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Coleton Fishacre - Inside the House

Coleton Fishacre has been described as "the perfect combination of the simple architecture and high standards of craftmanship of the nineteenth century Arts and Crafts movement with the modernity of the Jazz Age." I was told that there are not that many Art Deco style houses in the UK and this is one of the few private residences that are open to the public. Among the furnishings are Lalique wall lights, an eighteenth century Venetian chandelier and a carpet designed by Marion Dorn. Most of the furniture was designed by the architect of the house, Oswald Milne.   After Rowland and Freda Smith bought the house in 1949, they did not make many changes and the furnishings that they didn't use were stored. After the National Trust took over the property, they meticulously recreated the furnishings based on photographs that had appeared in Country Life magazine.   The library, pictured above and below, features a celebrated wind-dial map that was created by noted mapmaker Georg...
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Threshold to Fall

Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel'

Last night our weatherman said that from here on out, we would have fall weather. Summer left with a bang with an almost 100 degree day at the end of the August. The heat fluctuations are a nuisance, and I miss the days of consistent temperatures. There doesn't seem to be a happy medium anymore, it is either at one extreme or another. 

The older I get, the more sensitive I get to cold temperatures. This creates major conflict in our household with Michael being hot all the time. I swear he freezes me to death. So I celebrate the end of the noisy air conditioner kicking on right as I sit down on the deck for quiet reading and the constant drone of fans inside the house. 

I'm hoping for a mild autumn where temperatures hover around the low 70s. Is that too much to ask?

I love the fall season - the colors, the brisk clean feeling in the air and the way the sun starts casting odd shadows. 




Canna 'Panache'

Hydrangea 'Lemon Wave'

Alstroemeria 'Sweet Laura'

Crape Myrtle 'Dynamite'

'Dynamite' again and the rose 'Swany' on the right. It is blooming again!

One of the best pots this year and this is its second season. I've never had much success with Huechera (Coral Bells) but this one is a winner - 'Red Lightning'. The Cape Fuchsia above it was a gift from friends - it is Phygelius 'Colorburst Yellow'. It is a good idea to always grow the cape fuchsias in pots as they can be quite aggressive in the ground.

Jasmine 'Ogon Nishiki'

Unfortunately, I lost the name of this Japanese Maple that we have growing in a pot. I'm guessing that it is 'Viridis'.


Chinese Foxglove (Rehmannia elata)


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. Kris PetersonSeptember 15, 2024 at 5:46 PM

    Late summer looks a whole lot better in your part of the country than mine, Phillip! I love that Hibiscus. Do you know the cultivar name for the orange-flowered dahlia? It's gorgeous.

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    Replies
    1. PhillipSeptember 15, 2024 at 5:54 PM

      No, I wish I did. I tried to find it but could not.

      Delete
  2. Ardith FergusonSeptember 15, 2024 at 8:15 PM

    Your photos are exquisite! I saw the Red Lightning Huechera at Yard and Garden on Saturday and really love it. Thanks for sharing these late summer scenes from your garden.

    ReplyDelete
  3. tz_gardenSeptember 16, 2024 at 7:57 AM

    Oh my these photos are so wonderful, your garden feels so lush and green! That dahlia is stunning.

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  4. Hoover BooSeptember 16, 2024 at 5:35 PM

    Gorgeous photos of beautiful plants. The light is so much better now--without the harsh intensity of summer.

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