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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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Early morning wet garden


I took these photos on Sunday morning following the fourth of July. We got tons of rain on Friday and spotty showers on Saturday. The garden really greened up as a result. Hopefully you can't see the weeds in the photos. I was hoping to get some work done in the garden on Friday and woke up to the rain. It is hard for me to keep it up this time of year - I hate the heat and the humidity and the mosquitoes (although they really don't bite me) are awful this year.

 




Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. BecJuly 7, 2015 at 6:30 PM

    I love a garden the morning after rain & yours looks as though it has responded beautifully!

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  2. Lisa at GreenbowJuly 8, 2015 at 4:59 AM

    Fun seeing the overall views of your garden Phillip. I know what you mean about the mosquitoes patrolling the garden. The heat is enough to keep me inside let alone the mosquitoes.

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  3. LarryJuly 8, 2015 at 9:22 AM

    Hi Philip... amazing... there is so much texture and interest in your gardens... I tend to appreciate the style that you aspire to more and more as I grow older and more experienced in the art of gardening... you are a true expert... we have had just enough rain this season to keep things green and growing... after another horrible and damaging winter, spring and summer are making up for it... take care, Larry

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  4. AaronJuly 8, 2015 at 7:42 PM

    Your garden is looking marvelous, Phillip!

    With all the rain so far this year, the mosquitoes are the worst they have been here in Mid TN in the 5 summers we've lived here.

    Even so, they usually leave me alone. (My wife is not so lucky.)

    So, for the first time, we've resorted to using DEET ("Off") and also experimenting with a 20% picaridin repellent spray. So far, both seem pretty effective. I'm also hoping they keep the ticks away after I had one attach to me earlier this year in a delicate spot. Not fun.

    Stay cool and enjoy those early mornings in the garden -- one of my favorite times of day during the summer! :)

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    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverJuly 8, 2015 at 8:25 PM

      Thanks for the tip Aaron. I am going to order some of the picaridin spray.

      Delete
  5. Jean CampbellJuly 9, 2015 at 4:28 PM

    If it wasn't done last month, it's time to postpone it until cooler weather except for a few things that are quickly out of the way done early in the morning. Things look good at your place.

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  6. RobinLJuly 10, 2015 at 6:36 PM

    I'm with you Phillip, I love gardening, but not heat, humidity or mosquitoes! It's been so rainy this year that I can't get anything done either. But boy is it green out there!

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  7. LesJuly 14, 2015 at 5:32 PM

    Like you we are getting ample rain, and as a result, ample weeds. Unlike you I don't mind the heat and humidity.

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  8. debsgardenJuly 20, 2015 at 9:12 AM

    Catching up on some of my favorite blogs! Your garden is coming through the summer well. I am always thankful for the rain. Deep green and wet here, with another thunderstorm brewing today. The weeds are rejoicing, but no way can I work in this heat and humidity. Mosquitos don't bite me, but they treat Lou as a gourmet meal.

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  9. AnonymousJuly 21, 2015 at 9:28 AM

    It's beautiful as always Philip. Ha, I was just complaining about the heat and mosquitos too. I hate them. They do bite me, but not as bad as they do some people. Still, they're really irritating. We got more rain this morning, which is weird. I'll be out dumping all the places water collects this afternoon. Love seeing your garden.~~Dee

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