Normally we stay at home when it’s a Bank Holiday, as the roads can get so busy down here in Devon at holiday time and driving isn’t a pleasure any more. However, today we found that a garden was open for the National Garden Scheme and it wasn’t too far away, so off we went. Round the north side of Dartmoor, we followed the yellow signs and soon found the garden called Andrew’s Corner.
Garden house, Andrew’s corner.
In the side garden was the first of a few garden buildings, with my friend Aktinidia kolomicta in the corner. This must be how it grows when not clipped round a window!
Bug hotel.
We soon came upon a bug hotel, tucked into a corner. I would think that little bugs etc. would be nice and cosy in here.
Sculpture with Claytonia.
I felt very much at home in this garden with its sculptures and familiar plants. This young lady is kneeling in a sea of Claytonia, which I have in the woodland.
Sculpture with bluebells.
This little person found some bluebells to dance round.
Rhododendron and pond.
There were lots of rhododendrons and azaleas. Also there were lots of acers, so the garden would be worth visiting in the autumn for autumn tints. The garden is open in the autumn with the proceeds going to Little Bridge House, the hospice for children in the SW of England.
Meconopsis.
There were quite a few Meconopsis scattered round the different beds, they were all so beautiful, but we thought that they would have made a better impact if they had all been together. Even so, they have more than I do, this year only one of mine survived the winter and that one is nowhere near flowering yet.
Pond.
The garden was very sheltered with lots of very tall trees acting as shelter belts round the garden. Being on the northern edge of Dartmoor they must have very strong winds especially in the winter and without the shelter of the trees, the shrubs would suffer dreadfully.
Bluebells with Welsh Poppy.
There were lots of bluebells and Meconopsis Cambria everywhere, it all seemed so familiar.
More bluebells.
Very relaxed planting.
Dartmoor.
The vegetable garden is at the bottom of the slope and just over the fence is Dartmoor which can be very bleak and wet at certain times of the year, but when the weather is behaving itself, it is a wonderful place to be.
Timber!
This was a massive tree, I wonder what I could have carved out of it?! It would have been nice to carve something in situ, before the final cut was made, it would then have had Dartmoor as a backdrop.
Resting place.
Thank goodness there were lots of seats dotted round the garden, my muscles were protesting at the uneven ground so I was very grateful for a sit down.
Magnolia Wilsonii
There were also quite a few Magnolia trees, this one is wilsonii, the flowers are rather beautiful don’t you think?
Sunny glade
The flowers sparkled in the sunny glades, but all the time we were wandering round, there was the most beautiful perfume from the deciduous azaleas.
Sorbaria sorbifolia sem.
I spotted this lovely little shrub and thought the foliage was fascinating. I showed my photo to Andrew who identified it for me. It is a dwarf shrub and this one was only about 3 ft high, I’m sure I could squeeze one in somewhere!
Maple leaves.
I also showed Andrew this photo as the leaves looked like ivy, but red ivy?! They were suckers from one of the large Maple trees, the suckers, when I looked, were coming up everywhere, I think I’ll pass on this one.
Rhodohypoxis.
There were quite a few alpine troughs near the house, this one for Rhodohypoxis,
Alpines.
and this one with a collection of mixed alpines.
Near the pond.
We enjoyed a lovely cup of tea before we left, and also the most scrumptious piece of Lemon Drizzle Cake, a garden visit wouldn’t be the same without refreshments!
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and I hope we will remember to go back in the autumn to see the autumn tints, which must be fantastic as they have so many beautiful acers.
I know what you mean about driving not being fun anymore….I can’t be doing with it either! What a lovely garden, the sculptures are lovely. My favourite plants have to be the Magnolia Wilsonii and that heavenly Meconopsis….mine died too, they do seem strssy little things!xxx
As it turned out Dina, the traffic wasn’t too bad after all. I think my meconopsis were maybe too wet in the winter, being at the edge of the bog garden, but I won’t give up! I’ve been growing them from seed, for quite a number of years now, but there is still so much to learn about them!
What a nice visit. I can see why you felt comfortable there, it seems like such an interesting, sheltered place full of cool plants. I wouldn’t mind having the pond as well. My plan was to do something similar with planking along the one side, looks like my idea wasn’t as uniquely amazing as I thought!
We had a lovely time there Frank, very much a garden after my own heart. The pond area was beautiful, you are obviously in good company!
What a pretty and restful garden. Glad you had a chance to get out and explore.
It certainly was a very restful place Susie, I made use of all the lovely seats and enjoyed the perfume and the view.
Sorbaria will sucker like a sumac so watch it it may become a beast
Thank you G. for your information. I already have the normal variety which comes up in a different place each year and is quite a large shrub. Andrew assured me that this new variety is well behaved!
Hi Pauline, thanks for showing this beautiful garden, yesterday I saw the same magnolia in a garden we visited. The sculpture is so nice.
Sigrun
A pleasure Sigrun, I’m glad you enjoyed the garden! The magnolia flower is so beautiful isn’t it. I always like sculpture in a garden, it adds a certain extra interest.
That is a lovely garden Pauline, with some really pretty planting. I sowed some Meconopsis this year but nothing germinated at all… it seems they are tricky things.
Lovely Magnolia. Thanks for sharing your tour with us!
It was a lovely garden to visit Cathy, with a lot of plants the same as mine, so I felt very much at home there. I’m sorry to hear of your experience with growing meconopsis from seed. From my own experience, I have found that bought seed is already dead as it isn’t stored properly, (I keep mine now in a fridge until I want to sow them)in a garden centre, they are just too warm. It is best to buy one plant and save your own seed.
What a lovely garden. It is always such fun to look at other gardens and see what they are growing. I wish I could grow blue poppies.
Sorbaria suckers so you need a big space for it. It does have lovely foliage though.
I’ve been reading up about the Sobaria Chloris and everyone says it suckers, in spite of what Andre told me! I have a large variety and it comes up in a different place each year! I’m thinking though that maybe, it would like to grow in a big pot?! We did enjoy the garden and the Bank Holiday traffic wasn’t too bad.
Glad to read that you found a garden near home to visit Pauline. Himself refuses to use the car on bank holidays. We did it once and got caught in a huge traffic jam so never again he said 🙂 That garden house looks most inviting. Funnily enough I had a pot of sorbaria sorbifolia sem. in my hands today. The foliage is most attractive and I was seriously tempted. The label described it as a compact shrub but I wanted more information so left it behind. It’s not far to return though 🙂
The traffic wasn’t too bad Anna, I think by the time we left here after lunch, the worst was over. I’ve been reading up about the little sorbaria and everyone says that it suckers so needs a big space, so I thought maybe a big pot? The foliage is so beautiful and apparently it goes bright red in the autumn and the flowers in the summer are like an astilbe, it sounds to good to miss!
That looks a lovely garden – thanks for sharing it.
Glad you enjoyed it Annette, we certainly did! I try to visit at least one garden each month, but its not always possible.