On a sunny day in May

Yesterday was our very first opening of the garden here at Ordnance House.  The weather was fine, the sun shone and the garden basked in the warmth of a lovely day.  We were lucky that the weather gods were smiling down upon us.

To everyone who came to see the garden and to those that gave up their time to help, Vanessa and I are very thankful and appreciative.  The National Garden Scheme and the support they provide to so many good causes has also benefitted and this can only be for the good . 

We do hope you liked the garden which I have written so much about these past months.  It is in fact 20 months since work first began here and plants were placed in the ground with great hope and much anticipation.  I realise that this is still a young garden but I think it has good bones as they say.  I am sure it will improve with age.

Sadly, the only Allium to make an appearance was our old friend and favourite 'Purple Sensation'.  But only just.  The Allium display is probably around a week or so away which is about as late as can be and quite unheard of.

We will open again on Sunday, 30 June from 11am to 5pm when I hope we will be as lucky with the weather as we were yesterday.  Hopefully the garden will have even more flower and colour to enjoy.  But for now, we can only look back and be thankful for how lucky we were to have benefitted from such wonderful weather and lovely visitors.

Unlatching the gate

In a week's time on Sunday, 26 May between 1pm and 5pm in the afternoon we will open our garden gates for the first time in support of the National Garden Scheme.  It looks like the Alliums will be in attendance but the Foxgloves  may be a little late and miss the party altogether.

Opening the gates of your garden can be daunting and as we only moved here two years ago (almost to the day as it happens!) we are very aware of the shortcomings of the garden and indeed of ourselves as gardeners. 

But the garden does have a fine bone structure and in time will be, I am sure, quite beautiful.  It is very young but already it shows promise and on a fine day and in the right light, it does look captivating.  But I am sure most gardeners can say such things about their own gardens with equal meaning.

Gardens are a very private space.  A place to escape to, to enjoy, to relax in.  For me, well I just love being outside in the fresh air coexisting with nature and creating planting schemes using the myriad of plant forms, shapes and textures.  All of which are very private things of course.  So a National Garden Scheme opening comes with joy at being able to share the garden with people who enjoy gardens as much as you do while being balanced by a large slice of trepidation on the other. 

If you have taken the time to read this entry, please try and visit for the opening is for a very good cause.  There will be sales of wonderful plants, scrummy cakes and teas and I hope, a lovely garden to walk around.





 

Natural rhythm

Throughout March and April the garden has been some three weeks behind where it should have been due to the cold.  The race is on to catch up and the garden seems to change before our eyes from one moment to the next.  Now we have more seasonal temperatures and lengthened days, growth abounds everywhere and a more natural rhythm has started to return.

Good job too for we open the garden gate for the very first time in support of the National Garden Scheme in less than a month's time. 

We have Allium leaves everywhere, sharp blades of green sticking up in rivers of planting most noteably in the central round bed that occupies the very centre of the garden.  This has the tall white Allium Mt. Everest along with Purple Sensation and another white Allium, Nigrum.  I cannot wait for the raspberry ripple display to finally arrive. 

But for the time being, Tulips of all kinds dazzle and catch the eye.  Hummocks of green testify that many plants are twice the size they were last year and reassure that the Summer display will be better than ever.  The Lavender is turning a fresh green and preparing for its flowering season while buds on trees have burst into leaf.  The orchard is awash with blossom from Apple to Cherry and Bluebells nod their heads gently.  The frothy green serrated leaves of Papaver orientale 'Patty's Plum', dot themselves around the main herbaceous bed biding their time before they throw out their exquisit and wildly exotic flower heads   It's a time of promise and trembling expectation.