We had hoped to be able to share our visit to John’s Garden at Ashwood Nurseries with you this month and be able to take you around this astonishing space. However as often happens in this country especially in the winter months the weather was in control!
The main garden was so wet underfoot that it was considered not to be safe enough for visitors. To make up for this the hellebore polytunnel was open where we would be treated to the view of the hundreds of stock plants and some new colours and patterns under development.
Although rain was forecast for the day we decided to set off whatever for a day in John’s Garden only to find out that only one area of the garden was open, Adam’s Garden. This area was developed in 2018 as a tribute to John’s young head gardener, who unexpectedly died in his sleep. It is now where visitors enter John’s Garden and through which they must pass to reach the main garden.
There was so much to see in Adam’s Garden as we slowly made our way around enjoying interesting collections of conifers, Witch Hazels and a variety of trees. In addition to this there were some large mixed borders in front of the cream coloured glasshouse. Snowdrops were a feature of these borders with lots of different ones to study and in some cases try to see what was significantly different enough about them to deserve a name and a place in garden centres and nurseries in the future.
Soon after entering Adam’s Garden we met a collection of interesting conifers most of which we hadn’t come across before. Each had interesting features which made them stand out.
After studying the conifers, we wandered towards the glasshouse and the island beds. We were most impressed to see the way coloured stems had been used to add extra colour to containers of hellebores. The island beds showed how Carex can be used to create rivers of colour.
Walking around the perimeter of these borders gave us close up views of the many interesting plants, small shrubs, spring bulbs and perennials. While there, we met a garden student/apprentice who was so interesting to talk to and we were able to answer her many queries about other local gardens as well as our favourite national choices. She felt special to be working in John’s Garden and would soon be off to Great Dixter to work with Fergus. It is good to know that gardening is in good hands if youngsters are coming through with this level of enthusiasm.
One of John’s favourite plants is the snowdrop and he has a large collection of special ones as well as large clumps of G. nivea.
G. Wasp G. elwesii ‘Natalie Garton’
Two of the selection with golden features on the flowers.
G. Dryad Gold Sovereign G. Dryad Gold Bullion
We were then very much surprised to see one with interesting foliage, broad mid-green leaves with a silver centre. Equally our eyes were drawn to the flowers of the next selection with extra green on some of their petals.
G. ‘Spring Cottage’. G. ‘South Hayes’
We then traced the fence separating ‘Adam’s Garden’ from the main part of ‘John’s Garden’ and looked out for the shrubs in the border this side of the fence, which then took us to some interesting trees and back to ‘Adam’s Garden’ where we were drawn to the large selection of Witch Hazels.
As only a small percentage. of John’s Garden was open for visitors it was decided to give a bonus – we could go into the Hellebore stock and breeding plants tunnel. It was so colourful and exciting to spot new colours being developed and the mass of different hellebores all together.
We have always admired the way John displays his hellebores as cut flowers by using just the flower heads floating in shallow bowls of water. We have followed his example at home for several years now. It is such a simple but clever idea, and a great way to finish reporting on our February visit to John’s Garden.
greenbenchramblings 