Sonntag, 27. September 2015

Mini-Roadtrip: Avebury Manor Garden

Dahlias in the Monk's Garden
Whenever the weather on Sunday turns out to be unexpectedly glorious, Avebury is my go-to place. Being only c. 25 minutes from Hungerford along the A4, it offers multiple possibilities to pass the time. Sometimes I am in the mood to wander along the stone circle, sometimes I just want to pop into the Manor Garden or the house. Today I came for the tearoom in the library which turned out to be closed, however, I finally managed to see the autumn display in the Monk's Garden: masses and masses of simple dahlias at their peak of perfection.

Since visiting for the first time in 1997 on a family holiday I have loved Avebury. In 2011 I came back (the Manor was not open to the public then) and discovered the Manor Garden. It was sizzingly hot and the Half Moon Garden brimmed with the scents of cat mint, lavender and honeysuckle and I found myself charmed by the Topiary Garden, having never really cared for topiaries before.

Today I skipped both house and stone circle and just spent an hour in the garden, soaking up the autumn sun.

Much love,
Qaroline


Monk's Garden

Monk's Garden, Avebury Church
Side entrance. The bench is one of my favourite places to sit and read in the garden.

The Lion's Walk. The white phlox in the foreground had the most delicious, nutmeggy fragrance.

Half Moon Garden with cat mint beds

Topiary Garden, taken from the steps of the library

Library in the Topiary Garden with carp pond

Pompom and cactus dahlia in the Kitchen Garden.

Usually I prefer the simple dahlias but half-opened the showier varieties are quite interesting.

Sonntag, 13. September 2015

Roadtrip: RHS Garden Wisley and Great Dixter

The Sunken Garden, Great Dixter, near Rye in East Sussex

2 weeks ago my Mom came to visit me in Hungerford and we took the opportunity to visit 2 gardens both of us have wanted to see for a long time. My Mom always saw the signs to the RHS Garden in Wisley on the M25 but never was able to take a break and see it for herself. And after watching the BBC documentary Great British Gardens in Time and the first episode dealing with Great Dixter I had read several of Christopher Lloyd's book and desperately wanted to see the garden.

I loved both gardens and took gazillions of photos, especially of plant combinations. In Wisley I was really taken with the Glasshouse Borders which showcase prairie planting, but was completely smitten with Great Dixter and its bold compositions of colours, structures and the contrast between the massive topiaries and the fuzziness of perennials and annuals planted amongst them.

Much love,
Qaroline 

Sunflowers and Rudbeckia, RHS Wisley

Glasshouse Borders, RHS Wisley

Glasshouse Borders, RHS Wisley

Sedums and yarrow, RHS Wisley

Display of potted plants, Great Dixter

Topiary lawn, Great Dixter

Long border, Great Dixter

Great Dixter

Tagetes and asters, Great Dixter

Great Dixter

Agastache, Great Dixter

Great Dixter


Great Dixter

Another view of the Topiary Lawn, Great Dixter

The Exotic Garden, Great Dixter