Barnsdale Visit (part 2)



Here are some more photos of my visit to Barnsdale Gardens.  I wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea - the gardens didn't all look perfect and there were areas which needed weeding, plants which needed cutting back and some places which looked unkempt.  However, these areas made me feel as though the gardens were real, not show gardens, but changing and growing gardens.  (Of course, I am a little protective about them, as I really enjoy visiting, but if you visited, I wouldn't want you to be disappointed!) The photo above is of the Japanese Garden which is not one I usually linger at (not enough flowers), but I can appreciated the meditative qualities it has.  I did think the art work really complemented the garden as it used the same colours and was painted in really thick paint, with whirls and swirls which reminded me of a Van Gogh sky.

 The woodland painting was placed in the perfect location at the end of a garden vista, in front of real woodland.

The painting in the box garden reminded me of an aerial view of a tropical river, such as the Amazon.  The colours really appealed to me too.

 This is a view across the allotment area, through the orchard.

 Another intriguing vista - where does this lead?

 The Ornamental Kitchen Garden was made for the series of the same name and shows how vegetables and flowers can work so well together.  Again, there was companion planting of marigolds.

 Serried ranks of vegetables, from onions up to beans, which created some lovely lines.

 Here were some of the individual plants which caught my eye, from the dainty alpines...

 ...to the giant artichoke (I think).

 This delicate Californian Poppy is from the 'Thai Silk' range and has the most beautiful shading from cream to buttery yellow to blush pink.

 I really liked the combination of the tall stately agapanthus and the swishy, billowing grass which moved like a wave in the breeze.

Finally, to end on a real splash of colour, here is a dahlia, complete with hover fly; the brilliance of the fuchsia pink contrasting with the deep purply green of the foliage.

As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and will not leave it another two and a half years before I go again!

A new garden to visit (part 1)

We have had the most fabulous afternoon, visiting The Garden House, Saxby,

http://www.thegardenhousesaxby.co.uk/. It is a garden that I had read about in the National Gardens Scheme brochure, but hadn't ever managed to visit...until today! It is an absolutely beautiful garden, set in a beautiful location, in a quiet and peaceful village. Below are a few photos I took of the formal gardens set around the house.

The cathedral garden, a quiet and contemplative space, just containing green.

I thought the planting in this area was so effective - Nicotiana Sylvestris and Acidanthera - just white and green - but very elegant and understated. The formal elements of the garden with the lovely vistas worked so well, but within this structure there was some exuberant planting.

Looking back over the echinacea, perovskia and grasses towards the Obelisk garden.

Another lovely vista with more beautiful planting. The petunias in containers were particularly impressive. The whole garden was beautifully cared for and maintained. There were plants for sale (I bought yet another miscanthus - but a dwarf variety this time) and there was a self-service tearoom, again, beautifully looked after. The weather was kind to us as well, although it did get a bit windy at times. Beyond the formal areas, there was a lot more to see, including a new woodland area, and several ponds. More in my next post...