A Walk in the gardens July 2007

The new summer house has been erected and is now ready for use. It is in the part of the gardens known as The Old Garden. It was decided not to put it the same place as the old one as the pond garden needs a major overhaul. It is hoped that the Horlick collection of Rhododendrons will be planted in the old garden around the Summer house.  

The old tomato house in the walled garden has become the “new” Fern house with a collection of ferns donated by The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. Amongst these plants is a Wollemia nobilis.

Rhododendrons this month include Rh Polar Bear; a couple of weeks earlier than it was last year. There is one beside the tea tent but there are others else where in the gardens. In the walled garden (most probably flowering out of season) are Rh calostrotum calciphilum and Rh calostrotum Rock Form. Both have pink flowers and the rock form has lovely blue-green leaves.

In the newly planted border (mentioned last month) behind the “new” fern house are some interesting plants which include Aeonium arboretum Schwarzkopf  and Hedychium forestii (ginger lily). This border is also where the banana tree is to be found.

Agapanthus, both blue and white, are flowering in the walled garden. I don’t think that I have mentioned in previous diaries that the bed of agapanthus had been dug up and they have been replanted in the borders beside the greenhouses. The narrow grass strips besides the paths have been taken up thus widening the paths slightly. The plants from the borders had been growing over these grass strips making them difficult to mow. The roses have also been removed from the old cold frame and the soil removed from the frame. The Camellia Leonard Messel on either side of the door into the cactus house have been cut back very hard and I have noticed that one of them is sprouting again.

Other plants flowering in the walled garden include Calceolaria integrifolia, Crocosmia masonorum, Hydrangeas of all sorts including H. aspera subspecies aspera, Schizophragma, Arthropodium cirrhatum, Lilies and Callistemon pallida. Growing on the walls and flowering profusely at the moment is Francoa sonchifolia, Bridal Wreath.
Elsewhere in the garden is Clethera delavayi (pond garden) and Escallonia iveyi (old garden) but plant of the month must surely be Hoheria lyalli. It has been flowering profusely throughout July and is still going strong!