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8:54 AM 11 September 2008 -
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Had a visit to Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire the other week and was very impressed with the gardens. Before I went, I was a little sceptical as summer bedding is not really my thing, but after visiting, they really have one of the best examples I have seen. 
Much of the garden is typical Victorian park, which you can imagaine the ladies after lunch ‘taking some air’ and strolling around, visiting the magnificent aviary which has been completely renovated and has a breeding programme for some very rare exotic birds, surrounded by lovely mature trees. 
The formal gardens surrounding the Rothchilds house is immaculately planted and maintained, with bedding and topiary. The walk through the tree ferns and groundcover of native ferns is interesting. There is also an interesting wall trained ivy on the house wall, a scented rose garden and in the long meadow grass, we spotted some native orchids flowering. 
A newly planted winter walk has some interesting planting compinations too, which I look forward to seeing in a few years time once mature. Lunch in the old stable block was very enjoyable, and we managed to even dodge the omnipresent rain! More on their website: http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/ |
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7:32 AM 4 May 2008 -
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I think one of the more unusual bulbs we have in the spring garden is the regal Crown Imperial. Its flowers are bold, bright, and indeed very stately. Standing tall at about 3 feet high, the colours stand out from the rest of the emerging leaves and bulbs in the borders, and if they are near a path the pretty flowers can be inspected at close quarters. Each petal has a large droplet of nectar hanging from its base, and if you are brave enough, dip a finger in and taste it - it is incredibly sweet. Which got us gardeners wondering - what kind of flying animal/insect would pollinate the frittilaria imperialis? After a little while on google, the incredible answer was revealed.... From an article in the New Scientist "A botanist working in Cambridge has shown that a European flower is pollinated by a bird. The flower, the crown imperial fritillary, Fritillaria imperialis, which is common in European gardens, is pollinated by the bluetit." - not what you would have expected! Drawbacks of the crown imperial? this would be the pungent smell, which occurs when the plant is touched, or even when the strong spring sunlight heats the leaves - not sure how I would describe it, but I have heard it likened to the smell of foxes, but not sure what thats like either....! Happy gardening !  |
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7:06 PM 23 April 2008 -
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In previous years, we have only been open on one day a year, May bank holiday (26th May) from 11am to 5pm, in conjunction with other gardens in thvillage. New for 2008, we're also open on Tuesday afternoons during May, June and July, from 1.00pm to 5pm. Admission is £5.00 for adults, with children free. (Please note the House is NOT open to the public.) We hope more visitors will be able to enjoy the gardens at Toddington Manor this year, and as last year the open day weather was dreadful there is more chance of seeing the garden at its best on a lovely sunny afternoon! In addition, we are open for pre-booked groups (25-30 Maximum) during May, June and July. Please ring for details. (01525) 872576 |
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9:37 AM 20 February 2008 -
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Walls and fences can sometimes be overlooked in the garden, and are incredibly useful for supporting climbers and trained shrubs. These add an extra dimension to your garden – a horizontal one! As plants with winter interest need selecting carefully, I have listed a selection of plants which provide either flowers, berries, or evergreen leaves during November to January.
An evergreen Clematis which flowers in the winter is Clematis cirrhosa. There are a few varieties to choose from, the flowers are pale cream, sometimes spotted red, and hang delicately like small bells. Another evergreen is Clematis armandii, with large leathery leaves but this doesn’t flower until spring.
Cheerful yellow flowers can be found on bare branches during late winter covering a couple of wall trained shrubs. Forsythia suspensa has bright yellow blooms, while the delicate looking pale yellow flowers of Chimonanthus praecox are strongly scented. Popular Jasminium nudiflorum, the Winter Jasmine is a tough shrub and easy to grow.
Berries will provide winter colour along with food for the birds, and evergreen Pyracantha’s can easily be trained along fences and walls. They will flower and fruit well even in positions which receive little sun, and varieties are available with orange, yellow or red berries. Cotoneaster horizontalis can also be used to similar effect with bright red berries.
Evergreen Ivys (Hedera) can be used as a backdrop with summer flowering climbers twining through them, as can Garrya elliptica, the Silk Tassel Bush with its dangling catkins throughout winter. Normally seen as a shrub, Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’ can be wall trained, and is worth seeking out for its sweetly scented white flowers.
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12:03 PM 11 February 2008 -
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It's February already, and there's plenty to do at the Manor. I hope this damp and horrible weather that seems to stick around for ages will dissappear soon, and we can all look forward to springtime. The birds have started singing in earnest already, looking for mates, which is always nice to hear this side of christmas. The first signs of growth are appearing too, it always seems too early each year, but look closely and buds are swelling in readiness. We have had a few changes in staff recently, I shall fill you in with the details in another post, but Julie, the new gardener has started working part-time and three weeks into the job is getting stuck in, clearing the borders. |
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