Nice Weather for Ducks (VFTA No 8)

Another day out with my gardening buddy, A...this time to Trentham Gardens in Staffordshire...and the weather was awful; cold, wet and grey!  But we had a really enjoyable day, though I should say that we spent most of our time having morning coffee - whilst waiting for the rain to ease - and eating a late lunch - to warm up after our walk around the gardens.

I did however manage to take a few photos which have turned out better than I expected and even though we're close to the middle of October I think the gardens were well worth the visit.  Due to the weather we didn't wander too far around the park but stuck with the Piet Oudolf prairie plantings on the Eastern Pleasure Ground and the Italian Garden, designed by Tom Stuart-Smith, leading down to the lake.

The prairie planting was astonishingly beautiful even though most of the plants were past their prime, the drying flower heads of eupatorium and coneflower combined with the wafting seed heads of the grasses and the mass planting of sedums and asters was a joy to behold even on this greyest of days.  The planting snakes around the pleasure ground with closely cut grass paths between the planting - I'm going to have to go back next year probably at the end of August to see more of the plants in bloom, but I'm glad to have seen this autumnal sight.

The Italian Garden by contrast is very formal, and in its own way lovely, but not so much my cup of tea, though I can appreciate the work that's gone in to creating such a garden.

At the foot of the Italian Garden is the magnificent lake and it is possible to walk around the lake through the woodlands; though we did not take this opportunity on this visit, too cold and wet for us. 

I'm sure we saw only a very small proportion of the gardens and grounds and we will definitely go back for more, but we'll wait until next summer when hopefully we'll be able to spend more time enjoying the outdoors with a picnic.

Mellow Fruitfullness (VFTA No 7)

I made a trip to Malvern in Worcestershire last weekend to spend the day with my best friend, C at the Autumn Show.  This is the 4th year that we've met here for three reasons: 1) it's half way between our homes - I'm in Shropshire and C is in Devon; 2) it's a fun day out; 3) we've been so lucky with the weather each year benefitting from September sun.

This year we were dubious about point 3 as the weather has been variable from sunshine to grey and miserable however the show didn't let us down, the sun shone for most of the day and it stayed dry and warm.

Malvern Autumn show really is a family day out with events in the two arenas; this year we spent some time watching the falconry display - fantastic to see these beautiful creatures in full flight.  There is something for everyone including beautiful crafts, giant vegetables, (almost like a village show), plant stands and displays from specialist nurseries, displays of ancient farm equiment and machinery, country clothing stalls, dog breeds, chickens, rabbits etc, etc, etc...

rustic images

fantastic veg



Gold medal winner through the square window



one for the Handyman...

and another!

So there are a few images of our day, not as many as I would have liked but we were so engaged with the show and catching up on news and just being together for a while that the camera was forgotten though the day remains fresh in my memory - a lovely day out with a very dear friend!

Made with Love (VFTA No 6)

There is a garden on the borders of Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire, tucked away in the countryside that I've wanted to visit ever since I read the story of its creation.  The story of this garden tugs at the heartstrings and ensures that any gardener with a romantic bent would want to visit to see the results of this garden made with love.

The Dorothy Clive Garden was begun by Colonel Harry Clive in 1940; it was to be a garden where his wife Dorothy, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, could take some daily exercise.  Sadly Dorothy died in 1942 but Colonel Harry continued with work on the garden in Dorothy's memory.  In 1958 the Colonel set up the Willoughbridge Garden Trust as a memorial to Dorothy and to provide a place of rest and recreation for the public.  Harry died in 1963 leaving a beautiful garden for us to enjoy. 

our first proper view from the first level across the pond and Staffordshire countryside

So you can see the appeal of visiting this garden - will the planting be as romantic in nature or will it be more formal as may befit the era in which it was begun?  My friend and fellow garden addict, A, and I set off from Holly Grove on a sunny Saturday morning to find out.

On arrival and parking the car I was struck that there seemed to be no garden visible, but following the entry signs we were soon under the tree canopy and climbing the grassy slope; soon the path spilt and we had several choices.  Although we had been given a map of the gardens on entry we decided rather to wander where our fancy took us, and so meandered along paths of gravel and grass.


meandering gravel paths lead you through the garden

 The planting at this time of year in the open areas of the garden consists of grasses, salvias, eupatorium, dahlias, sunflowers, rudbekia etc making colourful displays and, on our visit, swaying in the breeze.

pale lemon sunflowers and helenium make a lovely picture

Following our instincts we eventually made our way out of the sunlight and down into the quarry garden.  This garden must be stunning in late spring as it is predominantly planted with rhododendron.  The tree canopy is quite dense but very high and the quality of cool light is lovely; then around a twisting path...a small but perfectly formed waterfall!

ferns and that lovely sound of falling water

Walking up the paths from the waterfall we had another surprise awaiting us...a magnificent stag in the woods...

impressive garden wildlife!

Then onwards and upwards and back out through the laburnum arch and past the azalea walk (more reasons to visit in late spring) onto a wide grass path leading to another viewing point.  This time the view was across farmland right at the top of this steeply sloping garden.

golden harvest

So having made our way from the bottom to the top of the garden via the quarry we headed for the tearoom for a much needed cuppa, not to mention the carrot and St Clements cakes: homemade, delicious and heartily recommended!

Next to the tearoom is a small plant sales area.  All the plants looked healthy and were reasonably priced but, unusually for me, nothing took my fancy - the Handyman will be shocked!

I would have bought one of these if they'd had some - no label, so no idea of plant name

Following our stop for refreshments and a good old chat, we set off back down the hillside through the gravel garden.  Then reaching the pond we looked upwards towards the top of the garden and the vista of mature trees.

from the pond back up the hill

The garden has lots of places to sit, many of them with great views of the garden and surrounding countryside.  They are needed as the paths can be steep.  Although spread over 12 acres the garden is surprisingly intimate.  Like many gardens in this part of the world some of the planting is suffering from a lack of water but overall we enjoyed our visit and will ensure that we go back when the rhododendrons are in bloom.

The garden is a lovely and fitting memorial to both Dorothy and Colonel Harry!

A Welsh Garden (VFTA No 5)

It's easy to become isolated and insular as a gardener, the pull of gardening in your own plot is very strong and any free time is so precious that I just want to spend it at Holly Grove.  However, after my recent trip to Devon I was reminded of how good it is to get out of your own garden occasionally and take inspiration from others. 

view into the Dingle

Consequently yesterday I had a day out with my friend A (another keen gardener) to The Dingle Nurseries and Garden.  The garden as the name suggests is in a deep hollow and set amongst some beautiful Welsh countryside.  The predominent theme that I picked up on yesterday was trees; lots of them from acers and birches to conifers and eucalyptus.  This is a shady garden and the underplanting in some areas is thin, they have also suffered some losses of shrubs and acers from the harsh winter weather in 2010/11.  However the overall effect is quiet, calming and serenely green. 

Amongst the trees there are many with beautiful, tactile bark.  Unfortunately not all of the trees are labelled so I'll have to do some work to add names to the photos below which don't really do justice to the glory of these trees.


eucalyptus bark

peeling bark



prunus serrula tibetica

At the bottom of the Dingle is a large pond which has, at one end, an enormous gunnera. Standing under the canopy of this beast with the sunlight filtering through was magical and the emerging flowers were a sight to behold.



As A and I made our way back up the hillside we had the prospect of a browse around the nurseries attached to the garden and that quickened our steps.  We were like a couple of children in a sweetshop - so many lovely and unusual plants, it was difficult to select, though somehow we did manage.  The nurseries are very well laid out with plants grouped together by preferred conditions and types.  Inspired by the trees in the garden in amongst my purchases were two evergreens: a Korean Fir (Abies Koreana) and a Scot's Pine (Pinus Sylvestris 'Chantry Blue'). 

The Korean Fir has the most lovely bright green needles the underside of which are silvery blue.  It's a young plant probably about three years old and will grow relatively slowly reaching about six to eight feet by its tenth birthday; it has been placed where we'll be able to see it from the kitchen window. 

 

The pine has large blue needles and will manage six to seven feet by the time it is ten years old; it has replaced one of the pampas grasses that we lost to the winter frosts. 

The garden at Holly Grove will benefit from some more winter colour as being predominently a cottage garden (lots of perennial plants) the winter scene is somewhat bare.  It will take a while for these evergreens to make any real impact but part of gardening is learning patience and assuming that these trees enjoy the soil and aspect we'll be well rewarded.

I would recommend a trip to the Dingle Nurseries if you live close enough or are in the area on holiday; I would imagine that it is a glorious sight in the autumn.  Although they only have a small tearoom serving coffee and tea there is another affiliated garden centre, the Derwen Garden Centre, just down the road with a licensed cafe and restaurant and more lovely plants!

Also in the locality is Powys Castle with its aclaimed gardens, but we'll save that for another day.  (Almost forgot to mention that I managed to get a potentilla thurberi 'Monarch's Velvet' as seen in C's garden - lovely!

Friendship and Flowers (VFTA No 4)

The next in my sometime series of reviews has been prompted by a visit made a few days ago to my dear friend, C in Devon.  It's about a 200 mile trip from Holly Grove most of it on motorway, so not very picturesque and always with the possibility of traffic problems and delays, but also the prospect of spending time with a close friend.  C and I have been friends for just over 29 years (we met when I was very pregnant with my youngest son, but that's another story).

The fun began shortly after I arrived chez C; just time to freshen up and change out of travelling clothes before we headed off for a salsa lesson.  Neither C nor I had tried salsa before and we had such a laugh, though we did manage to master a few of the steps as well.  So great fun as all this was, what's it got to do with gardening, well...

C has a small courtyard garden and when I saw it the next morning in the light of day I was bowled over.  The garden consists of one border the length of the garden on one side and a small summer house and lots of plants in pots on the other with a gravel path between.  The flower border is densely planted giving a beautiful cottage garden effect - just my kind of planting. 

C has made good use of the vertical too, with clematis and even a sambucus niger (black elder in photo next to climbing rose) kept close against the fence line.  The number and array of plants is amazing and the density of the planting means that weeds don't get a look in.  The colour palette is mostly pinks and blues but with accents of red.  The soft colours create a peaceful ambiance with the reds providing focus...it's very tempting to copy this whole planting scheme in a border at Holly Grove!

I was particularly charmed by a couple of plants that I would like to add to our Holly Grove borders - potentilla thurberi 'Monarch's Velvet' and salvia greggii 'Icing Sugar'.  The salvia is hardy to -8 but if we have a winter like last year it may struggle here in Shropshire where the freezing cold winds come across from Wales and down over the Cheshire Plain pushing the temperature frequently downwards well below freezing; quite a different climate to the milder winters of the south west, but worth a try and if I can't overwinter it in the borders I could try growing it in a pot.  The potentilla is fully hardy, so that's definitely one for the borders.

all photos courtesy of C

I was astonished at how much interest C has been able to create in a small space; truly inspirational!

Note: Be careful if you are buying the salvia as there seems to be a purple/lilac Icing Sugar that is described as both salvia microphylla and salvia greggii - the pink one in C's garden is definitely salvia greggii according to the RHS; I have also seen the pink one listed as salvia jamensis, microphylla and jamesii - help!!!

Hubble, Bubble (VFTA No 3)

I've been away from the garden for a few days due to very inclement weather and a trip to the theatre.  So I thought I'd continue an occasional series on my blog called 'A View from the Audience'; this gives my impressions of any events gardening or otherwise that I attend over the year.  it is occasional as I don't get away from Holly Grove very often!  The views expressed are only my opinions, so here we go:

In what feels like a previous life I lived in various villages and towns in Warwickshire; initially in Stratford-on-Avon, then in the village of Bidford-on-Avon and finally in the small town of Alcester (pronounced ALL-STER). Both my sons were born in Leamington Spa and we spent our first formative family years in the lovely Warwickshire countryside.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit Stratford-on-Avon again with two friends for the prospect of an evening at the newly opened Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) theatre. We had booked a pre-theatre dinner in the rooftop restaurant and then had tickets for Macbeth (or should I say 'the Scottish play').

We arrived in Stratford in the early afternoon and had a wander around before taking afternoon tea in a small teashop at the top of Henley Street. And how the town has changed – though it is over 20 years since my boys and I left Warwickshire - why was I so surprised! The main shopping streets look like any other town in the UK with all the usual suspects – shame! However the river walks, the canal basin and the Old Town remain very attractive and the tourists (me amongst them now) continue as a constant feature.

It was strange to be in place so familiar and yet unfamiliar at the same time. Memories of my twenties came flooding back, almost all really good reminiscences; paying my first salary into my first cheque account from my first teaching job, buying my first kitchen wares for my first flat, my Mum visiting and sleeping on the sofa as we had no spare bedroom and she refused to take our room, The Windmill Inn – our local hostelry, bringing home my first son from the hospital to our little flat and then wondering how I was going to get him and the pram down 3 flights of stairs, walking down to the river and the swing park with the boys and their grandparents, boats and ice-creams on the river etc, etc.

So how was the theatre? Well the restaurant had lovely views across the river and the table settings and linen were as you would expect from a good quality restaurant, the service was pleasant and the food was fine but not great.

From the fixed price menu we all had the same starter: chicken and black pudding terrine (black pudding is appearing on menus everywhere – why?); then I had sea trout with samphire and my companions had Old Spot pork loin with crushed potatoes – any other vegetables were extra; for dessert, two opted for the cheeseboard and I had strawberries and clotted cream (or as described on the menu - Evesham strawberries with honey and curd).

The portions seemed quite small but the meal was filling and the prices were what I would expect to pay in a theatre restaurant for a fixed price menu. The layout of the restaurant meant that most tables were quite a route march from the 'ladies' so I would suggest a trip prior to taking your seat in the restaurant.

With a bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc the meal came to £94 for the three of us - the food was a pleasant affair but nothing to rave about. The conversation during the meal however was superb!

The rebuilt theatre is interesting, the auditorium resembling a modern version of the Globe theatre. It feels surprisingly small and intimate with the stage projecting out into the audience. This makes life more difficult for the staging of the production as the actors have audience on three sides and sometimes when the actors had their backs to us it was difficult to hear what they were saying. There are also LED screens on both sides of the theatre just below the circle seats. During the performance we attended these scrolled the dialogue continually and were quite distracting. The corridors at the back of the auditorium are incredibly narrow and getting out to the bars etc in the interval was a squash; I wouldn't want to try this in any kind of emergency

Then the play: well, this was the fifth production of Macbeth that I have seen, the first being nearly 40 years ago at the Citizens' Theatre in Glasgow as part of my studies for my English O level qualification. I have to say that this was the poorest of the five.

Jonathan Slinger was not my idea of Macbeth, he was more whinging politician than bloodied warrior and Lady Macbeth was equally disappointing as the 'power behind the man' turning very quickly into an emotional wreck. In the banquet scene where she dissolves into hysterical laughter I thought she more resembled Queenie from Black Adder than the manipulative Queen of Scotland.

And where were the witches? Replaced by three children lowered from the ceiling on wires and hooks…not very atmospheric or prophetic for that matter. Banquo was big on physical presence but lacked charisma and it was difficult to feel for him when he was betrayed by his comrade in arms, Macbeth.

There also seemed to be a lot of running on and off stage, not clear what that was supposed to suggest?

I really didn't engage with any of the characters, who seemed to be very two-dimensional, until late in the play when Macduff receives the news of the murders of his wife and children; the emotion with which this scene was played stood out as the high point in the play for me and my companions. I've no idea who played this part as I can't find a cast list on the RSC website – but it raised the stakes in what, to that point, was a very pedestrian version of the Scottish play.

All in all a missed opportunity in the production of a great play. So a good day for memories, lovely to spend some time with friends, plenty of conversation around the experience in the car on the way home; just a pity the play didn't live up to expectations. Will we go back for another experience? Absolutely – who can resist the prospect of the theatre!

Malvern Spring Show Impressions (VFTA No 2)

First things first, my friend C and I had a lovely day out at the show, as usual we really enjoyed each other's company.  The weather was fine, no rain until I was driving back to Shropshire.  During the day it was cloudy with sunny intervals and very breezy, but pleasant enough for us to eat our lunch outdoors and to have a good wander around the show.

So impressions...well, lots of acers, lilies, hostas, acquilegia, grasses in the various nursery stands.  A mixed bag of a show with crafts and specialist foods alongside gardening tools, clothing, plants and show gardens.

Orange Marmalade on the left and Fragrant Bouquet on the right

I love hostas and the show had a number of stalls showing such a range of these plants from minatures to giants.  Needless to say I bagged a couple, Orange Marmalade and Fragrant Bouquet, well who could resist - not me!  C looks like becoming a hosta convert, it's the minature ones that have caught her interest.  I also picked up a envelope of hosta seeds.  According to the packet they seldom come true to the parent plant as, like acquilegias, they are very promiscuious, so it will be interesting to see what results I get.

I couldn't come back to Holly Grove without at least one new addition to the flower borders.  The chosen plant is Nemesia Vanilla Lady, chosen for its striking perfume and its dainty flowers.  I think it will go into the front of the swingseat walk border, right by the steps so that its perfume can be fully appreciated.

Dainty Lady

Highly perfumed

Lilies were my other purchase.  The displays in the Floral Marquee were amazingly beautiful and these are what tempted both C and I to buy some bulbs.  We came away with three types, all asiatic lilies I believe:

Dimension; the most dramatic of the three.  A very deep burgundy with texture like velvet.

Patricia's Pride; picking up the burgundy theme in the centre of the predominently white flower.

White Heaven - what can I say, irresistible!!!

White Heaven

Talking of show gardens I found these a bit disappointing; they were very small (not that big is necessarily better) and lacking in imagination and (for me anyway) lacking in inspiration.  The focus of the gardens seemed to be more on the hard landscaping than the plants - a pity as if the planting had been better the gardens would have risen in my estimation. I was really surprised to see that any of them had an RHS Gold Medal - but then this is only my view and I'm no RHS judge!

There were three gardens I found of interest:

A Garden for Life - very attractive garden building surrounded by dense planting and a lovely fountain water feature.  The colours in this garden really appealed to me; mostly blues and purples.

The Atomic Journey - strange theme for a garden but this was beautifully executed.  A very symmetrical garden with a small but effective range of plants - both C and I thought that this would make a lovely front garden.

The Rain Garden

The Rain Garden - my favourite, not for the planting but rather it has provided a couple of ideas for using water in the garden and may provide inspiration for a garden somewhere in Holly Grove - still considering it.  My photo doesn't really do it justice.  You can find descriptions of all the show gardens here.

I should also mention a stand that I have visited at a couple of shows and on-line: Plant Supports.  They stock very robust and attractive plant supports and there is always a bargain to be had on their show stands.  Add to this that it's a family firm and they are so friendly and helpful, it makes it a pleasure to do business with them.  This time I bought some spiral supports and some edging supports; I'm getting quite a collection and they are required on this exposed and often windy site.  My preference is for the rustic version as they fit in so well with the cottage garden planting, though by mid season they are hidden from view by foliage. They also supply green plastic coated supports.

We really had a lovely day out and I would recommend the show to anyone who enjoys their garden - lots to see and do in the lovely setting of the Malvern Hills.  We'll be going back for more in September at the Autumn Show.

More Tatton Moments (VFTA No 1)

I promised more on Tatton so here we go...I think I'll start with the RHS/Ball Colegrave National Flower Bed Competition - the favourite entry for J and me was the Dumfries and Galloway entry of Peter Pan, Captain Hook and the Crocodile - fantastic! Not the show winner but, hey, what do RHS judges know!
Our two visits to the Floral Marquee were made during lulls in the sunshine - we were loathe to miss any sun this summer! The chrysanthemums and orchids seem to have been J's preferred options, judging by the number of photos taken. They were strangely attractive, though at odds with the prevailing cottage garden look of most of the exhibits.
But the highlight of the marquee for me was the Bowden Hostas stand - a Gold Medal winner with the judges and me. I managed to restrict myself to just one hosta but as mail order is their speciality I don't think that it will stop there!

In the National Plant and Societies Marquee we loved the display by the National Vegetable Society - how do they get the vegetables to look so perfect! And the Tomato Growers' Association stand tasted delicious - hmm, time for lunch...
After a bite of lunch we moved on to the show gardens - all in all a bit disappointing this year and the same could be said for most of the Back to Backs.

So onward to the Plant Plaza where the urge to purchase became irresistible...so much to see, touch, smell, buy! Some of the displays outside of the little stalls rivaled the back to backs in content and structure.

A lovely day out with good company, fine weather and the joy of gardening...can't wait until next year!