Skip to main content

Featured

The Garden House (Devon, England)

The destinations are beginning to blur but looking at the tour guide booklet, I see that we are now in Plymouth. Today, we visited two gardens designed by Keith Wiley.  The first is The Garden House , where Wiley worked as Head Gardener for 25 years (from 1978-2003). The 10-acre estate was purchased in the 1940s by former Eton schoolmaster Lionel Fortescue and his wife Katherine. It was formerly home to the  vicars of Buckland Monachronum. The Fortescue's renovated the gardens and ran a market garden business and raised cattle.  The remains of some of the original buildings in the vicarage still stand in the garden and serve as a romantic backdrop in the Walled Garden - I loved the way they had massed ferns together. Just stunning! Surrounding the walled garden and venturing out away from the house are more naturalistic plantings  - Today, the head gardener is Nick Haworth, who was previously head gardener at Greenway , which we visited earlier.  Keith Wiley lef...
2 comments
Read more
Labels

Hydrangeas

The hydrangeas are really looking good this year! So far (knock wood) we have had sufficient rainfall and I sure hope it continues. (Click on photos for larger images)

"Annabelle" and "Madame Emile Mouillere" with hosta


"Madame Emile Mouillere" and "Bluebird"

"Madame Emile Mouillere" and "Bluebird"

Oakleaf hydrangeas "Dayspring" and Native

Hydrangea "Nikko Blue"




Oakleaf Hydrangea "Snowflake"


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
Email Post
Labels:

Comments

  1. scottweberpdxMay 24, 2011 at 1:14 PM

    Wow...I'm seriously envious...they are so beautiful! I'm especially taken by that blue/purple lacecap...serious plant lust!

    ReplyDelete
  2. GrannaMay 24, 2011 at 1:23 PM

    Gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jean CampbellMay 24, 2011 at 2:11 PM

    There is simply nothing to compare with hydrangeas and they come in so many versions!

    ReplyDelete
  4. greggoMay 24, 2011 at 2:18 PM

    Looks very refreshing and inviting.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lisa at GreenbowMay 24, 2011 at 3:08 PM

    Your hydrangeas look great. My Bluebird (you knew I would have it because of the name) never looks this good. You must have 'the soil' to make it bluuue.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mary AnnMay 24, 2011 at 3:12 PM

    Breathtaking!

    ReplyDelete
  7. SheilaMay 24, 2011 at 4:24 PM

    Oh!!! Those are just gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  8. LonaMay 24, 2011 at 4:50 PM

    Every time I see a posting entitled Hydrangeas I have to go check them out. LOL! Your garden is spectacular. The hydrangeas are beautiful. I adore the Bluebird lacecap.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Tatyana@MySecretGardenMay 24, 2011 at 6:54 PM

    Just stunning! I love them all!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dirt PrincessMay 24, 2011 at 7:18 PM

    Absolutely beautiful! Your hydrangeas are doing really well! We have had some issues with mites on our hydrangeas down here

    ReplyDelete
  11. sherryocalaMay 24, 2011 at 7:43 PM

    Philip, how lovely, lovely! Believe it or not, my Limelight and Pinkie Winkie are not blooming yet. My variegated lacecap has a few flowers. Just a couple of flowers on the mopheads. Wonder why that is. Yours are definitely older than mine. Maybe that's it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousMay 24, 2011 at 8:01 PM

    Phillip, this is one of the best Hydrangea years in a while. No late frosts! Mine are looking fabulous but if we dont get some rain soon....

    ReplyDelete
  13. sweetbayMay 24, 2011 at 9:39 PM

    Your hydrangeas are beautiful; I will always be a fan of Oak-leaved hydrangea but your white 'Madame' and the blue lacecape are wonderful are making me a convert.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Rainy Day GardenerMay 24, 2011 at 9:45 PM

    They are all so beautiful and I'm feeling a twinge of envy because I lost *both* of my hydrangea's this year. Lovely pics!

    ReplyDelete
  15. DarlaMay 25, 2011 at 4:49 AM

    I should say they are putting on an excellent show!

    ReplyDelete
  16. SueMay 25, 2011 at 6:49 AM

    OMG!!!!!!SO BEAUTIFUL.

    DO YOU GROW PEONIES AND IF SO PLEASE SHARE HOW TO DO THAT IN THE SOUTH.

    SUE

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousMay 26, 2011 at 1:00 PM

    Hello. Your hydrangeas are wonderful !!! Romantic garden ...
    Kate from Poland

    ReplyDelete
  18. Rosedale GardensMay 26, 2011 at 8:28 PM

    They filled out very nicely since my visit, just stunning. My oakleafs are starting to open. Had some damage from last night storm. Hope everyone will overlook it (and the weed filled beds) at my open garden Saturday. Mary

    ReplyDelete
  19. Rob (ourfrenchgarden)May 27, 2011 at 1:05 PM

    As always, a perfect show. Beautiful photographs by the way.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment