Other people's gardens

[Tim Ingram]

In our Hardy Plant Group in Kent we have long held a 'Talking Plants' where small groups visit each others gardens. Gardens vary and are invariably interesting but every now and again you meet someone who has such an eye for plants and planting that it is quite humbling. These are pictures taken in a good friend's garden down on the south coast. You could say that the garden is architectural but that nowhere captures the harmony of the planting and design. It is more a garden you might find in California or Spain (and they often travel to the latter), but fits very happily on a sunny day in the UK. We worked together on doing displays for the HPS at Chelsea many years ago (along with Richard Bird who was earlier involved in editing the AGS Bulletin), and I see now why we did quite well!

[Maggi Young]

An utterly charming garden.  Artistic presentation, loads of plant interest - perfect 

[David Nicholson]

Lovely garden I'm quite envious of both the garden and the eye for design.

[Paul T]

Great stuff, Tim.

[Tim Ingram]

It's always nice basking in someone else's glory - but we are slowly getting there with the garden and nursery here and friends make a lot of difference.

[kindredspiritkevin]

Fabulous garden with style.

Must be very mild there as that Cordyline has survived the two two bad winters. Mine were cut to the ground and my Indivisa went to God.

[Lesley Cox]

Had I seen these pictures without your note Tim, I would not immediately have thought "Oh, a garden in the UK!" Definitely something of the Mediterranean about it. I like the colour combination of the blue Acaena and the red Euphorbia.

[angie]

Tim really something different there. I like seeing other gardeners gardens. I hate seeing these gardens on the TV that nobody could afford to do.
Do they put these plants under cover for the winter months.
Nice to see some more gardens.

Angie 

[Tim Ingram]

Hello Angie - yes she has quite a campaign moving plants to a greenhouse to overwinter them, especially as they keep on getting bigger and bigger and more numerous! The garden is really near to the sea on the south coast so frosts are pretty rare and minor, but there is always a tendency to push your luck!

We used to do much the same years ago, filling the central pathway of the greenhouse with specimen plants - incredible what you can fit in if you really try. Fortunately her plants don't require a lot of watering!

[angie]

Hello Angie - yes she has quite a campaign moving plants to a greenhouse to overwinter them, especially as they keep on getting bigger and bigger and more numerous! The garden is really near to the sea on the south coast so frosts are pretty rare and minor, but there is always a tendency to push your luck!

We used to do much the same years ago, filling the central pathway of the greenhouse with specimen plants - incredible what you can fit in if you really try. Fortunately her plants don't require a lot of watering!

Yes, thats one good thing about these types of plants. When my sister passed away she had lots of Agaves and spiky plants some I found homes but I kept a couple of the nice big ones, every time I carry them out for the summer I get spiked and the same when I take them in. I used to try and clean them with a brush but know I just blast them with the hose pipe.

Would have enjoyed seeing that garden.

Angie 

[Tim Ingram]

One of the finest gardens in Kent is Great Comp, appropriately made by a Scot, Roderick Cameron, who had quite a tempestuous relationship with the horticultural establishment by all accounts. The garden was hugely invigorated by William Dyson when he took over as Head Gardener, and is especially good in summer and autumn with superb collections of salvias, dahlias and many late perennials and grasses. These few pictures show representative examples of the plantings a week or two ago...

The garden has many rare and unusual trees and shrubs - the first picture shows a large specimen of Leptospermum (cunninghamii/lanigerum?), and also some of the typical stone 'ruins', rather eccentric but actually providing distinctive planting areas and fascination to the garden. One of the finest features is the circular opening in the wall looking towards the colourful long border. The Italianate garden is largely planted with perennials, including this lily and moisture loving crocosmias and phlox (this year has been particularly good for such plants). And in the more informal areas there are grasses, self-sowing Verbena bonariensis and sedums. Quite a garden if you happen to be meandering along the M20 between Sevenoaks and Maidstone looking for a bit of peace and quiet.

[Brian Ellis]

Thank you so much for showing us Great Comp Tim, the last time we visited was a couple of years after the death of Mrs Cameron I think.  We were introduced to the garden by Roderick Cameron who was getting on too.  A memorable visit and one we hope to retrace this time next month.  This taster has made me look forward to it all the more.  Cheers

[angie]

Very nice and like you say the view through the circle is so lovely. I always wonder how those circles keep up, hubby has just explained how they work. Now if  I had the space. Thanks for showing us this lovely garden.

Angie 

[brianw]

Carl Wright's garden in the Burren has an impressive dry stone circle.
http://www.garden.ie/albumUpdate.aspx?id=5685&idalbum=11150
He gives a great talk too.

[Maggi Young]

I like moon gates- whole or in part - there's one at the Explorers' Garden in Pitlcochry.

Brian - thanks for that link to the photos of that super garden of Carl Wright. A nice blend of the contrived stonework and a very natural look to the planting.