Whitsuntide Wonderful

The garden is changing so rapidly at the minute with some plants growing 4 inches a week. Even a weekly visit would show you the difference in the garden.

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New planting by the pond boardwalk is coming into flower now.

We are preparing several beds ready for a mass replanting soon. Your donations from the stone cairn in the garden and the plant sales as well as contributing to the maintenance of the garden (works to the wheelchair ramp in the garden and sections of stone wall to begin soon) have purchased a few shrubs to fill the gaps of the buddlejas, reverted roses etc we took out over the winter and some trailing plants for the terrace beds. The lovely Cotinus dummeri ‘Grace’ is now planted at the bottom of the garden near Merlin. This dark leafed shrub has clouds of white flowers in summer, earning it the common name of Smoke Bush and gorgeous fiery red autumn colour.

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Spectacular lilac in full bloom and scent at the top of the terrace.

The veg garden is coming along, the unseasonable cold has delayed plantings of things like courgettes, pumpkins and Dahlias, but we will get them in soon. Just hoping we don’t get too much rabbit damage.

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Dramatic dwarf bearded iris from our plant exchange with Stackpole Walled Garden, nr. Pembroke are in flower at the minute.

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Euphorbia polychroma (yellow flowers), black Tulip Queen of the Night and stunning silver Cardoons looking lovely together in the formal vegetable garden.

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Don’t forget our gentleman’s arboretum, the snowdrops have gone, the wood anemones too and the bluebells are starting to go over, but the trees themselves are still great to look at. Here we have (l-r) Cedrus deodara (The Deodar Cedar), self set ash tree, Fagus sylvatica Purpurea (Copper Beech) and original cherry laurel bushes about to flower. A soothing place to stroll with the sounds of the burbling stream in the background as you walk. We even spotted a Kingfisher in the garden this week.

You can see us this Bank Holiday Monday at the Aberaeron Garden Festival promoting the garden and holiday centre and collecting donations to continue our work.

Posted on May 23, 2015