Visit to Jane & Michael's garden in Adversane

Those of you who have visited Jane and Michael's garden will remember that there is a wild life area at the approach with a pond which was being enjoyed by dragonflies when we arrived.   We then arrived at the house and the very striking front border which was looking very colourful.   The delphiniums were reaching up to the sky and the surrounding perennials, campanulas, achilleas, etc, were very colourful.     

We then headed for the thyme walk which is very pretty and again brimming with insect activity.  

In the second picture you can just see a tiling decoration which Michael had constructed in the winter.       

The itea alternifolia which I had so admired on our visit last year was looking very healthy with its elegant long tassels. 

Jane showed us some of the wild flowers she has been planting along the side of the entrance pathway.      

The Nepeta was also attracting insects

Michael's hedge is well known and it was looking healthy, well trimmed and quirky;  the swimming pool had apparently been in use that morning  

We then walked through the fruit and vegetable garden and around the meadow taking the time to appreciate the quiet.

Many thanks to Jane & Michael. I know it was appreciated by the many members who visited.

Best wishes

Rosemary

Skinners Cottage Garden

Rhona did take some photos when she came to visit our garden but somewhere along the way we have failed to link up but in the meantime I have posted some photos of some of the plants which were of particular interest.    

Just outside the front porch we have a brilliantly healthy clump of Gillenia;  it is quite an unusual plant (and therefore Linda has some in her garden)and I think it is very underrated;  it is happy  in shade and I recall Monty planting it in such a border recently.  Do give it a go. 

Next to it and also in another bed which is south facing, I have a lovely geranium which I was given by a member of SAGE who long ago left he area;  I was very new to SAGE and went to her "leaving coffee" and she kindly gave me a root;  the leaves are a chocolate brown and a great contract to the bright mauve flowers.   

There is are a number of roses in the front of the house which are looking good at the moment - one in particular which looks very healthy has been full of flower for over a month and there are still plenty of flowers to come out.    it starts off as strong salmon pink and changes to a soft pink as it goes over.   If anyone can recognise it let me know. 

  

I loved the ammi magis in Guy and Mary;s front garden and below is a large pot with ammi which was grown by Rhona and has worked very well this year.   

Another large pot which attracted attention includes salpiglottis;  remember growing this in a variety of colours as a child and this strong violet came from Sarah Raven's catalogue and is a real star.   It is taller than expected and it will be interesting to see how long it lasts.   

 

Best Wishes


Rosemary

Visit to Guy & Mary's Garden

I visited Guy and Mary’s garden this week amid blue skies and summer heat.  As others who have visited will attest, it is charming and is full of interest.  I loved the front garden in particular with the ammi magis billowing elegantly through the roses,  delphiniums and linaria.   

Along the side of the house there is a shed to which Guy has attached his (or perhaps I should say Glenys’) tomatoes which are growing in front on tagetes cinnabar - a tall sprawling marigold ( I have some which Neela grew for me) which will hopefully deter aphids and be a colourful addition to the planting.  

The back is also lovely with lots of interesting plants and a great stand of verbena bonariensis and some imposing salvias, still  to flower.   However, the most interest plant from my perspective was the nepeta which is Hill Ground.  It is such a tidy catmint, but with plenty of flower, so a variety worth looking out for. 

Many thanks to Guy and Mary for their warm welcome

Rosemary

Visit to Linda's Garden

Rhona and I visited Linda's garden on Friday of last week - a day which I can only describe as cool and windy.  It will not surprise you to learn that it was looking very colourful and well kept, apart from the area which was Linda's tribute to the rewilding fashion.   

The wide variety of Linda's plant is testament to her interest and skill and there were a number of plants which she said she had grown from a cutting or seed pick up abroad. The result is a fabulous array of different colours, shapes and forms. Below are some of the photos which Rhona took of particular interest.  

Many thanks to Linda for opening her garden and to Rhona for the photos

Best wishes

Rosemary

Sarah & Mike's garden by Rhona

Dear Sage Members,

Simon and I were delighted to visit Sarah and Mike’s garden.  It was a real “little gem” - lovely shades of pink, blue and purple, a beautifully sheltered space and well thought out.

These were the pots on the patio!

This enormous pot is the centre piece of the garden,  filled with heliotrope.

This beautiful foxglove caught my eye.

Scabious and nepeta complimented one another in this display.

In a shady corner Is a lovely water feature surrounded by graceful ferns and pots of hostas.

Thank you for such a warm welcome Mike and Sarah.

Rhona

Sally and Peter Rollinson’s garden.

Here are a few photos from last week’s visit to Sally and Peter Rollinson’s garden.

Its really lovely and so well tended and you can see that the thoughtfully designed and well structured garden sits well in front of ,and complementing ,the beautiful backdrop of the South Downs

In the large and long flower garden there is a wide variety of planting and colour and they have created fascinating “rooms” and Arty inviting sitting/ vista areas., and also feature a large pond.

At the very end we discovered a most well ordered and thriving fruit and vegetable garden ....all looking very healthy and happy !

Thank you for the visit Sally and Peter ......I wish I’d taken more photos!!

Sandie

Jan and Mike's wildflowers

Something very different! Jan and Mike have devoted part of their garden in Crossgates to wildflowers and allowed Sage members to visit as part of the Sage Garden Fortnight.

As you can see the wildflowers are at their prime the moment. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to visit that day but this who did had a real treat. I can see in the midst of the flowers the pink corncockle which is a particular favourite of mine.

Many thanks to Jan and Mike for inviting Sage member and thanks also to Sarah and Mike for the photos.

I hope you will enjoy the garden openings in the coming week

Best wishes

Rosemary

Rhona's garden

Dear Sage Members

On Wednesday it was my turn to open my garden in Crossgates, along with that of Sally (Rollinson) and Mike and Janet (Wright).

We were lucky with the weather and had a steady stream of visitors.

This photo shows a eunonymus planted with a yellow willowherb. 

This is Rosa glauca which is the best it’s ever been.  

The wild part of my garden, which is down below the wall on the left is pretty at the moment with white willowherb stealing the show!

Sarah was amongst the visitors and took some other lovely photos

It was a clear day and the views south to the Downs were beautiful

Delphiniums were in full bloom and these two specimens stood out

And of course roses at this time of year are always colourful

Best Wishes from Rhona and thanks to Sarah for many of the photos.