Inspiration. And Cake.
We’ve had a rare day out.
Docton Mill Gardens on the Hartland peninsula. Nestling in the bottom of a woodland valley, albeit closer to the coast, I hoped it might have a similar microclimate to mine.
And according to their website, voted best tearoom in Devon too.
The shady bog garden.
Ferns, astrantias, hostas and candelabra primulas flourish in the permanently damp conditions. Hurrah, damp shade I can do. But will it ever end up looking as good as this?
Rustic steps down the hillside and the quite amazing bluebell walk.
Rhododendrons in bud
Shuttlecock ferns, emerging into the dappled sun
The garden has been developed around an old water mill. The sound of the water is never far away.
Mixed borders in the sunnier part of the garden.
A dramatic combination of colour and shape, poppies in bud against the striking leaves of the phormium.
Colourful borders alongside the leat.
Yep, plenty of inspiration here.
.
And the cake?
Coffee and walnut.
A bit of Mike’s Devon Cream Tea too..
Yum Yum.
.
Linking up to The Bloggers’ Cut for the Chelsea Fringe 2013 at Veg Plotting.
What a joyus day out in beautiful gardens, no wonder they inspire 🙂 I’m sure your garden WILL look just as good too!
Cake looked good – I’m hungry now 😉
Rose H
x
I hope the garden will look as good Rose, but it will take a long time! We did learn a lot though, like how to create steps down the hillside from logs.
Looking at that garden makes me realise that your own is just a slightly wilder and as yet not totally tamed version, and in my opinion a bit of ‘wild’ is good.
As for that cake…….drool !!.
A bit of wild IS good and I want to retain it, for the sake of the wildlife that thrives in this place. It just needs reining in. A bit.
Aaah, cake! Say no more…
It was delish..
A pretty much perfect day out: flowers and cake, and a presumably healed husband? Couldn’t stop looking at the pics- what a lovely place to spend a day. Inspiration abounds, so I expect to hear a great deal about new plants appearing in your garden over the coming weeks! CT x
He hasn’t a mark on him. Unlike me, still with swollen ankle a month after spraining it…
The range of plants for sale was quite limited, sadly. But I do have some ideas, particularly for the wood.
Coffee and walnut is one of the few cakes I don’t like …. which was a problem a few years ago when I was at a judge at the local show and had to taste a whole batch of them – each one worse than the last! We had a long walk along the river this morning, ending with our famous “two scone lunch”!!
I put the scones in the photo especially for you Anne..
Looks like it was a wonderful outing.
Sometimes it’s nice just to have a break, and even better when you can pick up ideas from someone who is trying to garden with very similar challenges to yourself!
What a lovely tranquil place, and that piece of cake made my mouth water! And with proper cream! Crumbs!
West Country clotted cream. Yum. No crumbs left. 🙂
Lovely – you either come back from such places invigorated or despairing (or is that just me?) Looks lovely – and the cake – Yum:-)
It certainly makes you think about just how much work lies ahead… so a bit of both really!!
How heavenly. I love the sound of running water, and that waterfall is delightful. As for the cake….drools!xxxx
We started out on a hike to the coast, where there is allegedly a much bigger waterfall. Sadly the path got wetter and wetter, and when it became completely flooded we had to turn back. Perhaps go back after a dry spell, or with wellies!
What could be finer than discovering a new garden?
Discovering a new garden with the reward of cake at the end of course 🙂
Thanks for joining the Bloggers’ Cut!
It was a smashing day out, and thanks for giving me the excuse to do it VP. We get so absorbed in our own gardens, it’s a good idea to get out, see something else, and come back to look at it anew.
Oooh, nothing better than looking round a lovely garden (which that is) foillowed by tea and cake! X
It’s a real treat Abby. If the weather holds up.. will have to do it again.
I love the steps down the bluebell hill, looks like a lovely day out, especially the cake! Julie x
It was possibly my favourite place in the garden, so peaceful.
Coffee and walnut cake and admiring someone else’s hard work – perfect! We’ve just been away camping and now our garden is doing an excellent impression of a wilderness, I might just go into the kitchen and make a cake…
You’ll need to spend some time sitting and thinking about what to do with the garden.. with some tea and cake. Hope you had a good break.
What a gorgeous place to visit … and cake too ! ( you had your cake and ate it – how lovely x )
It’s quite a trek to get there, lots of windy country lanes, but well worth the effort!
Well, you learn something new everyday! I never knew that it was called Shuttlecock Fern. Looks like a beautiful garden which I’m sure gave you lots of inspiration. The cake looks very tasty:)
Lots of ideas, but lots of work too.. !!
What a fabulous place; you certainly made it look fabulous anyway. CAKE…………mmmmmmmmmmm.
Walking round the garden builds up an appetite. I’m sure they send you up and down hills deliberately..
Lovely photos of a well deserved day out … M x
It is good to have a break once in a while, even if you do come back with a list of new jobs!!
A gorgeous looking place and a lovely cake to round off the day too!!!
I was spoilt for choice. Next time it will be the Lemon Drizzle cake..
Hello, I found you via Jo at “The Good Life” and have loved reading all about your house and garden. You’ve worked very hard to make it a beautiful place and I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes. I can relate to the wildlife frustrations, we have all sorts of creatures visiting our garden, rabbits being the worst culprits, but they are fun to watch! xx Debbie.
Hi Debbie and welcome to rusty duck!
Rabbits are the one thing we don’t seem to have, yet, and I’m touching everything made out of wood within reasonable distance.. It’s great to have the wildlife and they are such fun to watch. Even the squirrels and I have to confess a grudging respect for those, they are persistent little blighters and love nothing better than a good game!
Nice garden, but oh – that cake! Why is it that as soon as I embark on a sensible eating plan, everyone starts posting fattening foodie things that I just love? So cruel….
Fear not Rachel. Sensible eating plan underway here too. The price of cake was NO ice cream out on the hill today, even though it was hot. And, sacre bleu, NO wine this evening either…
A wonderful garden. I’m a new visitor to your lovely blog, here from The Good Life. Beautiful pictures, and a lovely post. I shall return!
Hi CJ and many thanks for visiting!
We are so lucky in this country to have so many beautiful gardens to visit. I just hope this weather keeps up!
It looks like a beautiful garden and the tea-shop has my favourite cake too (coffee and walnut), What more could a girl ask?
Not much, Cherie!
It looks a wonderful walk; I love wooded valleys with waterfalls and streams. The alliums look very striking.
There is something about water isn’t there? I’m going to have to find a way of giving alliums another go. The mice had the last lot.
Inspiration indeed, so lush and green and “English”.
Tea and cake….{slobbber}
🙂
It was a real treat. Not least because, for once, the English weather was good enough to sit outside and enjoy it!
Beautiful, beautiful, and beautiful again. Thanks for sharing
You’re very welcome Velva!
That’s an inspiring garden. I think the sound of water would add something special to a visit as you wander around. I would love to live near a gentle channel of water like that. Your lifestyle and gardening is just as inspiring Jessica. I’ve popped over from Jo’s blog and will be visiting again! Have a peaceful day!
Hi Linda and welcome to rusty duck!
We have a small river running through here but it is inaccessible at the moment, buried in a jumble of brambles and fallen trees. The plan is to work outwards from the house down towards the river. A long term project with a pot of gold at the end!
I’m pleased to see that you’ve had some visitors pop over from my blog, I’m sure they’ll enjoy Rusty Duck just as much as I do. Coffee and Walnut cake is my hubby’s favourite so that would have been his choice too, I’d have gone for the cream tea. I’ve just been saying this morning how I must buy some more alliums, they’re blooming in my garden at the moment, but a little sparse. Such wonderful plants.
The mice left me just two alliums, and very lonely they look!
Many thanks for your kind comments on rusty duck Jo. They are truly appreciated. Jx
What a lovely garden you have visited and that does look a lovely cream tea and cake. What a shame we couldn’t share some with you!
Sarah x
If you are ever in North Devon I would recommend visiting. Very peaceful. If you went on a weekday probably even more so.
Now that looks like a most delightful garden and a delicious cake. Have just found my way here via the lovely VP and Jo 🙂 I will call again.
Hi Anna and welcome to rusty duck.
Your cake looks more like a work of art! I am on my way over to find out more..
Oh MY! Is that clotted cream I see before me??
Genuine Devonshire clotted cream.. And very delicious it was too.
So much beauty! And i LOVE the look of that cake – yum! :p
At last the weather has warmed up here, and the flowers have come out!
Wish I had ferns in my garden. Can smell the cake – delicious. Wish I could eat wheat.
Hi Esther and welcome to rusty duck!
You can have too many ferns. Here the common variety seeds (spores?) everywhere and I am forced to treat them like weeds. They’re thuggish and take over the borders if I don’t get them early enough. The more ornamental types, of course, are a different story!
Oh my Jessica… just the garden visit for me… and I am partial to a piece of walnut cake and can see the coffee mix could be tasty. Both garden and cake get the yum thumbs up from me 😀
Stopping for an afternoon tea and cake is a rare treat for me, and to enjoy it in such lovely surroundings made it even better.. welcome to rusty duck Shirley!