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Hidcote pt. 2

I am continuing my last post with more photos of Hidcote, this time focusing on the outer perimeter of the garden. Like most gardens, these areas were less formal in design. Along the outer fences, you get serene views of the English countryside with nary a building in sight. One such vista occurs at the top of a long avenue called the "Long Walk". This expanse of lawn surrounded by hornbeam hedges is a stark contrast to the previous garden rooms that are packed with plants.  The angle of the hedges gives an optical illusion, making the avenue appear longer than it is. Once you reach the summit, an open gate leads to a view of the countryside - One can choose to walk back down the way they came up or take a route back through "The Wilderness" which runs alongside The Long Walk. The Wilderness is a woodland area with winding grass pathways that meander through mature trees and densely planted shrubbery. If you walk to the opposite side of the Long Walk, you will stro...

Hope from the Garden


After the horrendous heat wave that hit the Pacific Northwest a few weeks ago, it is not just our gardens and plants that are in shock - gardeners are too. I hear it on a daily basis at the nursery. Shock, dismay, and disbelief. Gardeners are concerned and rightly so.

Despite the ever-changing climate and worries of the world, the garden remains a peaceful escape and a reprieve from ongoing challenges. 

And with all this comes the visual evidence that mother nature has the remarkable ability to heal.

One of the most damaged plants in the garden was the Wheel Tree (Trochodendron araliodes). Though situated in a position where it gets only morning sun, even that was too much for the poor thing. 


 

However, just a few days later, I noticed new leaves beginning to form... 


 

Nearby, a camellia was also burned -


 

But later when I looked at it again, new leaves had emerged and the whole plant looked much better -

 

 

Now on to plants that do look remarkably well at the moment. Fuchsias in the pots got the most damage. Most of the fuchsias in the ground look fine -

 

Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowianais) blooming. I still only get a handful of blooms. I wonder if this plants needs to achieve more maturity to be covered?


I love the Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies') and so do the bees -

 

Ornamental Oregano (Origanum 'Kent Beauty') and Lavender 'Phenomenal'


 

Peruvian Daffodil (Hymenocallis)

 

My favorite Hosta 'Rainforest Sunrise' -


Hebe 'Sunset Boulevard' and Rose 'Essex' -


Another Hebe that I forget the name of and Cistus 'Mickie' -


I hope your gardens are faring well with the world's nature extremes!


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. Isn't it amazing how quickly plants recover (assuming they didn't fully fry)? I think that if they get enough water it can make the difference between making it and giving up the ghost.
    Ornamental Oregano and Lavender make such a soft, nostalgic photo... I love it, well done! I also admire the bird bath in the last photo. Who's the artist?

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  2. I an so happy for you that your garden is recovering. Your photography is beautiful.

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  3. I’m so glad your plants are recovering from the heat wave. May it ease up for you soon.

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