Visits to Gardens February 2008

[Lvandelft]

At 42 years Luit, do you get a medal as a long service award

David, figurants do seldom get medals.   

[David Nicholson]

A cold but sunny day today with clear blue skies. Much too nice to stay in and watch the football on the box and we decided to pay our first visit of the year to Killerton House. Killerton is a National Trust property, lying between Exeter and Cullompton, and was formerly the home of one of Devon's old families, the Acklands (I think the Ackland family had Sir Francis Drake amongst their forebears but I can't find my reference book to check this out, so I could be wrong!). The House still stands and at present houses a collection of costumes from various ages.

In around 1771 Sir Thomas Ackland appointed a young Scottish (these Scots get everywhere!) gardener called John Veitch to lay out his grounds for him. He made a very creditable job of it and the grounds have not changed a great deal from those times and trees said to have been part of the original planting are still to be seen. John Veitch went on to greater things and founded a nurseries in Exeter and Chelsea in London, and funded, and most likely profited greatly, from early plant hunting expeditions all over the world. His successors played a part in setting up the Royal Horticultural Society and the Chelsea Flower Show. It was in Veitches nursery in 1856 that the worlds first hybrid orchid was developed in 1856.

The grounds are set on a hillside but the peacefulness of them is somewhat spoiled today by the incessant hum of traffic on the M5 motorway about a mile away. They are well wooded but well laid out with modern, but not intrusive pathways, allowing access by golf style buggies for the elderly and disabled.

Here are a few pictures.

[David Nicholson]

Final batch from Killerton House.

Later edit: sorry the first picture is a bit on the big side when 'clicked' I forgot to re-size it.

[Maggi Young]

Oh, my word, how lovely! Hard to believe those camellias, rhodos and that magnificent magnolia out already down there. But, what's the best, sit up and take REAL notice picture, for me.... THOSE CYCLAMEN! WOW!! WOW!! Just the most sumptuous display. I could do serious mischief to have that on my property! FAB! 

[David Nicholson]

Beautiful aren't they? They were full of Bumble Bees doing their stuff and from the edge of the ring of flowering plants for a further 8/10 meters there were loads of seedlings. In a few years time it will really look great.

[ashley]

Magnificent cyclamen carpet David.

[mark smyth]

... and mentioning bees, the first queen of 2008 was in my garden yesterday

[Lvandelft]

In a few years time it will really look great.

David, it looks GREAT already for me! It's really WOW, WOW.!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Stunning pictures David - what an amazing garden !
Thanks a million for sharing it ! 

[Brian Ellis]

What a treat David, Killerton has evaded us in the past, I can see that next time it is a visit in the Spring.  I just love those cyclamen drifts ... and of course the snowdrops

[SueG]

Great pictures David, those cyclamen are amazing.
Sue

[Gerdk]

Here are some pics made today at the Botanical Garden of Wuppertal
Inside the greenhouse
Iris lazica, Arum creticum, Camellia japonica, Canarina canariensis, Cyclamen persicum
and in the garden
Cyclamen coum, Helleborus orientalis, Galanthus spec. ?, Crocus + Elisentower

Gerd

[Gerdk]

The next ones
The crocus lawn, the terrace, the Elisentower and views from the tower

This tower was a windmill first and 1838 it became a look-out tower within the garden,
a school garden at that time.

Gerd

[Gerdk]

This is the rest

the bay of the villa inside the garden and two visitors in the sunshine.

Gerd

[David Nicholson]

It looks to be a lovely garden Gerd and the two of you looked very comfortable.