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Iford Manor (Part 2)

(Continued from Part 1) ... I knew that Iford Manor was my kind of garden when I saw the statue of "Dying Gaul" perched on top of a wall. We can't afford one for our garden but we do have a little version inside the house - The garden continues uphill with areas that are naturalized as well as manicured  -  A very theatrical area with some of the statuary from Peto's travels - Peto loved curved benches. In addition to Italian gardens, he was influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement. Some think that his love of curved benches came from the paintings of Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Some copies of his works were found in Peto's files - "Expectations" by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema Small buildings also dotted the landscape - The largest building was the cloister which housed more of his classical treasures - There is even a Japanese garden - Various pathways and woodland trails led to a road above the gardens. This set of stairs was roped off, but there were more ...

More from Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens



The Franklin Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Columbus, Ohio was well worth the drive from Marysville (about 30 minutes). It was an overcast day with mild temperatures - perfect for a garden visit. Although the conservatories were awesome (see my previous post), the outdoor gardens were lovely as well. I saw workers everywhere tending to stunning displays. The above photo shows a raised bed near the front entrance which contained a striking agave ("Whale's Tongue"??), ornamental grasses and coneflower.

Ornamental grasses and goldenrod -



More coleus surrounding a palm in a container -



A red ribbon memorial to AIDS victims made of begonias along the driveway entry -



I grow Lespedeza (bush clover) in our garden but it not as stunning as this one because of our shade.



The centerpiece in the perennial gardens was a dramatic sculpture.
Sedum was another popular plant in Ohio - I saw throughout this garden as well as in a lot of private gardens.




One of the prettiest displays of Beautyberry (Callicarpa) that I have ever seen. This was actually on an outdoor terrace outside of one of the conservatories.



Another terrace outside the conservatory -



The Bride's Garden - a beautiful spot for a small wedding.



Seven Sons Tree (Heptacodium miconioides) -


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. They do have some dramatic plants. My Beauty Berry is a handsome plant. It looks great with a little more room to spread.

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  2. Such beautiful photos! Colors so bright and pretty.

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