Mr Grinch's Garden

Fathers Day dawned dry, lets go for it. Drove and arrived at 11am. Then it started to rain, not hard but enough to be annoying. I wanted some ideas for hot colour May/June flowers.

Great Dixter







There were loads of poppies



Lupins



My Fav, borders surrounded by Box



The Long Border



Strange this. The Topiary Garden but instead of neat lawn, they have made into into a wild flower meadow. Its then cut in August and remains a lawn until the following spring.



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Lovely pictures Mr. Grinch, it's a shame the rain dampened things a bit.

 

Hidcote has a Hot Border, if that is within reach of you? Its just reds though. (I've just posted a Plant List from Hidcote Hot Border http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/...perennials-are-looking-red.52416/#post-693078)

It did that when we went to Gt Dixter too ... quite a few Bothies there to shelter under

 

Wonderful photos there Mr Grinch. They still look great even on a dull day,
thank you,
Jenny

 

Will have a look. I'm looking for a red or orange for may/June time as I feel there is too much pastel colours at this time of year. I bought two Geum's yesterday, an orange and a red, not big flowers more like little specs on long stems but I'm hoping it will help next year.

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I preferred Kiftsgate to Hidcote ... notwithstanding that Hidcote is regarded as one of the premier gardens in the UK. I didn't rave all that much about Sissinghurst either - another premier UK garden ... apologies to their fans.

 

Lawrence Johnston @ Hidcote and Heather Muir @ Kifstgage were contemporaries whilst building their gardens, so some probably ideas exchanged. There is, for example, some mixed planting of hedges at both - although the couple of examples I saw at Kiftsgate (forgotten what now, but copper beech and holly springs to mind) were interesting to my eye, whereas I pretty much universally hated the combinations at Hidcote - such as Yew and Box. However, Hidcote is usually praised as seminal or inspirational on such matters ... didn't work for me, along with several of the significant structural components which looked as-if by accident and not-quite-right as a consequence - the off-centre round pool, for example.

I liked the greenhouse with completely removable sides at Hidcote. Brilliant idea for overwintering plants and allowing them to be outdoors during the summer - although, surprising to me, the humidity level when under the cover (given that the walls were "off" for the summer) was surprisingly high [the structure is a lean-to, so there is a back wall].

Right, I'll shut up now!

 

Your not keen on the yew and box combinations?

 

Not planted IN the same hedge.



Box at the bottom of a Yew hedge (bottom left of picture).



Viewed from a pit further back. Box also planted at the bottom of the right section (twice, on the left and on the right behind the ladder)


Beech planted in Holly.

 

Yes i see. It doesnt look great IMHO either, some would say its inventive or orginal, to me its looks jumbled.

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"jumbled" - yup, that's exactly what I thought when I saw it.

There is plenty of inspiration at Hidcote (and Sissinghurst - particularly if the White garden is in bloom), but for me neither lived up to the hype.

 

More pics of Dixter:

Court Yard Garden, most of these are in pots.


The Topiary Meadow




Border in the High Garden


It was 3pm, should we go to Sissinghurst, why not, only 30 min away. We get there, £2 to park, BUT the garden closes at 5pm, only 90 min in there at £30 for a family ticket. So, the decision was made to walk around the estate which was free.







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