In the Garden -The End of June 2024 - 'Six on Saturday link up'

The garden, sometimes demanding attention as it goes through its annual cycle, or even longer cycles means that readjustment is necessary, for both my sake and its sake. As one looks at the garden decisions about the future need to be made: choices made on how the garden is to evolve with plants removed, or moved, and which plants to add to make gardening just that little easier in the future. A garden gives but also requires attention and time, a balance needs to be maintained,. In the meantime Six on Saturday where we go out and really look at the garden and choose six things to share helps to make me look and appreciate, or even sometimes seek consolation from fellow gardeners and readers of this blog.  What I particularly like is looking back on similar posts from previous years to see how the garden is changing.  All of this is aided by my fellow SOSs, and Jim who is our current leader, and to whose post we all link on Saturdays.

Here are my six for this week:

1. Looking totally healthy at the present are the Rose Home Florist collection of which Timeless Pink is in the spotlight this week.

Rose Home Florist Timeless Pink close up

attracting to herself in the bed a few supporting perennials. This combination is working nicely giving me an idea of what to write about next week.

2.  Ever since I acquired one Rhodohypoxis (unnamed),  just a small group of two or three tufts in a pot from a friend a few years ago, and carried it over through the winter in the shed, I gradually came to appreciate this group of plants.  Of the original that increased I placed a small group in the gravel garden and am delighted to report that it survived last winter which was the wettest I had experienced here. This pot of Rhdohypoxis 'Pinto' is currently gracing our lunch table. I pull out the dead flowers as they wane and this is about the fifth week in flower, so certainly it is a good doer for me.  

Rhodohypoxis 'Pintado'

When I went to the HPS plant fair at Batcombe House a couple of weeks ago I took two nicely flowering pots of my original unnamed rhodohypoxis which were quickly snaffled up by a couple of our members who were also helping out.  And pre-orders were placed by other members putting under a little pressure to divide and share, but patience is of the essence and they will need to wait till next year for flowering plants.

3. It is far too long since I grew sweat peas. Last Christmas I was totally surprised to receive a packet of seeds along with a Christmas Card.  What a lovely thing to include between friends.  I also saw and smelt some growing as I walked under an arch at Caisson Gardens last week, and I can confirm that I am now smitten once again. The willow obelisk which I made earlier this year is the perfect frame for them to grow up.

Sweet Pea Mrs Bernard Jones

4. I do admire topiary and have always thought how nice to be able to have a little one but they are understandably pricy to purchase.  Over the last few months I attacked the rounded bush of Golden Lonicera that was growing by the bird bath and it is now down to five pompoms.  I'm not sure it is in quite in the right place now, and may well try to move it in the autumn should a better place  become obvious.

Golden Lonicera with stems exposed

5. Fuchsias seem to be early this year, at least this one is as it was left unpruned.  This nameless hardy variety has been in flower now for a couple of months. It is overshadowing a few plants, I shall have to see if they have survived and to consider some strategies going forward.

6. Self sown and looking statuesque, I have a harvest of poopy seeds to look forward to for my small but ever so tasty Poppy Seed and Rye Bread.
 

As I walk round the garden I love to look into their middles and enjoy their beauty. 

After all that rain, it is now back to saving water from the house as the water butt is quickly being depleted as a result of watering all the pots.  I am looking forward to reading other contributions to this weekly post on matters gardening. 

First visit to Caisson House Gardens

 The reason for the 'First Visit' description in the title of this post, is that I know for sure that there has to be several more needed to take in the structure and planting of this garden and simply just to enjoy the beautiful surrounding landscape. 

One can read all about these delightful gardens so except for some fleeting impressions, it is best left to the owners Phil and Amanda Honey to describe in their own words and with some lovely pictures how they came to meld themselves into the rolling hills along a deep valley tucked just beneath Bath.

Coombe Hay Locks which have not been navigable for a very long time, and the surrounding land have been pivotal in the way the garden cascades down to the The Pound, where a little jetty forms a shelf along the edge of the water.

On the eastern side the stone bridge gives views overlooking the stretch of waterlilies

The western end below which the locks continue is now dammed to form The Pound, and also the point at which some lovely white waterlilies remind us that we are in mid summer.

The planting is mainly white throughout except in the Walled Garden where the borders are full.  Having walked through the glasshouses bordering The Potager still within the walled garden, seeds for next year's plantings were just showing through in their trays, and no doubt these will all be pricked out into modules and thus strong plants will be ready for the allocated positions later in the year.  Sweet pea arches and tunnels already in flower wafted their perfume.  

Walking along the cut paths through uncut meadows, one just had to marvel at the range of wild flowers, and we saw at least two types of native wild orchids.

Our group of ladies from Wells WI gardening group seemed to split into two groups, and the group I was with entered the garden along the back of the house, the northern side which offered opportunities for a different sort of planting with generally the luscious green foliage set off a limited colour of white plants.

This led along to the Mulberry Terrace where we were impressed again with the selection of plants and the many large planters.

Just as we were passing the Potting shed and pigsty, over the wall down in the Potager we waved to the other part of our group.

As one walks across the stone bridge towards the house  one cannot miss this statuesque tree, which seems to dominate the top of the locks and declares all  it sees as perfection. On my next visit I can certainly like more than just a distanced view. All around and below the wild flower meadow and along the path that takes one to the south side of the locks, goes through a little more woodland.

There were teas on offer in the old stables, with the range and quality reflecting the chic design of the gardens.  On my return I was inspired to baked one of the cakes which was a great hit with himself.  Several of the ladies bought and took home pieces to share or to just enjoy on their own.  This was an afternoon visit but to start with Maggie took us all to one of her old haunts where her book club meets.  I can thoroughly recommend 'The King William Inn' at Tunley, which is not far from Caisson House.

Fabulous Cakes at Caisson Gardens open day inspired me to bake

 The visit to Caisson gardens went superbly.  Organised by the head ponchos of The Gardening Group within Wells Tuesday WI, I was fortunate to receive a lift with four in the car, and we all met up at ' The King Willian Inn' at Tunley which I can now highly recommend.  I am going to write another post about my enjoyment at the gardens.  As I was with a great bunch of friends I didn't feel it right to get too interested in the cakes, and ask lots of questions, rather enjoying sitting down together with drinks and cake together.  There was a wide variety of cakes and the difficulty was in choosing.  They were not the usual array of the home baked staples but more like 'couture cakes' the standard matching the garden and landscape.  I had a lovely slice of probably an almondy sponge topped with a good layer of mixed summer fruit in a set matrix, and the lot topped by an even layer of meringue.  I am yet to look for such a recipe.

All that is besides the point is that I was torn: all the cakes looked perfect. Whittling down the selection to  two,  the cake I did not have was a beautifully displayed lemony and blueberry cake.  Using the usual searches I found a recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi  which I printed out and went on to bake.  

This is my take on the Almond Lemon and Blueberry Cake.  I made a smaller version pro rated down to two eggs.  I found the technique of adding some of the fruit to the top after 15 minutes baking one new to be and certainly one I may well be using many times.

Strangely the recipe did not give the instructions for finishing off the cake although the icing sugar was listed.  I added extra sliced almonds before as it were fixing them with a drizzle of lemon icing. If this is the standard of cake then 'Simple' may well be the book to add to my shelf.  First I am ordering from our library to check before buying it. 

Whilst it was warm, it was served as 'pudding' with some extra blueberries, and a dollop of yogurt.  Every day since then we have had a small slice with after tea, and stored in the fridge it has got better and better, no doubt due all the almonds.

Six on Saturday - Flaming June

 It is not quite the flaming June of past years, but I am completely pleased with that.  Overnight we had a light shower or two, enough to make the foliage glisten and bow down the huge trusses of roses that are on the Rose Munstead Wood, but dead heading will be a job for tomorrow as today my son is visiting.  The Six on Saturday club is not exclusive nor is it compulsory to join in each week, if you fancy joining in, do go over to Jim's post this week, where as well as some real beauties in his garden, the rules of the game are explained.

1. The blooms are so heavy with this rose variety, even though the stems are strong, they have needed to be staked.  Planted on the far side by the seating circle and near the stone wall where the oak trees overhang,  they tend to grow towards the light.  To be fair anything planted there would do the same. Maybe I ought to have disbudded it but it is such a hard thing to discard potential blooms.

Rose Home Florist Timeless 'Charisma'

2.This yellow flowered hypericum in the gravel garden is such an attractive plant, stems are soft and growing from a central point, and with no suckering evident. 

Hypericum polyphyllum grandiflorum 

Hypericum polyphyllum grandiflorum is no higher than 20cm and each stem terminates with a bud, with a couple more waiting to come out each side of the first flower.  The foliage is an attractive glaucous green. Already I am looking to increase it and may try some cuttings.

3. Each year the front of the shady border has a hurrah moment which lasts two or three weeks at least with the beautifully purple and green low growing Saxifraga stolonifera as it throws up its flower spikes. It adds that soft romantic look and is a real charmer.

Saxifraga stolonifera

As we are having breakfast early in the morning when the light shines through them, they are a real delight.

4. Clematis Olympia  is my favourite clematis in the garden.  It does flower for a long time with a little dead heading helping that out.

Clematis Olympia

Having a good blue flower and since not growing very tall it is ideal and happy in its large pot with its obelisk.  Last year it was rather neglected watering wise after August, and I consider myself lucky that it is doing so well this year.  

Clematis Olympia close up

 It is really ready to be repotted into new soil, and as I read that early in the year just as they are coming out of dormancy is the best time to divide, it will be on my to do list for early March 2025. I have finally got to grip with my mobile phone to do lists and will start adding jobs there, as I often forget to go them.

5. Last Saturday I did a stint for my HPS group at Batcombe Gardens, and in a gap when I had time get to know the stock on the stand, came across three little plants which I bought. They are Persicaria dimity, Cistus laurifolius and a white perennial sweet pea.

6.  I have a couple of these Geraniums that are flowering their socks off at the moment.  Are they swamping some choice plants, or are they just gently blending into the surrounding foliage?  I have been somewhat of 'a hands off gardener' over the last few weeks, so lay my mind to rest I shall have to get amongst them and maybe constrain them. They can take a little chopping back! 

Geranium Ann Folkard

For my regular SOS buddies, as well as other friends, my absence from blogging has been noticed.  Rather than gardening I have had other work to do, and other gardens to visit. I notice that there are a few 'weeds' and self seedlings but worst of all, I have found no way of fending off the grey squirrels and every strawberry is being picked off, despite them being netted, and most of the apples have teeth marks on them.  A job for Sunday will be to discard all the strawberry plants!

 
 
 

The Folly Gatehouse : Our Holiday home on the Gower (for just one week)

 It was a return visit to 'our gatehouse' for a week at the entrance to the Penrice Estate. 

We had stayed at The Folly Gatehouse nearly five years ago. This time we chose to visit in early summer when we would be able to enjoy all the wild flowers. Someone had painted the shutters in the round living room with each panel slightly different, and only when they were open could they be viewed from the interior.

Hand Painted window shutters - Penrice Estate

For the first few days, the sheep and their lambs were grazing right up to the railings surrounding the small lawned area, and when having a cuppa or just relaxing on deckchairs, it was interesting to watch them move freely around the surrounding pasture. 

Later in the week they were moved to the other side of the estate, and we missed them, though the view onto the trees was always interesting.   

A short walk from the Towers towards the house,  fine very large specimen of a weeping beech tree stands isolated within the pasture.  I was so taken by it, that almost every day I would go up to it, around it and under it, just to enjoy its magnificence. I'm not sure whether it is a monumental tree or not, but it is certainly worth my while some time in the future featuring it on one of my Tuesday Tree Appreciation posts.

A big bonus to staying  in one of the properties on the Penrice Estate is the permission to explore and walk through the garden around the house, as well as the landscaped grounds and wider estate.  The lily pond up by the house has some choice water lilies.

As well as rose beds, and shrubberies

Views toward the surrounding undulating landscape

On one the days the gardeners were out in force, and I enjoyed chatting to them.  A volunteer who comes weekly was in the courtyard garden weeding, and it was very hard to resist joining in!

Beds of Red Roses

The sunny courtyard backed by a stone walled bank was covered in white wisteria, and there were many exotic plants both in the beds and in pots. 

 

Sunny courtyard Bench

It is a short walk from here to 'The pleasure gardens'. I found a more detailed history which helps to date the Pleasance and the Orangery to the early 1790s, outside which was a bed of fine shrub roses. The Azaleas and Rhododendrons must have given a fine show just a few weeks earlier. 

Single flowered red shrub rose

Citrus fruit in the Orangery

Cork Oak Tree

Just beyond the Pleasance, are the most amazing of Walled Kitchen Gardens with some of the restored Glass Houses by Messenger which are dated between 1870 and 1890.  I came across these early in our holiday and whether we were walking down to the coast, where we could use our key to exit the curved wall garden and head out through the woods, or just promenading around the estate, we would often find our way there.

Glass house window opening mechanism 

Peach House

Grape House

Artichokes just ready for picking

Forcing of Sea Kale

Just on the outskirts of the walled kitchen garden, by the tool house you can return to the garden through an archway with interesting plants along the way

Here by the pond, the grass is studded with wild orchids.  What a treat to wander around admiring the beautiful landscape and trees.