Wildside (Devon, England) pt. 2 - Courtyard and Canyons

(Continued from Part 1)

We are now on the other side of the house and here the gardens are quite different. Right next to the house is this courtyard area. It is surrounded by a pergola-covered walk dripping with wisteria. Large island beds are bordered by adobe walls inspired by visits to Bryce Canyon in Utah. The plantings here - palms, euphorbia, coydline, grasses and flowers - are plants that you would find in Mediterranean regions.

As you leave the courtyard area and climb the hill, the landscape once again takes on a different look. The winding pathways meander among  rocky outcrops and streams.

The very upper part of the garden (this is the 25 ft. ridge that overlooks the road below that I mentioned in the previous post) is the Canyon area. Once envisioned as a swimming pool, Wiley decided to create a South African inspired canyon. ( (I'm reading his book On The Wild Side and he was greatly influenced by the South African landscape, particularly the large swaths of blooming bulbs). When Ros died in 2019, Wiley named this garden "The Ros Wiley Tribute Garden" and he continues to work and refine the area. The next stage is to create a Cancer Respite Center where cancer sufferers can have a peaceful place to visit. You can donate to this cause on Wiley's website.

This garden was truly a treasure to experience and I'm still in awe of how it has been transformed. The next time I'm feeling lazy about the next daunting garden project, I'm going to think about Keith Wiley!

Our group relaxing after a very rewarding day!

(Visited May 13, 2025)

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy