Tuesday, 7 July 2009

Hutton-in-the-Forest




The walled garden at the delightful Hutton-in-the-Forest. Really exuberant planting with strict topiary, apples pruned to form boundaries and limes trained on steel frames to form arbours.

Blair Castle, Perthshire





The walled garden at Blair Castle has been restored to its eighteenth century glory. Called the Hercules garden after the statue of the Farnese Hercules by John Cheere which still stands overlooking the garden where he was placed 250 years ago. The garden combines utility with beauty, having a series of pools running through the centre while the slopes are planted with fruit trees and there are mixed borders running round the walls.

The Hill House, Helensburgh




The National Trust for Scotland has made a great job of laying out the garden to CRM's original sketches.

Monday, 6 July 2009

Culzean Castle, Ayrshire






Views from the Walled Garden at the National Trust for Scotland's Culzean Castle: annual meadow in front of the gardener's cottage, apples trained over a steel pergola, dahlias in strict formation and the herbaceousl borders. And a sundial from the castle terraces.

Mount Stuart, Isle of Bute




The trees are enormous at Mount Stuart due to a maritime climate. The lime avenue is overpowering and the Crinodendron hookerianum is among many shrubs in the 'Wee Garden' that have become the size of trees. The formal section of the Walled Garden is a 20th century addition by Rosemary Verey, plenty of work for the gardeners there.

Acorn Bank, Temple Sowerby




A quince tree in the walled herb garden, a simple but lovely border in June and stone steps smothered with plants. All at the National Trust's garden at Acorn Bank.

Sunday, 7 June 2009

New Green Roof






Newly planted green roof on the small lean-to shed. An old trellis panel stops the soil washing away. The compost is half perlite half peat free potting compost. The roof is planted with two types of thyme, thrift, alchemilla, sedums, sempervivum and leptinella. It has required watering in the past few dry days while it gets established