The entrance to the garden from the nursery is between two sheltered SW facing borders into the orchard, where on one side the Apple trees are underplanted with daffodils and Camassias growing through grasses and on the other Hemerocallis, Iris, Dierama and Crocosmia provide grass like foliage and summer long flower. The N facing border by the fence is planted up with Hellebores and other shade tolerant plants. The mirror placed at the end of the path immediately tricks the eye with reflections from the pond garden alongside, always catching out at least one unsuspecting garden visitor.

The pond and gravel garden is a sheltered sunny area, originally planned as a vegetable garden but far too good for cabbages!, where slightly more tender plants grow around two ponds, one for fish and one for frogs. The last residual trace of vegetable garden here turned into a new area in 2004, totally created around a gold stemmed bamboo, a millstone, a load of donated stone, and a troll !!

Through a garden gate in the centre and out into a much more open area, big enough for croquet and the planting allowing for more wind exposure.

Foliage contrasts therefore are important here. The shelter of a large hedge has however meant that a 1.8m Euphorbia mellifera thrives. A formal L shaped Rosa mundi hedge has recently been replaced with an evergreen structured border infilled with low to medium Autumn flowering perennials and sub shrubs. Leaving this area through a Laburnum tunnel (shamelessly copied from the one created by Rosemary Verey at Barnsley House, where I worked for a year in 1981/2), glorious at the end of May/early June, and through into an area of mixed herbaceous planting. The borders here climax in the Autumn but throughout the summer the scents and colours of the flowers and foliage surround this subtly lit outdoor dining room.

Two possible options, West across the back of the house or East around the side. Taking the first, paving and gravel creating a herb / fragrant garden complete with seats and water feature for afternoon sun. Then into a more shaded area with even later sun that occupies the area between house and garage, where a winter garden provides evergreen structure, flowering shrubs and early bulbs in winter and a green oasis in summer.

Only keen gardeners will venture out into a garden on a wet cold day and this garden on the path from car to house shows that gardens exist in winter, to even the most reluctant garden visitor.

Taking the second option and moving East around the house, the first thing that strikes you is the increasing cold. The drop in temperature from the W to the E is most striking. Hopefully as newer windbreaks grow up this effect will lessen. Passing a shady border of magnificent Hostas, a path leads through rough grass, bulb and geranium planting into a circular lawn. A border of warm reds, yellows and oranges makes the transition from rough area to formal border. Two new paths now give four possible exits out of this garden and provide new insights into the planting and access into the Chess Garden where an old Greenhouse base creates a secluded seating area complete with a chess set. Totally surrounded by a riotous mix of annual, biennial and perennial planting and with the degree of self seeding dictating next years colour profile this is the perfect place to try all those improvised chess moves you never dared!!

Through a Gate and out to the front of the house. With a view of almost 270 degrees and very little wind protection, not the easiest space to garden. Very recently new island beds have been added in an attempt to provide interest without detracting from the wonderful views, so finding a windproof mixed herbaceous and shrub planting has been an interesting challenge.  Moving further away from the house and through a beech hedge, the latest area of garden is accessed. Following new trends in perennial planting, allowing for exposure to wind, extremely alkaline soils and East Coast weather new borders have been developed. These are planted with large groups of perennials which support each other and flower from late June to October/November. The central beds are more structured to give interest all year. Beyond this garden to the East the tennis court predominates with its colourful shrub bank windbreak, and to the South a spectacular view  through the coppiced woodland planted in 2001. The woodland will develop in time and be cut back on 5 to 10 year cycles. Perennial planting and glades will be added as the trees grow. Gardens need long term plans….

National Gardens Scheme

The garden first opened for the N.G.S. in 1994, and has regularly opened since then. The N.G.S. has helped tremendously with the advertising and growth of the garden and will always remain an important beneficiary of the garden.

2011 Opening

4th and 5th June from 11am to 5pm, when the Wold Top Brewery will also be open.  Plants will be on sale and refreshments will be available. Please click here for more information.  If you’re looking for somewhere to stay when you come to see the garden, we can recommend Field House Farm Holiday Cottages at Sewerby, near Bridlington and The Wold Cottage Bed & Breakfast at Wold Newton.