Grahame and Di at Wisteria Cottage

Front Garden Path  

The front garden is north facing with considerable shade hence the Wisteria comes out later than most in the village. We prefer a natural look, rather than twee, and use the topiary forms of the yews, box and crab apple tree to make the garden look cared for. Succession planting now provides flowers on every day of the year. 

Wisteria

Wisteria coming into bloom with Pine Cottage opposite.

Rose Madame Alfred Carrière 

Rose Madame Alfred Carrière on the south side, has been flowering for three weeks now and, after its first big flush, will keep flowering until Sissinghurst method pruning in December. A magnificent rose with a glorious, very French, fragrance. The overhanging thatch has helped protect it from the recent hail storms.

Yellow willow 

Yellow willow (Salix viminalis) is good plant which provides useful winter colour and, with two plants next to each other, an interesting pattern of crossing branches. Pollarding in spring leaves a sculptural form and gives a plentiful supply of tough, pliable wood for weaving into plant supports such as in the clematis pot in the background - which is falling over! 

Plant Supports  

Grahame’s rustic hazel and willow obelisks last about four years so he makes a few new ones each year. Bamboo lasts longer than hazel but the rustic look is preferred. The side shoot off-cuts are woven and wrapped into a ‘ball of wool’ finial. The off-cuts and hazel withies are also used to weave into geodetic plant supports. You can just see several in the picture.

Fruit Trees:  

Discovery apple espalier in full bloom. It is going to be a good year for fruit. The rose arch Grahame made 25 years ago needed some tlc and provided the excuse to slaughter the vicious thug roses. They have now been replaced with a friendly, polite, easy-care vitecella clematis mix of Sea Breeze and Super Night.  

Wildflower plug plants 

A small selection of wildflower plug plants being grown for the churchyard to improve and increase biodiversity and extend the flowering season. 

Happy gardening,

Grahame and Di