Skip to main content

Featured

Kiftsgate Court Gardens

Just right down the road from Hidcote is Kiftsgate Court Gardens. This garden was created by Heather Muir beginning in the 1920s. Muir's daughter, Diany Binny, came to live at Kiftsgate in 1954. She would add the half-moon pool and redesigned the white garden. She also first opened the garden to the public. Today, the tradition continues as granddaughter Anne Chambers and her husband maintain the gardens.    Heather Muir was a friend and neighbor of Hidcote's Lawrence Johnston (their houses are within one mile of each other), and he inspired her in the garden's design. However, the two gardens differ in character and have their own unique characteristics. While Johnston's garden is laid out in strict geometric lines, Muir took a more naturalistic approach. Muir added many heirloom shrub roses to the garden and is famous for the 'Kiftsgate' rose, which occurred from a seedling in the garden. Unfortunately, we were too early for the roses. There were a few like t...
Post a Comment
Read more
Labels

Mid-November blooms

I'm a little late for Gardener's Bloom Day!

The sasanqua camellias are blooming -

'Hana Jiman'



'Snow Flurry'



'Bonanza'



Mexican Sage (Salvia leucantha)



The colorful foliage of Sweet Shrub (Calycanthus floridus)



Hyacinth Bean



Mums



Red Maple



Lespedeza



The brilliant crimson leaves of a pear tree hover over a group of hydrangeas



This is Scudder, a new addition to the family. He appeared as a stray and has been around for the past several weeks. He was on top of the garden wall today.



And here is the real Queen of the Roost - Isabella. She is fifteen years old and she's not too keen on Scudder.

Email Post
Labels:

Comments

  1. LostRosesNovember 17, 2007 at 11:15 PM

    Well it was worth the wait, Phillip. Camellias and fall foliage all in one post, very nice. Hope the kitties get used to one another!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carol MichelNovember 18, 2007 at 2:23 AM

    Late is just fine when you bring us camellias like those! Thanks for joining in with bloom day,

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

    ReplyDelete
  3. lisaNovember 19, 2007 at 7:48 AM

    Nice post! I take it you aren't in the "drought zone"?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Phillip OliverNovember 19, 2007 at 7:54 AM

    Lisa, we have had a terrible drought this year! We did get a good rain a few weeks ago. The last I heard, we are about 17 inches under average.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Annie in AustinNovember 19, 2007 at 11:39 AM

    Oh, Phillip - I should be happy just to have my two camellias live at all in my alkaline soil, but I would so love a delicate looking flower like that 'Hana Jiman'. Any camellias I've seen around Austin are the rosier tones.

    You have a post filled with lovely blooms, and your photographs are perfect - yes, definitely worth the wait!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

    PS You and Isabella have such royal names - why'd the new guy get stuck with 'Scudder'? Are you a Heinlein fan?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Phillip OliverNovember 19, 2007 at 5:16 PM

    Annie, I'm not familiar with Heinlein's Scudder. I got the name from "Maurice" by E.M. Forster (and the movie is a favorite of mine). The character of Scudder is a gardener. I've always to name a cat that.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Annie in AustinNovember 19, 2007 at 7:11 PM

    Ah, Phillip - that makes much more sense! Heinlein's character of that name was not a nice guy.

    Annie

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousNovember 21, 2007 at 7:58 PM

    Terrific photos, Phillip; the hyacinth bean, in particular, is so dramatic. And how interesting to see the clear yellow leaf color on the lespedeza. I didn't realize the plant did that. Thanks for sharing your garden!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts