Tag-Archive for ◊ Gardens ◊

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• Saturday, June 30th, 2012

Today we discovered a splendid water garden located in Norfolk near Oxborough where it seems a school fete was on.

Gooderstone Water Garden

The Gooderstone Water Gardens include four ponds as well as river walks along the river Gadder in an area which used to be marshland. On this sunny day we enjoyed strolling around this English garden where campanulas (trachelium and portenschlagiana), geraniums of various colours and lysimachia puntata were at their best.

We also admired the sways of astrantias, lambsears, astilbes, with white achilleas in the background.
This is a peaceful and refreshing garden where huge weeping willows, birch trees are mirrored in the clear ponds. more…

Category: My Garden Visits  | Tags: ,  | 2 Comments
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• Sunday, May 31st, 2009

Last week I visited a great bamboo garden in Southern France called the Bambouseraie. Just outside the pretty village of Anduze, this bamboo garden is located only 15 miles from Nimes in the French Languedoc Roussillon region and not too far from my French garden.

Bamboo Alley

Bamboo Alley

The bamboo garden was designed in 1856 by Eugène Mazel who was a keen French botanist. It is a picturesque and mature garden which includes a comprehensive collection of bamboos but also many other oriental plants and trees of interest.

I followed the guide who provided useful information about the plants and trees in the park, and I learnt some interesting horticultural facts about bamboos. I shall always remember that bamboos shoots grow like piles of plates stacked upwards and growing at a speed of up to 1 meter a day.

All in all it comforted me in the opinion that some species of bamboos can be difficult to contain since they have a tendency to spread quickly whilst other smaller varieties can be used as bushes in order to provide handy green borders. more…

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• Tuesday, May 05th, 2009

As part of my interest in gardening I also enjoy visiting famous gardens. This weekend I sought to find some gardening inspiration in the grounds of Castle Howard which is located in North Yorkshire between York and Malton.

Castle Howard Fountain

Castle Howard Fountain

Castle Howard is most famous for its walled garden including an ornamental vegetable garden, as well as for being the setting of the Brideshead revisited film.

To make the most of the walled garden I think that it is best to visit when the roses and delphiniums are in full bloom in July.

At this time of the year the visitor will appreciate the sense of grandeur expressed in the formal garden layout complete with its numerous temples, statues, lakes, fountain and wide expense of green woods.

I also recommend visiting the castle which despite a great fire in 1940 still has a lot to show about the lifestyle of the Howard family through the years. In particular I was impressed by the guides who were available in most rooms to provide interesting facts about the castle and gardens.

So if you are planning a trip up to North Yorkshire remember to take a little detour to the gardens of Castle Howard.