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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...
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Huntsville Botanical Gardens Plant Sale

We went to Huntsville yesterday for the fall plant sale at the Botanical Gardens. This is the first time I had been to one of their plant sales and boy, was I impressed. It was a tad overwhelming and I could have spent more time there, not to mention more money. Most of the plants were around $5 - $10. There were some larger plants and my most expensive purchase was a large witch hazel "Arnold's Promise" which was $40. We were in Michael's Pathfinder and came home with the back loaded. Most of these plants are going to be planted on the property. I would liked to have bought more dogwoods and native azaleas but I'm a little wary of planting more than I can take care of  and I'm not sure how well they will do out there. I don't ever recall seeing dogwoods growing anywhere in that area.

Here is what we came home with (for future reference):


  • Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia "Brilliantissima")
  • Snowbell, Big Leaf (Styrax grandiflora)
  • Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
  • Dogwood (no name)
  • Magnolia, Big Leaf (Magnolia macrophylla)
  • Magnolia, Sweet Bay (Magnolia virginiana)
  • Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus)
  • Silver Bell (Halesia carolina)
  • Golden Raintree (Koelreuteria paniculata)
  • Snowball (Viburnum Opulus 'Sterile')
  • Native azaleas (4): Piedmont, Austrinum, Flame, Admiral Semmes seedling

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 16, 2011 at 6:07 PM

    Phillip, Beware the Koelreutaria, there will be seedlings everywhere.
    Sounds like a fabulous haul!!

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  2. scottweberpdxOctober 16, 2011 at 6:49 PM

    I bet that Witch Hazel will be amazing...it's one of my wish-list plants for if I ever get a bigger garden :-) drove past a house today with a large one in the front yard...the autumn color was outstanding!

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  3. debsgardenOctober 16, 2011 at 9:33 PM

    I love a good plant sale, and I always buy too much. You have purchased some terrific plants; some are on my own wish list. Good luck!

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  4. UnknownOctober 16, 2011 at 9:49 PM

    Dogwoods are hardy but need to have a bit of shelter. I have been nursing one in my front yard (south side) for about 5 years. This past summer we had no rain and temperatures up to 114F and it was just baked. They grow wild in wooded areas here (Tulsa) with some high shade and a bit more rain. It was a lovely pink dogwood and will be missed. Good luck. If I am ever your way I will stop and ask for the nickel tour.

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  5. Rosedale GardenOctober 17, 2011 at 3:54 AM

    Phillip that's why I refused to let myself go this fall. I went to the spring sale and came back with a pickup load. This is the first time they've had a fall sale. I still have a lot of plants to get into the ground before I have knee surgery in 3 weeks. Witch hazel is one plant on my to get list plus a kousa dogwood. Maybe next year. Mary

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  6. DarlaOctober 18, 2011 at 4:18 AM

    It appears that your choices will not need much care after they are established. Looking forward to seeing where you plant them.

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  7. LonaOctober 18, 2011 at 8:14 AM

    Got to love those plant sales. Sounds like you literally brought home a load of them.The Magnolias and Witch Hazels are great additions. Love the blooms.

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