We have to make the most of it when the undergardener is feeling quite good and plan any outings for the week before he has his next dose of chemo. Having had a whole day out by himself on Thursday (trains!) he decided that he was going to take me to a garden that appeared in last month’s “The English Garden” magazine.The garden in question was at Pen Mill Farm in Somerset and what a beauty it is too with lots of inspiration for late summer borders.
The borders near the house are packed full of beautiful colour.
Dahlias were obvious favourites, there were so many of them. This one is Twynings After Eight.
All these photos have been taken really as a prompt to myself, of how I can improve my border by the field.
So many beautiful plants, I can see that I’m going to be busy!
In the far corner of the garden we found a Shell House folly reflected in the stream.
The Shell house was built by the owners in 2008. The shells were added as and when they had enough to complete each section.
It must have taken years to complete all the patterns and find enough shells.
The planting near the house is more formal, becoming more natural nearer the boundaries, there are some beautiful clipped yews.
Also some little yews that have a bit of growing to do.
Behind the house is a large lake, complete with boat, a lovely tranquil scene.
This is where we had our tea and cake, but first there were some plants to buy.
What a fantastic Canna right by the sales area, the undergardener was very taken with it so I must buy some for him for next year.
A last look round before having our tea. I was very taken with this blue salvia.
I found a little friend!
No, all he wanted was our delicious Carrot Cake!
We then went north to Wiltshire to Special Plants Nursery run by Derry Watkins. Unfortunately the garden wasn’t open, but the nursery was a delight with lots of the plants for sale that I had seen in the previous garden! We came home with rather a lots of plants in the boot, but that was after stopping off at our daughter and family in Bristol and having a wonderful meal.
Which plants did I buy – all will be revealed in a later post, but they included a few salvias, a couple of dahlias, even a couple of plants for the woodland and a couple for the gravel area, to be put into pots. Special Plants do mail order seeds so an order will be going off for a lot of those, they all look so tempting!
Cannas really are beautiful plants when they’re thriving. In my garden they never seem to take well, and just look wimpy. Thanks for sharing your photos from your outing, this looks like a lovely, inspirational garden.
Alison, the one I photographed was huge, towering over me at about 10ft tall! The owner was talking about her stables so maybe she fed hers with lots of manure! It was a lovely garden , we enjoyed the afternoon very much.
Special Plants does live up to the name. I wish it was nearer!
Best wishes to the Undergardener for next week.
It was a super nursery Jessica and I’m sure we’ll visit again, now that we know where they are, when up seeing our daughter in the future. I know that I’ll be using their seeds too, if I want drifts in my border rather than just one plant of everything.
Thank you so much for your good wishes for the undergardener. We should know in another month if the treatment is working, when he has another scan, we think it is working, but it would be nice to have some proof!
Gorgeous garden! I especially love that folly and the apricot-colored dahlias with the big clump of Rudbeckias. Best regards to the Undergardener – I hope his discomfort is kept to a minimum.
It was Lovely Jason and the folly was so pretty, made out of breeze block and fibreglass!
Thanks for your good wishes for the undergardener, I think outings in his good week keep him going for the rest of the time when he can’t do very much.
It is such a pleasure to visit an inspirational garden; not that your garden needs much improvement but we gardeners are all the same thinking and planning for the next gardening year. My best wishes to the under gardener, I’m sure a pleasant ay out will help him through this difficult week.
Christina, it’s just as well you can’t see my garden at the moment, it really does need improving! Plans are always evolving, so it is good to see gardens where they have wonderful planting to inspire us.
The undergardener appreciates your good wishes, thank you. We try to make the most of the times when he is feeling almost “normal”!
A beautiful garden Pauline. I love the aster-dahlia combination. My friend introduced me to Special plants this spring and I bought seed from there. They have such a wide and unusual choice. Well-named indeed ‘Special Plants’!
Amazing indeed Denise that you found Special Plants before I did! What a wonderful nursery it is, so very tempting to fill the car with plants. I’ve been marking the seed plant catalogue with my wishes, but I think I will have to divide the number by at least 5 as there are so many!
The late borders are brilliant aren’t they, but then you wonder what they are like at other times of year… Did you make a note of the name of the salvia you admired? Have to admit I am looking forward to being able to buy plants again next year!
I agree Cathy, I often wonder what will be there in spring and early summer when I see a whole garden devoted to late flowers, that’s why I just intend to make the border by the field the only one that will sparkle at this time of year. The plants weren’t labelled and I couldn’t find the owner when I wanted to ask her the name of the salvia unfortunately.
I don’t know how you have managed to avoid buying plants this year, you are obviously more strong willed than I am!
What a pretty garden. I’m glad to hear you two had such a nice day out. I’m just home from another big trip (Dordogne this time) and my husband is busy with a big deadline at work, so it seems ages since we have spent quality time together.
Days out together are very precious Marian, we try to make the most of them. The garden was a lovely place to be, so peaceful, in a lovely setting.
A lovely garden to wander around with some very pretty borders. I look forward to seeing what plants you’ve bought! Hope all goes well for the undergardener next week.
We had a lovely time at the garden and the nursery that we visited later, a really super time Wendy! Thank you for your good wishes for the undergardener, he knows what is coming now, so we are more prepared for the side effects. We will just wait patiently for his next good week!
That looks a really interesting garden Pauline. Like you I saw it in the magazine and realised it was quite near to us – but we haven’t visited yet. I love the planting and the structure.
It is a very interesting garden Sue, do visit if you ever have the chance. Special Plants Garden and Nursery was the next article in the magazine and that is well worth a visit too with some very unusual plants for sale.
I have that canna, it’s surprisingly hardy, hope you bought one for hubs. What a lovely garden, loved the seashell folly…and the lake. Your little friend looks soooo sweet!
So glad to hear the under gardener was feeling fit and well enough to have a train day out, long may that continue. Sending my best to him and you….xxxx
Gorgeous Canna isn’t it Dina, I must find it for the undergardener, there wasn’t one for sale at the garden or I would have bought it there and then. The garden was really lovely and yes, the little dog was so friendly and sweet! Many thanks for your thoughts for the undergardener, it is quite a while since he had a train day out, so he must be feeling a bit better!
The borders are inspiring. Glad you had a chance to enjoy this beautiful place Pauline.
Yes Susie, I was certainly inspired! There were so many beautiful plants that I know will grow here, so hopefully by next year my border will look a lot better.
That sounds like a great day out, with a garden to visit as well as a nursery, and cake and dinner too! Look forward to hearing more about your new additions. That photo of the peachy dahlia/aster combination is gorgeous!
It was a super day out Cathy, with all my favourite things! There were lots of lovely combinations of plants in the garden, I tried to photograph them all so that I could remember when planting time comes around.
What a beautiful garden and so nice that you were able to have a tranquil and inspiring time there. I met Derry Watkins a couple of years ago when she came to the London Grow show; her plants were fantastic and she’s a genuinely lovely – and knowledgeable – lady. I wish her nursery was closer for visiting! My very best wishes to your husband for his treatment; I hope it’s not too awful. My dad went through this about 15 years ago so I know you both have to be strong and cherish the days. Caro x
Thank you so much Caro for your thoughts and good wishes, we do appreciate them. We are getting used to the system now, one week bad, one getting better and one week when we get out and do everything we want to, before starting all over again!
The garden was beautiful, especially at this time of year, there was so much to see and inspire. Derry Watkins unfortunately wasn’t there at her nursery when we called in, but I can assure you that it is a fantastic place with so many wonderful plants.
Pauline, thank you for sharing your memories of such a special day in beautiful settings. I hope that the treatments go as well as they can, what a difficult time you and your family are going through.
A pleasure Kate, it was a lovely day out with a beautiful garden to inspire me to improve my border here at home.
Thank you for your good wishes, we were warned that there would be bad times, but also good times when we could still get out and enjoy ourselves, so we are making the most of the good weeks!
That looks a lovely garden to visit, and Special Plants nursery is one I must try and go to. I have ordered seed from there though. I loved the shell house in the garden and that dark leaved Dahlia was gorgeous. Glad you had a good day out with some great photos.
I have just off an order for seed to Special Plants Annie, so soon I will be busy sowing lots of seed for my side border by the field. We had a super day out thank you, days out together at this time of year are very precious.
Glad to hear you two are getting out and about, and what a perfect garden to see! Special plants indeed and they are all so well groomed and well sited. I would feel slightly inadequate after a visit like that 🙂
We make the most of it Frank when the undergardener has a good week and it was a wonderful garden and nursery that he found for me. So many late bloomers to inspire me, the garden doesn’t have to stop in September!I didn’t feel inadequate after my visit, just inspired!