We wandered amongst grandeur, and magic plants.

Hello everyone!  Wednesday already! Doesn't time flash by?! I want to call the flowers above pelargoniums, but I don't think they are, and I can't think what they are actually called, any ideas? My mental block aside, aren't they the most extraordinary colour? They were in the extremely grand conservatory, of a house we visited at the weekend. Lilburn Tower. The owners of this private estate had opened their garden for charity. We felt a little like we were trespassing, it was so grand.

 

This was the view from the house. Imagine owning this view? The National Trust owns views like this, not many landscapes like this one are owned privately. It was all a bit astonishing really. I've been to gardens open for charity before, but never one on this scale.

 

Back to looking at that conservatory.

 

Now these are Pelargoniums! Also known as Geraniums! I'm a big fan of Pelargoniums, I love their intense colour, and their simple petal formations. Everything in the conservatory was abundant. And perfectly formed. There was even a Hosta in one of the borders outside the conservatory, that was perfectly unblemished, no slug damage what-so-ever!  It was like the garden had magical powers. Powers to deter all pests and invaders that might damage plants.

 

There must be a team of gardeners, a very large team!

 

Such elegance! Now you can call me cynical if you like, but I think this statue has had the yoghurt treatment................. to attract the moss................... don't you think? Or am I too cynical? Cynical or not, the statue looks lovely, and I'm always one for short cuts to get desired aged effects.

 

So maybe you thought, yes, nice conservatory. Well, check out this nice green house! When you see a green house like this, it's very difficult not to be in awe of this privately owned garden. Privately owned!

 

And just look! Lemons! This garden, or the team of gardeners have magic powers, I'm convinced of it. I mean, we're in the north of England here for goodness sake! I know we've had some nice weather recently, but still.................. Lemons! Big juicy yellow and very perfect lemons! And they weren't plastic, I checked.

 

Now we move on to the orchard. But this wasn't your normal orchard with a few trees scattered around a grassy plot. No. This was AVENUES of trees. I think they were mostly Apple trees, if not all Apple trees. Oh! I forgot to tell you about the Peaches! The Peaches that were ripening in the green house! They were still green, but had a covering of the most beautiful soft down on them.

I feel like I'm taking you on a tour of the garden of Eden! Or a garden out of some fictitious novel, certainly, it seemed like a magic garden.

 

Back to those avenues of Apple trees. I love this sort of planting. The formal Box hedging, with the informal, unruly, but natural and charming planting, contained within the Box. That's my idea of the perfect gardening ethos. Formal gardening, containing within it, informal planting.

 

There was a vegetable garden, which looked a bit sparse, and a Herbaceous border, which was yet to come into flower, so I didn't photograph them The garden will be open again later on in the year, so we'll be returning then, and hopefully that herbaceous border will be looking glorious.

Now I'm afraid I've got to go, my Mother-in-law, Susan has arrived, and we're heading off to our knitting group. I think I've mostly covered the garden, the fabulous garden. Sorry to rush off like this, Susan is waiting very patiently for me! See you tomorrow!
Love Vanessa xxx

 

Comments

[Karen]

What an amazing garden and it looks like you had lovely weather to wander around in. I would have had to check the lemons were real too. My Father used to grow lemons in our greenhouse here in the south when I was a child but they never grew very large. I love your last picture of the wild flowers. Its such a lovely time of year. Hope you and Susan enjoy your knitting group. Karenx

[Jacqueline]

Absolutely beautiful! I wish my garden looked a fraction this good. I can't even get daffodils to grow, don't know what I am doing wrong. The leaves come but no flowers, so that's not much use.

[Liz]

Wow it's amazing! Where is it?

[Liz]

Never mind...silly me I realised it was a hyperlink to the house!! It's not too far away from me....

[Facile Cécile]

MERCI BEAUCOUP POUR TA GENTILLE VISITE!
ET Have a good day...

[driftwood]

oh how lovely, perhaps I should include the house on my house hunting list - do you think I could afford it.........

are they snapdragons?

xoxox

[kitschen pink]

I could move into that greenhouse with it's peaches and lemons! I do so love open gardens. My M-in-Law and I used to get the yellow book as early as possible and plan ahead a year of nosing around in other peoples gardens.... and if at all possible the house too! Never one this astonishingly huge and affluent! Quite breathtaking! I hope the tea and cakes were up to the mark! t.x

[Maggie]

Thank you for sharing the walk around the garden... makes my own few photos of a small corner of our garden look a bit pale by comparison. But at least it doesn't need a team of gardeners to maintain it, nor the money for same! Lovely photos and narrative, as per usual.

[sherry]

The pink flowers are nemesias, I believe. They look like something you would invent in one of your paintings!

[Cathy]

The flowers are schizanthus, or 'butterfly flower'. I used to grow these in my greenhouse many years ago! They are beautiful, but that one is a stunnung colour!
xx