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GARDEN 18 |
The Formal Garden Contd.
The borders here seem to have been added almost as an afterthought. Invariably the soil is shallow and poor and the largest of the beds is only five feet long by four feet wide. The borders are crammed to the brim with scented plants and the walls are used extensively to make up for the lack of horizontal space. The scent of the white, semi-perennial, stock, matthiola arborescens can be almost overpowering at times while Sages, rosemary and lavender are strategically placed to be brushed against or played with. Importantly, they also cope extremely well with the soil conditions. The vastly overrated, rose, "New Dawn" flowers well into August and in early summer a "mock orange" Philadelphus "erectus" fills the entire garden with its perfume. I can think of nowhere nicer to spend a quiet, still, summers evening.
(L) A chance hypericum seedling is now a large shrub. (C) Clematis "Eriostemon Hendersonii" was meant to meander through it but prefers to climb into the rose "New Dawn" instead. (R) Eriostemon close up.
A dwarf gypsophila produces its sprays of frothy, white, flowers for months.
(L) Early scent comes from the double perennial wallflower, "Harpur Crewe". Tender, it is always worth taking cuttings to replace winter losses. (C) Blue convolvulus sabatius is completely hardy thanks to climate change. (R) Perovskia or Russian sage, provides a much needed splash of colour in late summer.