A VICTORIAN WALLED GARDEN
Ahead of the National Garden Scheme Open Day on the 16th June, we headed to the Walled Garden to speak to our Gardener, Clare, who is hard at work preparing the gardens for the event and for our weddings this year. Our gardens are often a hive of activity and there is always much to do there. You can often find Clare there managing the borders, also Dave who has tended the garden for many years, and Felicity and Susie Edmunds who concentrate on growing vegetables for the Kitchen Garden.
Our 100 year old peony border in the Walled Garden.
What can you tell us about the Walled Garden here, Clare?
The garden was created in the Victorian era and is very beautiful with its numerous apple trees, working kitchen garden and borders. I hope that visitors will enjoy coming along to our Open Day, it is a great opportunity to look around the Estate which is not normally open to the public. The peony border is especially breathtaking when in bloom and dates back over 100 years. The garden has been a well loved and important part of the estate since it began, and it is lovely that it now hosts weddings and that people can continue to enjoy it today.
Clare working in the Walled Garden.
What is the garden like to manage?
Staying on top of the weeds is tricky as the Estate is organic and means that we pull up weeds by hand instead of spraying anything. I have tried a solution of vinegar and salt on unwanted weeds but unfortunately to no avail! Chopped eggshells around plants like delphiniums do however help.
The most prevalent of our weeds is bindweed, which I am forever pulling up as the roots really do get all over the beds. I do love identifying the weeds as they come up and trying to get the names right, no mean feat as there are quite a few varieties that pop up!
The environment of the walled garden is designed to retain heat and it is astonishing how well it works. When sunshine bounces off the walls, it can be ever so hot. It’s a lovely place to be on a warm day but it does rule out certain plants like hostas who find the temperature too much to thrive.
A border of white foxgloves, sweet rocket and honesty.
What grows well? The peony bed is such an attraction with interesting varieties of peonies planted. It would be wonderful to have a peony enthusiast to identify them for us! I am also pleased with a new border of white foxgloves, sweet rocket and honesty which the brides will see before they turn into the peony ‘aisle’. These were all grown from seed and have done so well.
Our kitchen garden with the peony border and orchard beyond.
What advice would you give to a visitor that might like to replicate the peony border at home?
A peony border is such a joy! It brings such pleasure and really does look spectacular so this will be rewarding for anyone to try. The first thing is to make sure that you are happy where they will be planted as the plants do not enjoy being moved. I think that our border works well because the plants were chosen in a complimentary colour palette, so do plan which colours you would like to use first and I would veer towards historic varieties of peony as they are rather lovely!
If you would like to see our Victorian Walled garden and arboeretum for yourself, we would love to meet you on the 16th June. The gardens will be open from 2 – 5pm and refreshments will be available.
