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Coleton Fishacre (Devon, England)

Coleton Fishacre was in my top 5 gardens on the tour. This Arts & Crafts style house and garden was the country home of  Rupert D'Oyly Carte and his wife Lady Dorothy Carte.   He was the well-known theater owner (The Savoy) and producer (Gilbert & Sullivan).  They spotted the property from their yacht and thought it would be a great spot for a country home and garden. Ah, to have that much money... They commissioned Oswald Milne, a former student of Edward Lutyens to design the house. Both Rupert and Lady Dorothy were interested in gardening but it was Lady Dorothy who mainly planted the garden, filling it with exotic and tender plants that survived with the influence of the Gulf stream. They employed six full-time gardeners! I often wonder if people who have that much money are really able to enjoy a property like this and actually live in it?  Their tenure here wasn't that long (a dozen years or so), although Dorothy lived here full-time in the late 19...
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First Day of Summer

 

Today is the first day of summer and it certainly feels like it. We are under a heat advisory with temperatures predicted to be in the 90s. Tomorrow will be even warmer when we will be near the 100 mark.

I hate it and much prefer the weather yesterday when the high was 80. We also had the marine layer of clouds in the morning (that is when the above photo of the front border was taken).

I hope the heat doesn't ruin the flowers. The front gate is smothered in clematis and roses at the moment. I've never seen so many blooms.

Clematis 'Jackmanii Superba' on the left and 'Madame Julia Correvon' on the right. The roses are 'Dublin Bay' and 'Veilchenblau'. Salvia 'Caradonna' is right outside the gate on both sides.

 

This is the front pathway closer to the house (there are two pathways in front, one gravel, one grass). 



Snapdragons and Evening Primrose blooming in the front border outside the living room living.

 


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

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  1. Kris PetersonJune 20, 2021 at 9:14 PM

    Your garden looks spectacular, Phillip, and I share your hope that the heat doesn't spoil it. We were lucky this week. Our top temperature hit 93F but the subsequent days were in the low-mid 80s. Our morning marine layer held and kept the temperatures from soaring higher here. The inland areas didn't fare as well.

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  2. Lisa at GreenbowJune 21, 2021 at 8:55 AM

    I would be stopped in my tracks when approaching that floriferous gateway. My! That is one for the books. Your garden is such a treasure. I bet your neighbors are envious. I bet they stare and drool over the fence.
    I hope your blooms survive the heat. I bet they will with all your tlc.

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  3. danger gardenJune 21, 2021 at 9:33 AM

    Beautiful Phillip! Have you seen the extended forecast? Even more heat next weekend...

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  4. Barbara H.June 21, 2021 at 9:38 AM

    You have outdone yourself with your new garden. The Alabama garden was wonderful and I was so glad I got to see it but oh my, this one is stupendous. Congratulations, Phillip.

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  5. chavlinessJune 22, 2021 at 10:10 AM

    Stunning garden photos. It seems that my garden too has been more robust than usual. I'll take it! Hopefully the plants in our gardens are happier with heat than I am.

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