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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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Garden Share Sunday: Dumbarton Oaks

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The world has become such an ugly place this past year. I no longer watch TV news and it is about all I can do to keep up with social media as it is just one impending doom post after another. I know I should be keeping up with important issues but my mental health says otherwise. To escape from this drudgery, I usually find refuge in the garden, physically and mentally. When I can't get out into my own garden or visit others, photographs and books do the trick.

Another reason is that I just heard we could get 8 inches of snow tonight! Enough already!

While organizing some photos this past week, I realized that I have visited a lot of gardens in this country! Why not kick off the week (or if you prefer, the end of the week) with a soothing image of a spectacular garden? 

I begin with Dumbarton Oaks, probably my favorite garden. I have only had the chance to visit it once and that was ten years ago. It is hard to select just one image but I am very fond of The Terrace Garden. This garden was designed by Beatrix Farrand. For more photos, see my earlier blog post or my Flickr album.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. outlawgardenerFebruary 5, 2017 at 7:46 AM

    Your spectacular image is a fabulous way to begin/end the week.

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  2. AaronFebruary 5, 2017 at 9:27 AM

    Nice pics, Phillip.

    (I checked out the Flickr album.)

    The garden is actually a little (OK, a lot) formal for my tastes, but that curvaceous staircase - va va voom! :)

    PS - Hang in there. I'm sure spring will be here before you know it. And the snow is supposed to be great for plants (both for protection from winter cold and nice slow irrigation as it melts).

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    1. Phillip OliverFebruary 5, 2017 at 10:35 AM

      I think it is the use of ornamentation that draws me to it and I love the way it is laid out. It has a fascinating history. There is an excellent book on the making of it by Susan Tamulevich.

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  3. Lisa at GreenbowFebruary 5, 2017 at 10:32 AM

    I feel much the same way. Thank you for taking us away from it all with this beautiful photo.

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  4. Jane StrongFebruary 5, 2017 at 11:19 AM

    Nice for a lot of reasons..

    a getaway from the news
    summery
    old and well established
    good attitude
    and ... I especially like the pebble mosaics, the one with colored rocks and fruit is best

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  5. Jane StrongFebruary 5, 2017 at 11:27 AM

    Garden Share Sunday. Did you make this up or is there an meme already existing? I think it is a grand idea. I hope you pursue it. I think I will add a few. The name "Garden Share" is perfect.

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    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverFebruary 5, 2017 at 12:46 PM

      I just made it up - that would be super!

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    2. DariciaFebruary 5, 2017 at 2:12 PM

      I like it too. I haven't posted in a while, and have quite a backlog of gardens I could feature. Maybe a photo on the occasional Sunday will help jump start me. :) Cant wait to see Dumbarton Oaks this summer. Beautiful photo.

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    3. Phillip OliverFebruary 6, 2017 at 5:00 AM

      Daricia, I would love to see your photos.

      Delete
  6. debsgardenFebruary 5, 2017 at 4:14 PM

    I have seen photos of this garden and was very impressed. Lucky you to see it in person! I also have to take the news in small doses. My philosophy is to make my little corner of the world a better place for my having been here. I try not to worry about the rest that is beyond my control.

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  7. Anne BoykinFebruary 5, 2017 at 7:12 PM

    I'm on a total news ban ... I can't stay livid for 4 years. It will kill me. It's especially lonely here in the South, feeling the way I do. However, there's always the garden to look forward to! Thanks for sharing beautiful gardens you have visited.

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    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverFebruary 6, 2017 at 4:56 AM

      I know how it can be there Anne - keep your spirits up!

      Delete
  8. Endah MurniyatiFebruary 5, 2017 at 10:16 PM

    beautiful design!

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  9. Alyse LansingFebruary 5, 2017 at 10:20 PM

    A lovely choice Phillip--not only Dumbarton Oaks, but the Terrace Garden. I can see why you like this part of the garden so much. SO many layers to the design and the composition and the views. I am with you on the mental health need to pull away from the doom and gloom, and that gardens are a gift of refuge. I second the opinion that "Garden Share Sunday" meme is a great idea! If you start it, I'll be your biggest Sunday fan!

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    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverFebruary 6, 2017 at 5:02 AM

      Thanks Alyse!

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    2. Phillip OliverFebruary 6, 2017 at 5:06 AM

      I received your complete comments - I don't know why Blogger cannot display all of them. Anyway, that is thrilling that you studied this in landscape design school. I am very envious - I think if I had discovered gardening earlier, I would have pursued that profession. I just love it.

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    3. Alyse LansingMarch 25, 2017 at 2:03 PM

      I am inspired by people who love gardens and gardening. It's so easy to get "lost" and entrenched, jaded; others' passion reminds me of the heart. The essence minus the noise. So, thank you for that :).

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  10. organicgardendreamsFebruary 6, 2017 at 2:11 PM

    Hi Phillip, I feel pretty much the same like you do about the state of the world right now! I also struggle with how much bad news I should confront myself daily and the garden and even my blog truly has become a refuge now more than ever.
    I haven't heard about Dumbarton Oaks and I am curious to check it out. The staircase and its landscaping is truly spectacular and you took a wonderful photo of it.
    Hope you can get into your own garden soon again and get your hands dirty!
    Warm regards,
    Christina

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