84. Garden Visit III
My mother has a large, well established garden that it is looking particularly beautiful at the moment. Everything is out in full force: the roses are laden, the flower beds are full of colour and the trees are in full summer leaf. In the evening sunlight it is looking green and very lush.
The garden surrounds the house on four sides, and from wherever you stand there are interesting vistas. The old iron gate leads to her new Japanese garden, the main path at the back is flanked by flower beds bursting at the seams, there are pretty seating areas where you can take in the views of the garden from different angles, her raised bed has been re-purposed from vegetables to flowers and the resident peach tree is outgrowing the greenhouse. The garden is punctuated by things planted in memory of people she has loved and it is a beautiful, restful place to be.
This lovely garden was originally my father’s preserve but he passed away in 2019 and since then Mum has taken on the mantle with the help of Chris the gardener. And everywhere you look there are mementos of the life they have spent together exploring the world.
The stone bird bath is from South Africa; an old grinding stone used by tribal people for hundreds of years and discovered on the top of a mountain near Phalaborwa.
The Easter Island head reminds Mum of their years spent in New Zealand.
The carved clay Maori pots were given to them by their eldest granddaughter in New Zealand.
Many of the chimney pots come from a large old Victorian house owned by my father’s sister in Liverpool.
A twin handled terracotta amphora came from Crete and was used to store olive oil.
Garden statues and interesting pots were presents from a family friend who was a regular at Greenwich auction house.
An old Heals bench is now used as a shelf for pot displays.
The old garden roller was in situ when they bought the house, and it has stayed. It is a resting spot for the wrens in the garden.
Every Saturday morning Mum and Chris the gardener spend time planning the next steps for the garden. The most recent development is a Japanese garden along the back fence - Mum’s view out of the kitchen window. It has a colourful collection of Japanese maples (Acers), azaleas, hostas, grasses and other shade loving shrubs. Recent acquisitions are a Buddha and Confucius figure, settling into their new home with the addition of pebbles and new planting.
There are interesting pots and planters dotted around the garden: old ceramic and stone sinks for succulents, bright blue ceramics to contrast with the green foliage, chimney pots with hostas and geraniums, brightly coloured pots for the annual geraniums, a metal bowl with lettuces.
The garden is at its best at the moment. While there is something interesting to see all year round, it’s best moment is now with the roses, lupins, delphiniums, hollyhocks, hydrangeas and everything else in flower. Sitting in the garden with the bees buzzing and the birds flitting around, it is the perfect place to be on Mid Summer’s Eve, waiting for the sun to set.
Post Script: the house sign on the wall is another personal touch : Plessington Cottage behind the Red Lion. Those who know will get it. Put up by my late father, it is typical of his sense of humour and it makes me smile whenever I see it.
