The Kitchen and Flower Garden

Apart from the obvious difference of seeing this garden in the spring rather than in the autumn we were amazed at just how much had been done in the intervening years. The decorative iron pergola is now covered in grape vines which were just starting to put out their rush of lime green leaves. The white lattice work fences that had starkly outlined herbaceous borders, enclosed vegetable areas and sheltered walkways are now almost hidden by stunning plantings of shrubs, climbers and tall perennials. There is also lovely new arched walkway and a huge extension to the kitchen garden proper. Plantings of berry canes, strawberries and artichokes which can be tricked into flowering in their first season by timely greenhouse heating and then cooling have been added and everywhere we looked there was order and productivity.