Cottage Gardens

Hello Lovelies ,

 I hope you are in the mood for a bit ( O.K. a lot ) of garden love. 

I have enjoyed gardening since my early twenties when we first owned our little starter home and transformed the bare earth of a new build plot into a garden. It wasn't perfect, by a long way. I didn't have much idea what I was doing , but I still enjoyed the process and the mixed results :0)

I can still vividly recall the first time I did any gardening there. We had a scruffy  lawn laid by a geezer who knocked at the door ( I wouldn't be so gullible these days) and the remaining bare earth was a mass of weeds by spring. 

One sunny day I couldn't bare to look at it any more so I forced myself to head out with a trowel do do battle.  As I sat on the warm concrete slab path that ran the length of that little garden, digging in the earth, I was astonished to realise I was actually enjoying myself. How could this be? there were no pretty flowers to look at, but still it was wonderfully therapeutic to dig  the soil and clear that patch of earth. I remember feeling almost sad when the job was done, but also elated that I had found a love of gardening . 

By the  nineties we had a much bigger garden and I had  a bit more knowledge about gardening, picked up mostly by trial and error and watching gardening shows . One of my favourite T.V. gardeners was the late Geoff Hamilton. I still treasure his cottage gardens book , published in 1996.

   

The photo with the book was taken by me when on a visit to Geoffs garden BARNSDALE in 1999, as was this ..........

The colours are a bit washed out but I think you can see what wonderful , inspiring place this is. I love the mass of flowers spilling over the paths. 

By 2003 I had three small boys to run around after and my own garden headed into the wilderness years....Mr BM still cut the lawn but I struggled to keep up the borders, there were simply not enough hours in the day for gardening.

Now the boys are older I can indulge my love of plants again. At this time of year I would love to visit gardens like Geoff's every weekend, but it wouldn't be fair on the rest of the family. However,  this weekend I decided that I should be able to visit some gardens as a birthday treat. Youngest was having none of it and went to play with his cousin at his Nana's house, but the older two came along with us.

The open gardens were being held in a pretty village I have only driven through a couple of times. We paid for a map in a local shop, easy enough, and headed off to find the first garden...not that easy !

I'm not sure why but I could not follow the directions and we ended up at the river. Gazing at a canal boat aptly called " rising damp " as the rain began to fall and the wind whipped at my legs and I wondered why I had chosen to wear a skirt and sandals.......

We all sheltered under a tree till it had eased, then, ignoring the boys pleas of  "Can't we just go home", we tried again.
This sight cheered me up a little....at least we had found a pretty cottage .........

Then around the bend , with a rather small sign it would be easy to miss , we found an open garden. It was a courtyard space, full of plants in pots ........

 Phew, everybody cheered up a bit , especially as the sun came out right on cue.

The owner was outside so we chatted for a while ( and asked permission to take photos )  then explored alone.
We found a lovely green corner .......

 and this  path lead to...........

 a fabulous secluded corner. I thought it was simply gorgeous.

I was enchanted by the Astrantias, and the bees loved them too..........

And I loved the use of this old drain pipe as a wall planter.........

Once we had found one garden we made sure to ask the owners directions to the next.

 Some we did not take pictures in , though they were all lovely in their own way.

This garden , which I can only describe as enchanting, was owned by an elderly gentleman who welcomed us at the front of the house and told us his daughters were around the back.

Parts were a bit wild , but I think that really added to the charm..........

And he had some gorgeous flowers.
 Ooooh , Alliums....stunning.......

Bright pink Peonies....

wonderful clematis.......

And what a view at the bottom of the garden.........

Gorgeous.

When were were leaving I asked the two daughters who had shown us round if this was their swing. Yes, said these mature ladies , it had been their swing and they delighted in pointing out their sandpit and where their slide had been too. So many years of happy memories caught up here.........

 

We visited three gardens with canal side settings, what a treat to enjoy access to these normally private gardens in such a gorgeous location.........

Up the hill we felt a bit lost again , but finally found another gem . I swear it was windy, cloudy and cold around the font of this house, but when we entered the back garden it was like a different world. Sheltered and sunny..........

 There were tables and chairs arranged on the lawn close to the house and tempting cakes on display in the little conservatory. As soon as a table became free the four of us Made a bee line for it and I went to order.
The boys did have a soft drink , and shared the delicious carrot cake with their dad.
I loved the pretty miss matched china and the date cake........

 It really was an idyllic spot, hard to tear yourself away from . People chatted happily and an old dog plodded around looking for crumbs.

By this time I think we had seen about eight gardens so I promised the boys this would be the last one.
we followed a sign round the back and I gasped at the sight of these stunning climbing roses.....

 Just perfect don't you think ?

It turned out to be my most favourite garden of the day. I perfect English cottage garden........

There were loads of Geraniums ( not to be mixed up with Pelargoniums ) Claire explains the difference HERE.........

The owner was a real plants man and had helpfully labelled many of the flowers.These red beauties are "Lychnis chalcedonica" . I don't think I've seen them before.........

In the background of this photo you can just see some stunning  blue Delphiniums but the owner was keen to show us this favourite of the moment ..........

I loved it all and we were so lucky that the sun continued to shine during the time we spent there. The lady owner told me parts of the walls  were Elizabethan , they certainly made a wonderful backdrop.......

There was also a beautiful pond.........

But I think my favourite bit was this wonderful display of daises and geraniums........

Such a joyful, pretty and summery cottage garden scene, don't you think ?

Our weather maybe unreliable  and downright miserable at times but If it can still produce wonderful flowers like these and lush green countryside it can't be all bad.

All the gardens were generously shared by their owners and their enthusiasm was infectious. The event raised funds for a local hospice.

Thank you for indulging me today, I think I've rambled on a bit :0)
Hope you enjoyed the photos anyway.
Jacquie x