Our plans began in 1991 with the clearing and planting of the cottage style garden at the back of the house, choosing hostas, ferns and foxgloves for the shadiest places, while up above early and late flowering clematis mingle with rambling roses. The long pergola is swathed in pink and white roses, a golden hop and clematis, fronted by delphiniums, poppies and peonies.

About My Garden

The Cottage Garden inspired by 'Create a Cottage Garden'

Photo: Malcolm Birkitt

Starting in the winter 1994-5 we began a French style garden with formal box parterres at the top backed by a French court scene in yew, rose arbours in the centre, and lower borders planted with anemones, tulips and alliums followed by an avenue of white regale lilies. The whole vista is framed by clipped hornbeam hedges. Parallel to it is the wisteria walk; here arches are laden with wisterias, laburnum, Robinia hispida, clematis and roses underplanted with masses of alliums, Dutch iris, poppies and later Japanese anemones.

In 1998 we planted a white-stemmed birch avenue choosing Betula 'Grayswood Ghost' with ornamental grass parterre beneath, leading to an ellipse of more birches under planted with daffodils, echinops and echinacea; all backed by purple beech. Beyond lies a wonderful wild flower meadow.

Around the former fishpond we constructed a zigzag pergola, now festooned with many early and late flowering clematis, wisterias, roses, ceanothus and vine. The empty fishpond itself has been transformed into a display area for seasonal containers with vibrant tulips in spring giving way to colourful exotics and architectural succulents in summer.

The courtyard continues to flourish with a variety of troughs, pots and baskets. Meanwhile permanent plantings of roses and clematis now soften the walls.

Summer containers in the old fish pond

Tulipa 'Esther'

from 'Bulbs for All Seasons'

Photo: Michelle Garrett

Rose Petal Sponge  from

'The Edible Flower Garden',

'Edible Flowers'  & 'Flower Power'

Photo: Michelle Garrett

One of our latest projects is the Rothko garden with two hedged rooms planted to display coloured artworks of foliage.The aim is to create a quiet, contemplative environment. The second is the Hepworth garden based on her geometric drawing of Green Caves 1947 which we have translated into a garden of ornamental grasses and herbaceous plants, widely spaced so that it has produced a wonderful veiled effect.

Eighteen months ago, we planted a snaking winter garden so that we can enjoy the shiny red stems of the dogwoods besides their cousins with their brilliant salmony orangey red, green and purple stems. They are all underplanted with winter flowering aconites and snowdrops. This area already forms an exciting bridge between the winter grasses and white stemmed birches on the one side and the steely eucalyptus on the other. It makes an exciting garden to watch as it developes and matures. We are planning to open on Feb.10th and 11th 2007. Mid winter is often a forgotten time in the garden, yet it can be so wonderful at this time of year.

Last autumn major changes took place with the felling of 21 conifers and two sycamores to the south of the front lawn which has opened up the possibility of an amazing new garden to the south of the house.

A new circular drive is now in place with a sweeping  garden of ornamental grasses, bamboos, and a limited number of perennials including choice plants from Piet Oudolf's latest range of echinaceas. The  autumn and winter tints of the grasses  blend beautifully with the old stone walls. As they mature over the next two years, they will form dramatic waves forming out of the slope, rather like the famous Hokusai painting called The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

The Manor House Garden exhibits many 'living' planting plans from my books 'The Cottage Garden', 'The Edible Flower Garden' , 'Edible Flowers' ,'Flower Power', 'Bulbs for All Seasons' , and my latest book 'Gardener's Guide to Bulbs' brimming with practical guidance and ideas for both borders and containers. A wealth of bulbs, herbs, cottage garden perennials, old fashioned roses, early and late clematis including many viticellas are on display in their season. Come and enjoy them for yourself!