Just Passing..
Anemone x hybrida ‘September Charm’
Start of autumn this weekend. Where did the summer go?
It’s been a strange one this year. On Facebook the other day I was bemoaning to a friend the absence of any garden visits this year. Not a single one. An occasional plant fair but with no time to linger. No, the primary objective for any trip out these days has been the sourcing of building stuff. It’ll be worth it in the long run, of course it will, but there is no doubt that this summer has rather passed me by. The trouble with living in deepest darkest Devon is that it’s such a long way from anywhere else. That is of course one of the main reasons we chose to live here. There are distinct advantages to being far from the madding crowd. Until, that is, one starts to engage with large projects. And the more specialist the ‘stuff’ required the greater the number of road miles needed to find it.
The Precipitous Bank
Reaching the peak of its late summer splendour, with minimal assistance from the Gardener.
It’s been our habit over the years to sweeten the pill of journeys to distant corners of the Isle by locating a suitable hostelry en route. If I can get my act together this can be planned in advance, saving on the time and all the faffing about involved in trying to find a half decent pub in an unfamiliar town once the stomach has already started to rumble. Trip Advisor reviews are sought. Postcodes for sat nav and phone numbers are obtained and recorded and sometimes, heaven forbid, a forward booking for lunch may even have been made.
But could it be that I’ve been missing out on an even better sugar-coated opportunity?
Hydrangea NoID
It’s almost reached full blue. Every year since I moved it the blue tones have been stronger. Funny to think it used to be lipstick pink.
One of our longest trips of the summer, to Basingstoke in Hampshire, to see a greenhouse, as you do, took us through the very lovely county of Somerset. A brown signpost flashed past at the side of the road. (Or to be more accurate we flashed past it, since Mike was doing the driving at the time.)Â ‘East Lambrook Manor Gardens’. Now this rather rang a bell as an immediate google search confirmed: an English Heritage Grade 1 listed garden created by the celebrated 20th century plantswoman, Margery Fish. Not that we had time to do justice to the garden sadly, it was already late afternoon. A quick pop in to the plant centre though.. it really would be rude not to, wouldn’t it, considering we were passing?
There followed a discussion between Himself and I as to what constitutes ‘passing’. He would have it that a direct line of sight to the entrance is a necessary requirement. You and I will know that there is far more to it than that. Even when you’ve dallied a few moments exploring the possibilities down the rabbit hole of the internet, acquired the plant centre’s postcode and entered it quickly into google maps, only to find that it is now 14 minutes to get back. My cause critically undermined by the need to maintain the original direction of travel for quite some distance until a roundabout on the dual carriageway provided an opportunity to turn the car around.. a point not lost on the occupant of the driving seat and offered up as the principal argument in his defence. But still, a 14 minute detour. That’s nothing really is it? Not when you look at it in the context of the whole seven hour round trip?
Tulbaghia montana
And especially for a little gem like this? Not to mention an exceptionally healthy seedling of Grevillea ‘Canberra Gem’ for less than four pounds, two heleniums, assorted geraniums, two grasses and a rather tasty sanguisorba? It’s kind of got me thinking that maybe a lunch stop isn’t the only thing I should be planning in advance. Imagine, with the deployment of a little creative navigation wouldn’t there be all manner of select nurseries we could just happen to be passing?
Turning the shed upside down in the hunt for something or other a few months back I turned up an old wire basket with a dozen small terracotta pots. I’ve since started collecting an alpine a month in the hope that I can keep the basket going with something of interest all year. It could get more difficult as we move into autumn. But we shall see.
Banksia blechnifolia
With serious gardening rather hit and miss this summer, quite a few of my most recent acquisitions have been curiosities which will most likely stay in a container. Banksia blechnifolia hails from Western Australia. It was love at first sight for the foliage alone. It is able to withstand temperatures down to -5C but its main enemy here in Devon will be the winter wet.
Banksia blechnifolia
The reverse sides of the young leaves are deliciously furry, reminiscent of deer antlers, fur which it appears to shed as the leaf matures. The plant doesn’t reach a great height, maybe a foot or so, as the stems tend to travel prostrate along the ground. Next year it may need a wider pot but I shall worry about that after I’ve got it through the upcoming winter! A mature plant produces the conical flowers typical of banksia and these also sit at ground level. You can see an example of the very quirky B. blechnifolia in bloom from fellow blogger Jane in Mudgee (here) who wrote about it on precisely the same day I purchased mine, a coincidence stretching half way around the world.
Not just me smitten by the banksia’s charm.
And now for something completely different.. Solanum pyracanthum
Ouch. Yes, they’re sharp!
Solanum pyracanthum is a relative of the tomato, as you can perhaps see from the blooms, and it comes from Madagascar. Another one for greenhouse protection over winter. The Porcupine Tomato or Devil’s Thorn even produces tomato like fruits but these and all parts of the plant are highly toxic. Unsurprisingly it is listed as deer resistant! No doubt the bunnies and the slugs will still have a go.
Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’. A reliable and shining beacon through the softer light and shorter days of Autumn.
This weekend there are paving slabs to find.
Two stone suppliers immediately spring to mind and there’s a smashing place for lunch just a stone’s throw from one of them. So if you’ll excuse me I must go and find a plant nursery and plot the route..
Linking to Sarah (here) for a delightful peek Through The Garden Gate.
But what about the greenhouse
Three feet off the ground, no door and no roof! But I’m reasonably confident it’ll be ready in time for colder nights.. confident enough to purchase all those tender plants (although I do have a Plan B). Photos next post.
Love the furry antlers! Not sure about the prickly monster though! Although the thorns against the flowers are gorgeous.The tulbaghia looks so delicate – very pretty, like little daffodil heads. I’ve never been able to grow Japanese anemones before – spent a fortune on renewing the plants, but inherited one here – finally! It’s even survived a small army of scrabbling chickens! But I do love a mixed cottage garden. On the Isle of Mull there is a garden which is amazing – it has tall vipers bugloss, as the lady is Italian, she said it reminded her of her roots. It certainly adds height and different texture – and covered with bees! The garden is called Lip Na Cloiche, so if you are ever in that part of the world, well worth a visit – it’s beautiful.
Basingstoke – but a distant memory! We lived in Hook prior to moving here. Hope you liked the greenhouse! Must admit I always liked wandering round the gardens and just looking to see what I might take home with me.
Our plans are being submitted, I’m waiting for the smallholding number to be allocated, number one son is here and he’s helping me find buried treasure in the veg plot. Well, purple spuds at the moment! So back outside while the sun shines!
Thank you for the photos – and nice to see you are having some time in the fresh air and away from the dust!
Japanese anemones always take a little time to settle down with me, then suddenly they take off! The white anemone Honorine Jobert is getting to the point of outgrowing her spot so I shall have to divide it next Spring. I hope she won’t mind.
I love Scotland and I’m sure we’ll go back one day soon, the islands especially. I shall note down the garden recommendation, thank you, it sounds delightful!
Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.
Thank you for another lovely post. Coincidentally I was only just this morning looking up a reference in Penelope Lively’s “Life in the Garden” which I read a couple of months ago (well worth a read if you ever have time!) and came across a passage which refers to Margery Fish and her garden in Somerset, which I had marked, with a view to visiting sometime and also reading her book “We Made a Garden”. Serendipity I think it’s called!
As ever, I wish you luck with all your endeavours, and please keep blogging – your posts “shine like a good deed in a naughty world”.
We shall most definitely be going back to take a proper look around the garden. I got just a few glimpses of it through gaps in the hedge around the plant centre and it looks beautiful. Really nice coffee and gift shop too where I shall be looking out for the book. And of course, there’s the return visit to the plant centre… 🙂
There isn’t much cheer to be found in world news at the moment is there.
I love my visits with you Jessica.
And mine to you. 🙂
How lovely to see your garden again and it seems to be doing a good job of looking after itself. I always try to pick out a garden to visit en route to somewhere. I shall have to look up Margery Fish’s place now and see if it fits into my trip up to Yorkshire next year 😀 Slight detours are allowed as I am the gardener and the driver! Love the Tulbaghia montana – like teeny daffodils – and that Banksia has the most wonderful foliage. I wasn’t too keen on Jane’s flowers though as they look like spiders…
I feel very guilty about my neglect of the garden this year but it was lovely to be out photographing it again, though I did have to be even more selective than usual in where I pointed the lens! The areas that I’ve cleared most recently are struggling the most, the weeds have regained the upper hand.
The flowers of the banksia really are unusual. It will be interesting to see if I can get a plant to bloom in Devon. And when? It’s late winter in Oz..
Lambrook Manor is on my ‘to visit’ list. What treasures you found. The tulbahia is unlike any I have seen and the banksia has gone right to the top of my wants list.
I shall be going back to East Lambrook when I can properly explore the garden. And of course there are the snowdrop days too..
The banksia came from Penberth Plants, far west of Cornwall. It’s the only place I know which stocks it.
Of course you had to stop! And yes, you should ferret out nursery gems before you embark so as not to waste time with debates and backtracking that could be spent plant shopping. I can’t believe you got a Banksia! They’re almost impossible to find here. I love the Tulbagahia too. Workers are just arriving here for the day – they gave us a pass yesterday (again). At this rate, I’m figuring we’ll be lucky to be done by Christmas.
There is only one nursery over here, to my knowledge, which stocks the banksia. It’s definitely a rarity.
It’s so frustrating when builders don’t turn up. Like you we just want the whole thing over with now and the more days they are working the better. We should have the plastering done by Christmas (I hope) but then it has to thoroughly dry (totally weather dependent), we have to decorate and we have to get the second fix plumbing and electrics done. Plus a new woodburner installed and two sofas re-covered. It’s tight.
Good you finally got out somewhere to enjoy some flora instead of flooring!
I still manage to get out for the daily chez duck tour of inspection. But for the most part it just reminds me of all the things I’m not doing.
I think your precipitous bank looks wonderful, Jessica: very Piet Oudolf-y which is what I’m trying to achieve in my haphazard way.
I didn’t know Tulbaghia came in such a delicious colour. I must look out for one (unscheduled stops along the road for me too) as they are so hardy here and that colour would be a lovely contrast with the blue. Your Banksia looks very healthy and happy: I’ll look forward to seeing it in flower. From memory, mine didn’t for the first season while it established itself. Thanks for the mention btw.
Yes, Piet Oudolf-y is the goal!
The tulbaghia was a real surprise to me too. And once seen it couldn’t be left behind. They are borderline for me. I have two of the more common variety in pots but having said that I forgot to lift them last winter from the border where I’d plunged the pots. And they did fine.
No, 14 minutes is nothing…now 7 hours…that’s an adventure! I enjoyed your description of your jaunt. Also, the images of the blooms and plants. I’m especially taken with Tulbaghia montana. That’s a new one for me. Fascinating blooms!
It also goes under the name Tulbaghia leucantha, so best to look out for both. I don’t know which predominates in the US. But whatever, it is a real beauty. Very delicate, but the colour shines out nonetheless.
Lovely to see all your plants, your garden is looking full of colour and interest. I tried to grow a little Banksia last year, but it wilted and died….not quite sure why, but in a big garden it is so easy to miss a plant that needs help…. in our case water! There was a Canberra Gem in our garden when we bought our house, many years ago, Paul said he didn’t think it had been watered for years, they thrive on neglect. We now have a Wee Jasper Grevillea which is wonderful and brings all the birds. I’d love to grow some Rudbeckia Goldsturum, they look so cheerful, and I have seen them in the gardens of many bloggers. Good luck with the garden and the renovations.
Canberra Gem is supposed to be the hardiest grevillea in the UK. If I succeed with this one I shall maybe be brave enough to try more, I do love them. I’ve managed to get a couple of Tasmanian species through a winter: Dianella tasmanica (although no berries yet) and Correa lawrenceana so with the Banksia as well now I’m getting quite a little patch of Oz!
East Lambrook Manor garden is a real gem. I discovered it in May on a trip to Somerset and it is really delightful so you must go back. That area is worth a trip to stay fo a couple of days as there are lots of lovely gardens nearby – Gertrude Jekyll country!
Yes, we will go back. There are indeed some lovely gardens in the area. I hope you saw Tintinhull as well? That one is a real gem too. And farther east there is the Oudolf field at Hauser and Wirth, a definite favourite if you are back that way in late summer.
Wow what a feast for the eyes that post was, never mind all the new knowledge for my brain to soak up. It sounds like your trips out are becoming an interesting logistical journey, I guess the double whammy would be a plant nursery with a great place to eat, we have one down the road…….but rather a long way from you!
We’re gradually building up a network of known good places to eat and now nurseries too! There isn’t always the time to go exploring but it does make it a more fulfilling trip if we can. And perhaps more justification for all the petrol that gets used up in the search for the things we need for projects. My first preference is always to shop online but sometimes it’s necessary to actually see something, especially if colour is important.
You have some beautiful plants Jessica, the Tulbaghia montana is exquisite. The precipitous bank is looking good and I love your wire basket. I look forward to seeing what else you put in it.
I bought the wire basket many years ago. I don’t know why I haven’t rescued it before. The pots are quite small so it’s really only for alpines or very young plants. But when they get too big I can always plant them out in the garden and find something else to put in the pot!
I’ve missed your absolutely splendid garden photos while you have been focussed on other pressing matters
Thanks Derrick. It was good to be out in the garden with the camera I must say. And it’s a great way of winding down. I must find other opportunities before winter sets in.
If you are travelling that way again I can recommend the pub opposite the Margery Fish garden.
We will be going back so I will make a point of visiting it, thank you Brian. From what we saw the village is lovely, it deserves a good pub!
I love rubekia goldsturm, we had it in our old garden and for some reason that I do not understand it is not in this one, even after 4 years. Went on a very welcome visit to Rosemoor last week, gosh it was pretty. Really very well worth the 75 mile slog from Somerset. I was driving back from Bath two weeks ago and we parked in a little village to eat a sandwich. I spotted a patch of allotments and went to say hello. Suffice to say that five minutes later I walked back to the car the proud owner of a purple viburnum, thanks to a very kind woman called Clover. Rather like fishermen, gardening people are nice.
Maybe it should be a prerequisite for public life that one has had a garden for 5 years, with no butlers….mind you I can think of one allotment owner who is part of the problem, but that might be the exception that proves the rule.
There is something about a garden which forces you to slow down, think things through properly and come out the other end with a better approach to just about anything. Moments of great clarity (such as there ever are for me) will come either in the middle of the night in that limbo land between sleep and awake, or from the middle of a dense patch of weeds. Alternatively a dense patch of weeds is a great place to hide at times of national crisis.
Did you see Rosemoor’s new cool garden? Really lovely. I went to the official opening a couple of weeks ago. The hot garden is quite a picture at the moment too. That rudbeckia on the bank, R. deamii, came from there.
Yes we saw both the cool and hot gardens, I would love a larger version of the cool garden with a trout stream running through it……
Then you’d be too busy gardening to have time to fish..
Then there are the garden centres that have restaurants attached to them.
Time savings built in 🙂
Oh My Goodness! That prickly monster is A-Mazing! Quite amazing! I think you need to propagate a whole lot of them – to surround your most precious specimens!
That could work. Painful weeding for the gardener though!
Garden delights 🙂
Always the best place to be.
I can’t believe you have had it wrong all these years, Jessica – it should be planning for a garden or nursery FIRST and then hostelry (which may often be at the same place)!
Clearly priorities need to shift a bit! 😉