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Ashington Manor Farm (Yeovil)

After a two-night stay at The Swan Hotel in Wells , we departed for Exeter. Along the way, our first stop was Ashington Manor Farm, the home of the husband and wife garden designers Julian and Isabel Bannerman.  Roses are a specialty of the Bannerman's, but sadly, we were too early to see any. That disappointment was curtailed by touring their magnificent farmhouse, which we were invited to roam around at leisure. And Julian Bannerman, who did most all the talking, was a very entertaining man.  Gathering at the front door - We actually entered at the side of the house, right off the patio, which led to this room, where the Bannerman's greeted us. The massive table was filled with books they had written as well as magazine articles about their gardens. As we were listening to Julian's speech, I happened to notice Isabel Bannerman's book "Husbandry" on the table and immediately recognized it as a book I have at home but have not gotten to yet. At the time, I ha...
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Camille and Dirk Paulsen's Garden in Puyallup


I've now been to Puyallup but I still don't think I can pronounce it. This was the last day of our trip and as we headed south, there were still gardens to see. This was the last private garden we visited. It is the  garden of Camille and Dirk Paulsen.

The description from our itinerary-

"When we moved here in 2011, we were thrilled to inherit numerous conifers, magnolias, Japanese maples and other beautiful trees that lent the garden a mature feel. It was hard to pick a favorite, but the giant weeping sequoia (aka the Dr. Seuss tree) captured our imagination with its whimsical nature. A true living sculpture! We kept the trees but redesigned most everything else. As Camille's passion for plants grew, the lawn kept shrinking. Our former front lawn is now a sunny plant-filled oasis with a welcoming pergola, pond and waterfall. Dirk's hand-built Torli gate graces an Asian-influenced shade garden, while a mossy fernery adds interest to the other side yard. Our back garden features vine-covered arbors, colorful containers, tropical beds and a peaceful pond and waterfall surrounded by woodland plants. The extensive use of stone is a unifying feature throughout." 




 


 






















Clematis 'Polish Spirit'













Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy


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  1. Lisa at GreenbowAugust 2, 2021 at 2:10 PM

    Another gorgeous garden. Those views are magnificent. Love the big dead tree surrounded with ferns etc.

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  2. Lisa at GreenbowAugust 2, 2021 at 2:13 PM

    P.S. Love the picture of the child photo bombing. Or was that a garden fairy??

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  3. danger gardenAugust 2, 2021 at 7:43 PM

    I'm so jealous that you've visited Camille's garden before I have! She's been inviting me up for awhile now but I haven't been able to make it. Soon.

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  4. Barbara H.August 2, 2021 at 9:19 PM

    Wow - just wow! Thanks for sharing this beautiful garden.

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  5. AnonymousAugust 3, 2021 at 5:42 AM

    This garden looks amazing! I want to live there ;-) Thanks for sharing it with us.
    Steve B.

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  6. Hoover BooAugust 3, 2021 at 7:41 AM

    A whole higher level of gorgeousness. A paradise!

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  7. Kris PetersonAugust 3, 2021 at 12:20 PM

    Thanks for sharing this visit! I've met Camille and her family as they toured my garden years ago when they were down this way but I've never seen her garden. Hopefully there'll be a chance of that during the Garden Bloggers' Fling in 2023. I love that very photogenic tree trunk and the pond but the whole garden, not to speak of the view, is magnificent.

    FYI, your latest blog post showed up as it should in my feed today. I don't know if that's related to something you did, my reloading of your blog's URL, or some switch flipped by Blogger but it was good to see.

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    1. Phillip OliverAugust 3, 2021 at 4:03 PM

      Kris, apparently it happened because I had deleted my Feedburner since I've been told it was going away. I had to re-tweak some of my settings in Blogger and apparently that was the problem.

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  8. AlisonAugust 3, 2021 at 2:50 PM

    What a treat that you got to tour Camille's garden! Hers is one of my favorite gardens in this area, and she's one of my favorite people too. I hope you got to speak with her, she's the sweetest, most generous person.

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    1. Phillip OliverAugust 3, 2021 at 4:04 PM

      Hello Alison, yes I did and she is wonderful. I didn't know you lived nearby!

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  9. RobinLAugust 4, 2021 at 5:01 PM

    How lucky you are to live near such incredible gardens! I’m convinced that the people of the Pacific NW are the best gardeners out there. I love how this one borrows views from Mt. Ranier.

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  10. GRACE PETERSONAugust 4, 2021 at 9:07 PM

    Beautiful garden. Love the views.

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  11. Denise/agrowingobsessionAugust 5, 2021 at 9:42 AM

    Thanks so much for documenting your tour of some amazing gardens. I'll be returning to these photos many times!

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