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Iford Manor (Bradford-on-Avon, England) Part 1

At the end of our trip (after seeing almost 30 gardens), our tour director, Bruce, asked us to give him a list of our top 5 favorite gardens. I had to think awhile for my 3-5 choices, but I immediately knew that my top two were Tresco Abbey (which I have not covered yet) and this one - Iford Manor. For the #1 spot, I go back and forth, but after being home for a few months, Iford Manor brings me my most pleasant memory.  Actually, the two gardens are similar in style (Italianate). Since I'm doing these in order, it will be some time before I get to Tresco Abbey.  First, a little about the house. The property was once home to a wool factory and dates back to the Domesday book (1086). The present house was built around 1720. The house overlooks the Frome valley with a small river flowing in front.  We began our tour on this bridge where we met the Lord of the manor - Just kidding - the owner is William Cartwright-Hignett. That is him in the center of this photo with our gro...

Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) - A plant profile

Vitex agnus-castus, commonly called Chaste Tree, is often recommended as an alternative to Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia) in the South since the latter is so overused. However, in all honesty, the crape myrtle is so lovely, who would tire of it?   

The chaste tree may not be as dramatic as the crape myrtle but it does offer a delicate charm and is a worthy addition to the late summer garden.

The chaste tree gets its name from the mythic legends of its anaphrodisiac properties. Athenian women used the leaves in their beds to keep themselves chaste during the feasts of Ceres. In Rome, virgins carried twigs as a sign of chastity. The tree was sacred to Hestia, the virginal Greek goddess of hearth.

The spicy fruit and seeds of the tree has been used extensively in herbal medicine to aide the symptoms of female hormonal imbalances as well as other ailments ranging from migraines to premenstrual syndrome.

This Mediterranean plant (a native of southern Europe and western Asia) thrives on heat and rapidly becomes a 20 ft. tree or shrub (with a broad spread) in southern climates. In cooler regions, an 8-10 ft. size is more common. It is cold hardy to zone 7 and may completely die back in winter. Growth will quickly recover the following year. If die-back is minimal, gardeners often cut the plant back to within 1-2 feet in early spring. The plant can be grown as a small tree by pruning the plant to 1-3 main branches and selectively removing side branches.

The leaves are dense and gray-green in color. They are aromatic and divided into 5-7 narrow leaflets measuring 2-6 inches in length. There is no fall color. 

 

 

The showy flower clusters begin to appear in late summer (August here in Vancouver, Washington). Visitors to the garden often think it is a buddleia. Several cultivars are available in blue, pink or white. My favorite are the blue-colored blooms which seem to glow from a distance. The branched panicle-type blooms are upright and measure about 12-18 inches long. Bumblebees absolutely love the blooms and swarm the plants when it is in bloom.

Chaste Tree thrives in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It can tolerant drought. For best results, however, provide regular watering and at least one fertilizing early in the season to ensure a good show of blooms. Deadheading the spent blooms will encourage more blooms although it can be a tedious task due to the sheer number of blooms. 

This is a good plant for a shrub border or used as a specimen. It would make an attractive patio tree.

Key Characteristics

Botanical Name - Vitex agnus-castus
Common Name - Chaste Tree, Monks' Pepper, Hemp Tree, Chasteberry
Type: Large shrub / small tree
Foliage Type: Deciduous
Size - 8-10' tall and wide, larger in warmer climates
Bloom Time - August - September (Pacific Northwest)
Flower color - Blue, pink, white
Leaf color - Gray/Green
Exposure - Full sun
Soil Needs - Average, moist soil
Growth Rate - Fast
Disease Resistance - Excellent
Pruning - Cut back early in season before new growth begins
Hardiness - Zones 7
Pollinator Friendly: Yes
Deer Resistant - Yes

 

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. It's a lovely plant, a can see how it could be mistaken for buddleia. The dark green leaves have an elegant gray overtone, which is fetching. Too bad it's not and evergreen!

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  2. I doubt it would grow here. I am zone 6. The Crepe Myrtle I have dies to the ground almost every year. I have had it survive a few years then it gets really pretty. I keep telling myself that this year so I don't dig it out because my DB likes it. I would love to have this blue color in the garden.

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  3. There is a big group of them planted as a mass in an out-of-the way area at the Huntington. With an equally large mass of white Agapanthus nearby, it puts on a dazzling show.

    I thought hard about growing one, but because it was deciduous, gave it a pass. Yours looks beautiful and very happy.

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  4. In Washington, I bet they freak out thinking it's a buddleia since they are worried about buddleia being invasive there. I grow three examples of one variety of this fine tree which I hack back in Oklahoma each spring, Delta Blues. This variety isn't supposed to produce seed, but the carpenter bees, honey bees and other pollinators love its blooms so that makes me happy. Sometimes, seedless varieties are also nectarless as you know. Anyway, just a beautiful tree with the color blue. What else could we ask for? Thanks for the profile!~~Dee

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