SAGE Amberley: Arundel Castle Garden

Arundel Castle Garden is now open although advance booking is essential. It is very easy to book through their website.

We were encouraged to visit the stew ponds, which have been the subject of a lot of work and it was interesting to see how they had edged the ponds and to feel the cool of the water and shade in that area.

It certainly appears that the normal activities of the garden have continued during lockdown because it was looking very well kept and colourful. Those who have been before will remember the Bannerman section which is full of agapanthus in big pots (already out) and pink or blue scaevola. I only came across scaevola recently as it appeared in Sarah Raven's catalogue where she mentioned that she had seen it in pots in the Collector Earl's garden in Arundel. It is in light pink in her catalogue but at Arundel this year, they have it in a gorgeous blue as well. It is apparently perennial and originates from Australia so is sun and drought tolerant. I think it is a great find for beds and pots.

In this courtyard the Indian Bean trees (which are neither Indian nor of the bean family so I was told) were in flower.

Moving through you come to the hot borders which were looking very dramatic with the sky high echiums and deep brown canna leaves interspersed with dahlias, penstemons and various yellow daisies.

Then into the stumpery which at this time of year houses a number of dierama, the delicate angel's fishing rods.

Into the more open section of the garden, there is a large bed of an annual wild flower mix (complete with thatched shelter), lots of fruit and vegetables, dahlias and further beds of mixed clary.