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GARDEN 5 |
The House Borders: South.
The small borders to the South of the house contain the poorest soil in the whole of the garden. They lie at the base of a wall that provides a lot of radiant heat in summer and alongside a brick path that keeps the area relatively mild for the rest of the year. The soil is very shallow and prone to drying out completely. Conversely, there are no down pipes to carry rain water away. Should it rain, plants are often flooded with a deluge of water running freely from the roof.
Pots are a feature of the South Terrace. (L) Hyacinth "Bismark" starts the season. (R) Tulip "Flaming Parrot" is aptly named. As the streaking is caused by a virus, no two flowers are exactly alike.
The buds of the "Rembrandt" tulip, "Estelle Rynvelt" are as beautiful as the flowers themselves.
(L) Lilium regale makes a fine display in June and July. (R) A pale form of Nerine Bowdenii brings the season to a close in October.
Vertical space is used to the full. ( L) Rosa Multiflora covers the South wall. (C) In spring, Clematis montana "Elizabeth" scrambles into a fig tree. (R) The same scene in August. Bearing an insignificant crop of fruit, the purple leaved grape vine, Vitis vinifera atropupurea, comes into its own in strong sunlight.
(L) Colchicums only open fully when the sun is out. They benefit from the protection afforded from being tucked underneath the purple leaved grape but strain to reach the sunlight. (R) In contrast, the pale pink trumpets of convulvulus altheoides head skywards by climbing through the richly coloured leaves.