A walk in the gardens August 2006




The walled garden was full of colour this month with the herbaceous borders being the first thing to be seen as you enter the garden. Huge clumps of tall Eupatorium purpureum make a bold splash of colour on even the dullest days and Echinops ritro make a good contrast with their large thistle-like flower heads on silvery stems. Also flowering in the borders just now are Astrantias and Hemerocallis.
Near the old tomato house is a bright display of zonal Pelargoniums in pots and nearby a bed of various Fuchsias. Dotted here and there amongst the trees and shrubs in the borders of both the north and south walled gardens are lilies. Lilium Colour Parade (red), La Rene (pink) and White Siberia are in the south walled garden. In the north walled garden a narrow border running along side one of the paths is devoted to Agapanthus which came fully into flower this month though they had begun to flower in July. Crocosmia citronella with its yellow flowers makes a nice change from the orange and red varieties which flower everywhere. Crocosmia Lucifer has made a great escape from the gardens and seems to grow all over the Island!

Trees and shrubs flowering in the walled garden this month include Metrosideros, the New Zealand Christmas tree, Callistemon, Bottle brush, Eucryphia cordifolia and Eucryphia glutinosa. The Hoheria continue to put on a good show!

In Hugh’s border just out side the walled garden a relative of the Lapageria is flowering though it is not easy to find it Philesia magellanica. 

Elsewhere in the gardens there are water lilies in the pond though the water level is very low. The Crinodendrons are ladened with fruits and so also are the Drimys aromatica. The Gunnera are flowering and interesting foliage colour is provided by Pseudowintera colorata in the old garden and Myrtus communis variegata.

Rhododendron of the month is Rhododendron Polar Bear with its magnificent scented white flowers! Probably the only Rhododendron this month!

There are quite a number of different ferns in the gardens including the tree fern Dicksonia antartica in the old garden and Osmunda regalis near the main gates.
Also near the main gates is a Trachycarpus fortunei, a member of the palm family.