Together with friends from the Wells WI 'Blooming Fun' I visited Forde Abbey Gardens for the first time last Friday. The weather was bright and fine and just right for a tour of the garden and a spot of lunch in the tea rooms.
The tulips were putting on a fine display planted in mixed herbaceous beds.
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One of us was carrying a map but I was lured and some of the adventurous followed to view different plants, walk down paths in different directions which offered different views of the surrounding grounds, house and gardens.
After the Tulips and spring bulbs we walked along the path which cut through a large rockery, and amongst the many plants I found this clump of Fritillaria Michailovski a picture of perfection.
and another perfect auricula. What a beauty, one for garden and a yellow one. I may drop the Abbey a line and ask if they know the variety, better still they may have plants on offer in their nursery some time.
Higher up there was an open woodland area with some excellent trees and shrubs including some lovely spring flowering specimens.
With the beautiful trees we enjoyed a little tree hugging irrespective of being seen. A happy bunch loosing any inhibitions, but not quite wild enough to try some tree climbing which we probably would had we not been the wrong size of age 10!
The settings of garden sculpture was classical as well as humorous.
This lot only stood still enough for a group photo
At this stage some of us peeled off to explore further afield and walked up to the upper lake and the bog garden. Having recently read a book about Paxton the similarity of the work involved to create a fountain at Chatswworth House came to mind. The fountain at Chatsworth is fed from a large lake is higher, but the Millennium Fountain at Forde Abbey is the highest powered fountain in England.
"At 160-feet-high fountain is quite a centrepiece for any garden, but is only one of the memorable features of this month’s garden. England’s highest-powered fountain, it was installed in 2005 by the Roper family to celebrate 100 years of their ownership of Forde Abbey, which is situated on the Dorset/Somerset border, in a stunning location alongside the River Axe." Dorset Life
The Bog garden where the 'bones' were evident before the lush spring growth emerged was an absolute gem and well worth the walk. My eye was first caught by the bright red 'Chinese Bridge' from which newly gravelled paths wind through well chosen and placed bog plants.
White and Yellow Skunk Cabbages, ferns, emerging leaves from Astilbes and Rodgersias and the views of the upper lake were there to delight.
We held back to arrive at the Millennium Fountain: having positioned myself at what I thought was a good vantage point, I managed to take pictures but as the fountain grew taller I was soon covered with spray, so these pictures do not show the full extent of its height.
We joined up with the rest of the gang and voted straight away to make another visit later this year to enjoy the long border and the promise of a late display of dahlias.
Their Wisteria is yet to flower, I think it is on the north side of the house and had yet to show a single shoot so of course it will be flowering at time when few frosts to damage the buds can be expected. From its old and weaving branches it has probably stood there many years.
Our car decided not to visit the house on this occassion, and I would have in any case spent the time in the well stocked nursery. I wanted to keep the house to visit with Mr S and also the garden again within the next few weeks.
By the exit this amused me!
At home I planted my 'souvenir' into the gravel area: Pulsatilla vulgaris subs. grandis 'Papgeno'. I am sure all the other plants bought are now settled in my friends' gardens.
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