you go next year – get out and about

It’s the end of my mission as I drive out of sight

“Happy Christmas to all and a hearty good night”

42 Falconer Road, all a twinkle in Bushey. (88)

December 2, 2017January 20, 2018 / thegardengateisopen / 9 Comments

When I began my Ninety Garden Adventure back in January, I did not imagine that there would still be gardens opening in November. The entry in Gardens to View appeared encouraging if not a little intriguing especially with the opening time advertised as 4pm. I could not resist a visit on my circuitous route to London.

The short description of course just acts as a guide; you really have no idea what lies behind. There was no garden gate and a few of us gathered outside, a little confused by the change of time from 4pm to 5pm. Owner Suzette answers our knock and expresses her dismay that it is not yet dark but invites us in through to the conservatory.

I feel more like a guest than a visitor; it reminds me of the 18th Century when garden visitors would apply to the property beforehand and then would often be shown around by the owner who acted rather as the host.

The orchids are beautiful in the conservatory and it is like entering an antique shop which then extends out into the garden.

I was grateful that I had arrived early because I could take advantage of the last of the natural daylight. While the family were setting up the illuminations, I wandered around absorbing the eclectic contents of this small and cunning space. Knick-knacks and plants clamber up the wooden steps;

china jars are arranged on the small ornamental metal shelf set against the fence amongst the trailing ivy.

In a corner area the myriad of bejewelled hangings dangle from the confusion of wisteria, and are accentuated by the mirrors behind.

Bird cages are everywhere, either small and propped on posts surrounded by bamboo, hydrangea and richly-coloured acer,

or simply upon the ground looking slightly oriental.

This little collection is suspended gracefully together and is just starting to glow in the fading light.

Small statues gather on the miniature bridge,

and the old gardener’s boot is providing a convenient home for a succulent,

Plants overflow from the old metallic watering can,

nearby to the miniature ones arranged and “sedumed” on a glass-topped table.

Carefully stepping through the paved garden there is so much to see. By the side of a rhododendron sits a rusty old stove,

and the clock defies time with its hands set permanently at twenty three past twelve.

Low walls are built with a collection of artifacts,

and there is just room for a small hexagonal glasshouse.

Having been absorbed by the myriad of cages, chimney pots and curios, I reach the end of the garden and retrace my steps to await the approaching darkness.

Back inside I am able to admire the photographs displayed of the garden decked in its summer dressing, elegant and floriferous. Suzette generously opens over two weekends in July and August and has been doing so for the NGS for over 5 years.

While I wait for the brightening of the lights outside, I gaze at the collection of bird cages hanging inside and wonder what the generic name for such a collector might be.

Just outside the conservatory things are starting to glow, it is hard to distinguish the difference between light and lobelia.

I knew this would be a tricky one to photograph but woh, I am not quite sure if it is a result of the mulled wine or inadequate equipment.

Ah ha, it all become clearer as I switch to iPhone, and the garden takes on a warm and magical look.

More visitors have arrived and the children ooh and aah as they gaze at the glitz and the glow.

Bird cages flutter into light,

making a pretty sequence throughout the garden,

In the dark there is a different atmosphere and some ornaments remain familiar whilst those previously unseen, appear in the show.

The glasshouse retracts behind the twinkle of green lights,

and looking back it is proof that gardens need not be necessarily just about plants and it is obvious the visitors are just loving this evening display.

I return to the conservatory once more where just outside green lights dance around the naked stems of the wisteria,

and inside it there is a warm glow.

Suzette has shown such generosity. It has been a magical visit, something just a little bit different and entertaining for all ages. I can’t help thinking if we want to encourage the next generation into the garden we might all take a leaf out of Suzette’s book and be a little bit more imaginative in our gardens at night time.

——-88——-

Lakeside House, a welcome and watery restoration. (87)

November 24, 2017January 20, 2018 / thegardengateisopen / 6 Comments

The calendar of garden visiting is on pause now, and with the skiing season fast approaching one of the gardens I look back at with fondness, is the extraordinary garden at Brundall, once known as ‘The Switzerland of Norfolk’.

The garden was created in 1880 by a Dr Beverley who, along with planting an arboretum, dug out a cascade of ponds as seen in the centre of the postcard below. An entrepreneur named Frederick Holmes-Cooper then purchased the grounds in 1917, built a new house for his family which he called ‘Redclyffe’ and set about making ‘Brundall Gardens’ a visitor attraction with a fine hotel and restaurant.

Postcard 1920

In 1922 it was reported that 60,000 people flocked to see the gardens. Visitors travelled by bicycle, foot, rail and river disembarking at the jetty just by the restaurant.

Postcard advertising day trip to Brundall Gardens

Of course I arrived by car, and it was a cold day back in April. The garden, much reduced in size now is owned by Janet Muter. In the mid 1980s she and her husband bought a newly-built house on the site, just above the cascade and set about restoring the garden. It had suffered much neglect since its closure in the 1930s and subsequent requisition during the war when the property was used as an enemy aircraft plotting station.

I was very touched when Janet presented me with the book, Rescue of a Garden that she has recently written about the fascinating history of her garden.

So I cannot resist starting our tour with a picture of the house taken from the book showing the building in 1986, which she describes amusingly as ”A house undressed”:

Rescue of a garden by Jane Muter

No longer so naked, it is clothed in mahonia and clematis armandii,

and an attractive little border softens the hard landscape by the front door.

From the house we cross to the other side of the roadway which is in fact the drive to the neighbouring house. I have to confess I am a little confused; a rustic hut but where is the lake?

Crossing back over towards the house I admire the mixed planting in the flower bed, and continue to wonder at the apparent lack of water.

Then, walking through the trees towards the south side of the house, I realise that this has just been the warm up. The curtain raises and as I look down, the spectacle unfolds; a series of three delightful ponds descending to a lower lake.

I am standing upon the patio where a collection of colourful acers grow in pots. You can see that the grassy slope falls away very steeply.

We gently follow the path down on the right-hand side admiring the mixture of mature trees and shrubs, some in flower, that have been planted over the years.

The large-handled pot points the way and its shape is complimented by the planting around it. Perhaps a gentle reminder that this was a site once inhabited by the Romans.

The first pond is the smallest. There are no straight lines in this garden; pool, plants and pots smoothly flow in a curve. On occasions, a fountain plays in the centre.

The path leads away from the water’s edge down through swathes of ground cover; vinca, pulmonarias, lamium and ivy dotted with white honesty.

Bluebell flowers are just emerging and I catch glimpses of water through the branches,

and finally at the furthest point we venture out through the trees to arrive at the lily lake at the lowest level.

Large and untamed, the lake was almost inaccessible in 1985.

The Muters cleared fallen trees, excess reeds and rushes. Janet has always been mindful of the wildlife, the enjoyment of which is an important part of this garden. A beach was created and the gravel path seems to ebb and flow in harmony with the water’s edge.

There are some lovely gems planted on this side; the exquisite aronia melonocarpa

and pinky darmera peltata, its large leaves yet to grow.

Popular primula japonica is very content here.

Water lilies spread out in a Monet manner across the lake from the far side, where the sound of a railway can be heard as a train rattles by.

After a while we ascend the side of the lower pond where sweet woodruff grows amongst the fresh green unfurling fronds of the ferns.

At the top of the lower pond we cross over and look back. It is deep and requires dredging every year.

The middle pond is in fact in the care of the neighbour. Annually it is drained to remove the leaves. These water gardens do not just flow timelessly, they need maintenance. There has not been much rainfall in recent months and so the water level is low.

The top pond has a variety of plants emerging around its edge and it is the selection of euphorbias that catches my eye today,

with the ajuga edging the carrstone wall. The stone would have originally been brought over from the western side of the Norfolk.

An old tree trunk supporting a climbing rose combines with an ancient pot to provide a touch of antiquity.

We are grateful to have steps to climb this last part but I worry that I have kept Janet outside for too long. A hardy type as she might be, she is an octogenarian and it is a chilly day.

We pause on the top step to take in one last look over the haze of light blue periwinkle. I am in awe as to how someone can garden on such steep terrain.

Watery and wonderful, this can have been no easy garden to restore and maintain. It is hard to believe that for half a century it was hidden away by undergrowth. With careful restoration and a lot of hard graft, the Muters brought it back to life and while enhancing the beauty with their love and knowledge of plants, they have encouraged not only the wildlife to return but also the visitors. I quote from Janet’s book:

‘And in 25 years of opening my garden I have never known anyone leave litter or steal so much as a cutting, well not when I was looking anyway. Whilst rescuing my garden it has helped to raise thousands of pounds for many charities, but mainly for the National Garden Scheme.’

Lakeside House opened for two days this year over the May Bank holiday and raised nearly £3,000 for the NGS.

We are of course very grateful to Janet who will be opening next year by arrangement only. In the meantime you can enjoy this wintery scene and do read the book; it is an interesting story.

——-87——-

Ramster, open for 90 glorious years. (86)

November 18, 2017January 20, 2018 / thegardengateisopen / 8 Comments

I cannot draw to the end of my ‘ninety’ without including the historic rambling wooded gardens of Ramster in Surrey. It was one of the original 609 gardens that opened for the NGS back in 1927 and has opened every successive year since. It is the only other garden along with Sandringham to hold such an impressive record.

Originally named Ramsnest, the garden was created out of an Oak woodland in the 1890s by the then owner Sir Harry Waechter, a British businessman and philanthropist.

The local nursery of V. N. Gauntlett & Co Ltd., specialists in all things Japanese, conveniently adjoined the garden and their influence is very much in evidence today.

In 1922 the property was bought by Sir Henry and Lady Norman and has remained in the same family being passed onto the fourth generation in 2005. Ramster Hall tucked away in the Surrey Hills is a private home but earns its keep by hosting weddings and corporate events.

At the annual NGS conference recently Miranda Gunn (third generation) gave an amusing account of the garden. She explained how in the early years an honesty box sufficed at the entrance, but times have changed and on arrival the driver of the coach full of visitors asks three simple questions: Where are the loos, where are the teas and what is the name of the dog!

Wooden obelisks mark the entrance to the 25 acres and the map shows plenty of meandering paths to explore and helpfully outlines the hard path route giving some access to wheelchairs.

A fallen Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii, has been turned, actually chainsawed, into this porcine family by Simon Groves http://www.grovessculpture.co.uk/home.html.

Opposite, a redundant tennis court has taken on a new lease of life,

a quiet enclosed flat area where a gentle fountain plays into the dark waters of the raised pool,

with a variety of pots, and places to sit. It is a contrast to the wooded undulating 25 acres yet to come.

There is a gentle unhurried atmosphere here, a place to wander with plenty of benches along the way,

placed strategically under trees such as this deciduous conifer the Swamp Cypress Taxodium distichum,

or tucked in under what is known as the ‘Grouse Hole’. From here you can sit for awhile

and admire the ‘Gauntlett’ Cranes standing still in the green lagoon.

Seating is also made simply out of fallen trunks,

or enriched by the chainsaw of Simon Groves.

From the winged back log you can look down on the bog garden, where an acer is acquiring an autumnal glow and tall thin purple verbena bonariensis rise up in front of the fat green gunnera manicata leaves.

Logs are used on the walkway; neatly sliced, they allow the children to experience the Gunnera jungle.

Following a rough woodland path clearly marked as unsuitable for any type of wheels I reach the lake, the furthest point of the woodland. It is hard to imagine what it must have been like in those early years with something like 40 gardeners. I am reminded of the story Miranda recounted; remembering the days when a team of gardeners was employed in the fifties and false teeth were all the rage, her mother would go out into the garden calling them and have to wait a considerable amount of time while the team would rush back to their potting shed to be reunited with their teeth and so appear with a gleaming white smile!

Throughout the woodland, autumn tints are creeping in particularly amongst the acers; the large leaves of this young Acer palmatum Osakasuki, have nearly all turned,

while this mature Acer rubrum ‘Scanlon’ has just a very few leaves. It amazes me how on one specimen the change is so varied, a breakaway branch so brilliantly red whilst the rest of the tree remains determinedly green.

Liquidamber styraciflua ‘Elstead’ is beautiful too, a fine tree it is also noted for its deeply ridged bark.

However it is the rare Castor aralia Kalopanax pictus var maximowicizii that wins the prize for its glorious bark, the wondrous patterns of nature.

Ramster is not only famous for its autumn colour but also for Rhododendrons and Azaleas, and many readers will have seen the wonderful display shown on Gardener’s World back in May. Not a flower to be seen now it is the naked limbs which still have such beauty; the tri-trunked specimen of Rhododendron Loder’s White.

and a frenzy of multi-stemmed Rhododendron ‘Cynthia’.

Some ‘naked’ trees are put to good use; a support for a beautifully scented honeysuckle Lonicera ‘Copper Beauty’ which flowers from June to September.

Another member of the honeysuckle family and still in flower is the Heptacodium miconioides known in N. America as Crape Myrtle or seven son flower.

There are the mighty giant trees such as the towering Sequoia giganteum Wellingtonia,

and the straight Atlantic cedar Cedrus atlantica glauca. The couple seated below are season ticket holders and share their love the garden by showing me photos of the past seasons.

It is near here in a clearing that Miranda Gunn has positioned her grandchildren.

A delightful arrangement in bronze resin titled Oranges and Lemons it is by Christine Charlesworth. Lola, Nessa, Ollie, Tom and Bethan were not an easy commission and took two years to complete, finishing in 2011. There is such rhythm and movement in this piece that it is no wonder that Charlesworth was selected as the official artist for the 2012 London Olympics.

Behind the group of figures is the glow of a red Acer, contorted with colour,

it is part of the Acer walk, the Japanese influence incorporated a century ago.

A lantern is poetically placed amongst shrubs and contributes to the Anglo/Japanese feel.

I meander for sometime past lakes and ponds,

down steps and over bridges; it is a fun place for children to explore.

Returning to the car park I pass under the deliciously-looking but inedible baubles of the Dogwood Cornus porlock ‘Norman Haddon’,

and then quite out of the blue, and it is out of the blue because everything is red, is a lonely hydrangea, a reminder of the acid soil that lies below and I envy hugely.

Back in the car park the peculiar fruits of the Medlar Mespilus germanica are yet to blet,

and a Red London Bus awaits the next party of wedding guests.

Ramster is closed now until the Spring; its very informative website boasts of it providing the best cake in Surrey. I should check it out when it opens for the NGS on Friday 11th May 2018.

——-86——-

The Garden Gate is Open

Garden visiting, looking at what is through the garden gate, especially those open for National Garden Scheme, with just an occasional foray here and there.

National Garden Scheme