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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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May Bloom Day 2017

lupines

Abundant rain and a few sunny days have really jump-started the garden. Spring is finally here! Although the past few days have been rainy and very cool again, a long stretch of sunny days are predicted later in the week. The lupines, planted last year, appear to be very happy.

korean-lilac-2  
Last year, this Korean Lilac (Syringa meyeri 'Palibin') was blooming a full month ahead of this year. This beautiful shrub was already here when we moved in. It was a lovely surprise.


korean-lilac  


ceanothus-julia-phelps
When I first visited Portland a few years ago, I was blown away by the Ceanothus (California Lilac) that was growing everywhere. It turns out there are lots of different varieties, in varying shades of blue and growing characteristics. The first one I planted was 'Julia Phelps'. 
ceanothus-thysiforus-black-diamond
'Black Diamond' is a ceanothus with variegated leaves. It is just starting to bloom. My friend Rebecca bought one of these at the same time and in her Portland garden, hers is three times the size of ours!
 
chaenomeles-double-take-orange-storm
The shrub is still very tiny but a number of blooms have just opened on the Quince 'Double Take Orange Storm' (Chaenomeles)

clematis-nelly-moser
My clematis wish list is about a mile long. I have not planted that many yet. This is the old popular variety 'Nelly Moser'.

vaccinium-glauco-album-huckleberry
Himalyan Huckleberry (Vaccinium glauco-album). I ended up moving this from the back garden to the front. It is planted along the shady north foundation.

wallflower-erysimum-apricot-twist
I saw these at the nursery where I work and, like about 90% of the stuff I see come through, I wanted it. I have never grown wallflowers (Erysimum)before and I absolutely love them. I have two varieties planted together, this orange one is 'Apricot Twist'. A purple-flowered variety 'Bowles Mauve' can be seen behind them.


saponaria-ocymoides-rock-soapwort
Rock Soapwort (Saponaria ocymoides), purchased at Home Depot last year, and planted along the steep retaining wall next to the driveway, has returned.

salvia-forest-fire
Salvia 'Forest Fire'

Exbury Azalea 'Klondyke'
Exbury Azalea 'Klondyke' - I found this last year at Wal-Mart of all places.

deutzia-nikko
Deutzia 'Nikko' - I purchased this at Joy Creek Nursery in January during the Bloggers get-together.

Lithodora
Lithodora


euphorbia-ascot-rainbow
Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow'


pansies-japanese-forest-grass-japanese-maple-murasaki-kiyohime
And last, but certainly not least, are the pansies, surviving all winter in a pot on the porch. I just moved them to the ground. That is Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola') next to it. The Japanese maple above is 'Murasaki Kiohime'.
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is hosted by May Dreams Gardens. Check out what is blooming in other blogger's gardens around the world. 

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. LeaMay 15, 2017 at 1:10 AM

    You saved the best for last - The pansies really shine against the Japanese Maple and Forest Grass! And the 'Klondyke' Azalea is an amazing color
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lisa at GreenbowMay 15, 2017 at 4:24 AM

    Your garden is poppin. I love lupine it is an annual here. It gets too hot and dry for it in my garden. This is an exciting time of year when blooms are marching through the garden.

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownMay 15, 2017 at 4:43 AM

    Great range of blooms the pansies looked great against the Japanese grass. So simple but so effective

    ReplyDelete
  4. AaronMay 15, 2017 at 6:07 AM

    Lots of good pics and beautiful plants here, Phillip.

    I think I'm particularly impressed by the Ceanothus and the quince.

    Does the Himalayan huckleberry produce edible fruit?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverMay 15, 2017 at 8:02 AM

      Not sure about that. They are very tiny!

      Delete
    2. AaronMay 15, 2017 at 4:18 PM

      Out of curiosity, I did some research on my own. I checked ~5 sources and each one (e.g., http://pss.uvm.edu/homefruit/hfgless.htm) indicated that the Himalayan huckleberries are edible... although none of the sources mentioned whether or not they are tasty! ;-)

      Delete
    3. Phillip OliverMay 15, 2017 at 5:29 PM

      Ok Aaron, when they form berries later in the summer, I will try them. :)

      Delete
  5. http://whatsitgarden.blogspot.comMay 15, 2017 at 6:14 AM

    Oooh …Lupines , they seem not to like my garden ! Maybe I'll try them again .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverMay 15, 2017 at 5:28 PM

      I actually grew these from seeds last year (and I am terrible at seed starting).

      Delete
  6. AlisonMay 15, 2017 at 7:21 AM

    Oh, your Lupines are so pretty! I fell in love with Ceanothus too, when we moved here. Do your Wallflowers have a scent? The ones I planted a few years ago had a very nice scent, not like any other flower scent I'm familiar with.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverMay 15, 2017 at 8:01 AM

      You know, I have not noticed a scent. I will make it a point to find out today.

      Delete
  7. outlawgardenerMay 15, 2017 at 7:28 AM

    What? You work at a nursery? Which one? It's my retirement dream to work at a nursery. Your blooms are gorgeous! It's funny where we find great plants sometimes. Oh those lupines. Swoon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverMay 15, 2017 at 8:00 AM

      Yard N Garden Land, just up the road from our house here in Hazel Dell. It is fun, busy and a little overwhelming. I want to buy too much!

      Delete
    2. outlawgardenerMay 25, 2017 at 8:36 PM

      Give in to temptation!

      Delete
  8. klaraau01May 15, 2017 at 2:06 PM

    Beautiful blooms and thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. danger gardenMay 15, 2017 at 9:45 PM

    Wow Phillip, everything is a vision of flowering perfection! Your Lupines look like a photo from a plant catalogue, I honestly never thought they could look so good in a real garden!

    ReplyDelete
  10. MarijkeMay 16, 2017 at 6:33 AM

    Hi Phillip, what a wonderful plants you have in your garden. And your photo's of it are breathtaking.
    Have a wonderful day
    Marijke

    ReplyDelete
  11. LisaMay 17, 2017 at 2:25 PM

    Hi Phillip, you got very nice plants in your garden! I especially like your Erysimum. I wonder for how long it will bloom. Does it produce new blooms during the summer?
    Best wishes,
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverMay 17, 2017 at 7:26 PM

      Lisa, I am not sure. This is the first year I have ever grown them. They have bloomed non-stop for over a month now.

      Delete
  12. Rainy Day GardenerMay 17, 2017 at 3:32 PM

    Could you have taken prettier pictures? Wow!! I'm so happy you are enjoying gardening here in the PNW! It was so nice to talk to you and M for awhile at the plant swap! Enjoy the sunshine that is headed our way! Happy GBBD!

    ReplyDelete
  13. debsgardenMay 22, 2017 at 8:13 AM

    Gorgeous! Lucky you to inherit that gorgeous lilac!

    ReplyDelete

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