greenbenchramblings

Broughton Grange – a walled garden plus.

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date July 4, 2013
4 Comments on Broughton Grange – a walled garden plus.

Back to Oxfordshire and this time we shall share a wander around a most wonderful and varied garden which we were privileged to visit recently. The gardens at Broughton Grange are only open a few days a year in support of charities and we visited on a weekend when it was open under the auspices of the National Garden Scheme, The Yellow Book.

We arrived not long after it opened and approached across a traditional wild flower meadow through which was cut a vehicle width track. Without thinking we drove slowly across the grass, the fact that we were taking a mechanical monster over something so delicate and special made us move as gently as possible.

Although there is plenty to see here we had to immediately make for the walled garden which had been designed by Tom Stuart-Smith. I was so keen to explore this garden that I even did without my pre-explore coffee! I was glad I did!

The design had a strong structure beneath it, both of hard landscaping and natural frameworks, which provided a network into which the plants could grow, softening the hard surfaces as they did so.

The planting scheme here had a wonderful coherence which allowed your eye to move slowly across a delicate colour palette but sometimes individual plants stood out from the crowd and demanded a closer second look. Luckily for us there were lots of access pathways so we could delve into the borders to enjoy a close look at specials that caught our eyes.

First a few shots of borders………….

………… and now for some of the glittering stars!

Foliage played an important role here too, with leaf texture, shape and colour adding further interest to the plantings.

We spotted this little cameo as we were leaving the walled garden to explore the outer grounds. A piece of accidental garden sculpture?

Outside the walled garden many acres awaited discovery by Mr and Mrs Greenbench. Woodland, a new arboretum, meadows and features such as this Laburnum arch – sunglasses were essential if you wished to pass through it!

Nearby a new patch of woodland featured many native trees plus a select few non-natives, such as lilacs with rich fruity scent that filled the air all through the neighbouring trees.

We wandered through an interesting garden in front of the house itself on our way to the arboretum. Here little meadows full of airy wild flowers and native grasses moving gently in the summer breeze bordered a parterre with bright blue obelisks as highlights.

As we left the old woodland to enter the newly planted arboretum we discovered a stumpery. We have a soft spot for stumperies and this was an interesting one as it was designed and laid out to form a welcoming funnel between the two sections of garden. From the woodland side the stumps build up to form a gateway.

So in my follow-up post about this wonderful garden I shall begin with the stumpery.

Tags stumpery

climbing plants colours garden design garden photography gardening hardy perennials ornamental grasses ornamental trees and shrubs outdoor sculpture poppies roses Shropshire shrubs

A Bouquet for June

The stars of June h to be the alliums this year, which is rather odd because roses should be outshining them by now. Everything in our garden though is a good month behind this year after a strange start to the year where weather was concerned. Our roses usually begin to bloom in May and peak in June but they are just beginning their show now.

The front garden is almost over full this year with periods of warmth and wet weather creating ideal conditions for plant growth.

So the borders look lush and extra green. The gravel garden looks fuller than ever and we are pleased to see the return of our “purple flowered wild carrot” which we planted as a very small specimen last year. The first of the photos below shows this umbellifer in front of Euphorbia griffithii and the second a self-seeded achillea, another umbellifer growing through the same euphorbia. This promises to be an interesting colourful patch soon.

The stump garden is looking particularly pleasing just now and close up we can see tiny little sedums growing in the dimples of the old oak wood.

In the last few days we have given the Seaside Garden a tidy up.We painted the fence, removed old woody plants, added a few new ones and put up some cleaned netting which was some recycled fishing net originally used off the north coast of Scotland.

We also needed to revamp our little scree bed – it is odd how if one patch in the garden needs a re-vamp there always seem more. We had to replace all the wooden edging which had rotted and many of the plants had outgrown their spaces. We top-dressed the bed with fresh slate chips, a by-product of the slate mining industry and added a few new alpine plants.

Let us wander around now using a gallery – just follow by clicking on any photo and use the arrows to navigate. Enjoy the journey!

Tags foliage, foliage plants, garden photography, gardening, grasses, ornamental trees, shrubs, summer, trees

architecture buildings renovation Shropshire

Exhibition in The Old Flax Mill

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date June 30, 2013
4 Comments on Exhibition in The Old Flax Mill

Our daughter, Jo, occasionally shows some of her jewellery at exhibitions. The latest was in an amazing venue, an old and unique building in Shrewsbury, the Flax Mill.

Sadly this special building is little more than a wreck but at last it is being renovated and given a chance of a new life. What makes it unique is that it is the first ever skyscraper in the world. All the earliest skyscrapers in Chicago were based on the construction used here. It is hard to comprehend how the current state of this building has been allowed to happen.

Anyway at last things are looking up. To help launch the redevelopment local artists and craftspeople were invited to exhibit some of their work based on the theme of “regeneration”. Jo showed some of her silver jewellery designed around the theme of the structure of plants that first regenerate a destroyed habitat.

The photos can only give a clue as to their quality as I had to photograph them through the glass of the show case.

The exhibition gave a rare chance to see inside this building prior to the builders moving in. Signs of old energy supply and structural materials gave glimpses into the previous lives of the building as a flax mill and as a malt house.

This unusual venue for art works to be shown presented strange juxtapositions.

There wereinteresting textures, shapes and colours wherever the camera lens roamed. Click on the “Flax Mill” photo and then follow me and my camera around using the arrows. I hope this helps you experience the strange atmosphere this building evokes.

Tags architecture, buildings, flax mill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

bird watching birds countryside landscapes meadows trees wildlife woodland

A wander in the Oxfordshire countryside

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date June 27, 2013
5 Comments on A wander in the Oxfordshire countryside

We were in Oxfordshire for a few days last week mainly because it was my birthday and as a treat Jude the Undergardener arranged for us to visit a garden designed by one of my favourite garden designers, Tom Stuart-Smith. (If you are a regular reader you will already know that!) He had designed a part of a much bigger garden which we discovered included two of our favourite features, meadows and an arboretum. But that is the subject of my next post so you have to wait for that treat!

A mile or two from out hotel was a nursery specialising in herbs (The National Herb Centre) and it had the added benefit of being in farmland to which visitors had access. We did enjoy looking at the huge variety of herbs especially the mints, lavenders and thymes but we mostly wanted to get into that countryside.

We wandered through wet grassland where even the cut paths were saturated from the heavy overnight rain. As rain still threatened and dark clouds loomed overhead we headed for the woods in the bottom of a valley. We were glad we did as the air was thick with birdsong. It was so loud and there were so many birds there, that it brought back memories of country childhoods where this volume of birdsong resounded everywhere. Sadly it is now rare. So rare that it stopped us in our tracks. Blackbirds, Dunnocks Wrens, Robins and Song Thrushes. These resident birds provided the main chorus but the solos were performed by the summer visitors, the warblers. Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs, Wood Warblers and Redstarts.

A loud buzzing sound emanating from behind a notice on a tree trunk made us stop and investigate. Dark bodied bees were busy around a crack in the bark and in the shelter of the notice. They seemed calm so I moved in close to take a photo and they didn’t seem to mind. However they changed their tune when the camera flash went off, their gentle buzzing sounded more urgent and aggressive so we moved away rapidly.

Leaving the shelter of the wood we were pleased that the rain had stopped and the world looked a lot brighter so we followed a path around the meadows which we discovered were very damp so in patches were covered in that most ancient of plants the Mares Tail, always a sign of damp ground. Anywhere that the ground dipped a pool had formed.

Between two of these pools a surprise awaited us. Look at the next photo and see if you can work out just what lurks in the greenery.

Have a look at this second view taken a few steps further back and there is a clue.

Yes, here in the soggy ground between two pools the farmer had abandoned a pair of old tractors. The one deep in the undergrowth would never pull a plough to turn the earth but with a little persuasion the second might. The amount of wildlife living in the oldest of the two must have been vast. The bodywork was host to mosses, lichen and algae and spiders had crafted their webs from the wing mirrors. But the biggest surprise of all was that a pair of Bullfinches, surely one of our most colourful native birds were feeding a nest of young within its heart. So there was plenty of life in the old tractor still!

Of course once we had finished enjoying wandering around the fields we returned to the garden centre for a coffee and to purchase a few choice plants. Who could ask for more?

Tags Banbury, birds, insects, meadows, ornamental trees, Oxfordshire, warblers, wildlife

climbing plants colours fruit and veg garden design garden photography gardening grow your own hardy perennials Hardy Plant Society HPS ornamental trees and shrubs Powis Powys

A hillside garden near Welshpool

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date June 25, 2013
4 Comments on A hillside garden near Welshpool

In my last post I invited you to join us on our journeys through two tiny town gardens in Welshpool and promised s different visit to a garden nearby. We found this garden by following narrow single track lanes with passing points and we drove higher and higher above the town of Welshpool and way out into the countryside. Jude the Undergardener’s little car finally turned into the lane leading up to the garden. This lane was so steep the car struggled so we were relieved to finally get parked up alongside other Hardy Planters cars on the little grass verge car park.

Getting out of the car we were met with the most amazing views over farmland and what seemed like a huge sky.

We had to admire anyone who could garden against such odds. An average garden would have been quite an achievement but we were treated to a brilliant garden. The borders were rich with planting with variety in colour and texture.

As with any Hardy Planter’s garden there were some beautiful specimen plants that stopped you in your tracks demanding a closer look. They deserved appreciation.

In the lower section of the garden below the house a poly tunnel housed impressive crops, potatoes, tomatoes and even peaches. It was amazing to see the Runner Beans in flower so early in the year.

I shall finish with a few more shots of this wonderful garden created in such a difficult environment.

climbing plants colours garden design garden photography gardening half-hardy perennials hardy perennials Hardy Plant Society HPS ornamental trees and shrubs outdoor sculpture photography Powis roses shrubs town gardens trees

Two Welshpool Town Gardens

June’s Hardy Plant Society garden visit took us to two little town gardens. The first garden was truly tiny and the second slightly less tiny. They were perfect if very different examples of what it is possible to achieve in such small spaces. The secret to them both was wriggly paths leading the eyes and feet around to discover hidden secrets.

The tiniest of the two had planting at all levels from tiny specimens right by your toes to trees above your head and the borders were full of unusual plants. Little surprises.

The gardeners here even found room for an alpine house, a fruit cage and a couple of little water features.

Humour is essential in any garden however small.

Humour reigned supreme in the second garden we visited that morning. There were interesting arches, grottoes, seating areas all surrounded in lush planting.

Hidden throughout this little patch were containers planted up skilfully to give surprises wherever we turned.

Deep in the heart of this little paradise we came across a cool enclosed garden where we found ourselves in for a real treat – a little glimpse of the Far East.

This garden was tightly fitted within a group of houses close by the town’s main church and occasionally we caught glimpses of these other buildings through the foliage.

Atop one of the many little outbuildings lived a very healthy and happy green roof.

This was a very special garden – a place to relax and become engulfed in plants. In the afternoon we met again as a group to enjoy a very different garden in a very different setting. We found ourselves out in the open high up on a hillside with big skies above a wide view. This garden features in my next post.

Tags clematis, foliage, foliage plants, garden photography, gardening, greenhouse gardening, greenhouses, ornamental trees, outdoor sculpture, Powis, Powys, roses, shrubs, town gardens, Welshpool

bird watching birds nature reserves

Potteric Carr – a wildlife haven just off the M1

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date June 20, 2013
2 Comments on Potteric Carr – a wildlife haven just off the M1

With a name like Potteric Carr this place just had to be good and it called out to us to drop in for a wander as we drove north on the dreaded dull M1. We succumbed and diverted through the biggest weirdest road work empire ever created. There were no signs telling you where to go just no entry signs telling you where not to go. Thank you dear Galaxy smart phone for rescuing us and sending us to the right place.

It was tempting to turn back when we saw where the reserve was situated, as all that noise, traffic, road works, building work and concrete was off-putting. The first photo shows the expanse of water and reed beds with a line of giant pylons striding across in the distance.

We were so please we ignored these scourges of modern man and after passing through the reserve’s entrance building we had several hours discovering natural wonders. There were way marked trails everywhere and lots of choice. We chose our route and set off via the sensory garden designed for children – we always go to the children’s features first! This little area was based on the phases of the life of butterflies. We gleaned several ideas for our own allotment site trail. Lovely natural woven archways welcomed walkers from whatever direction they arrived.

Lovely quirky features such as seats shaped like butterflies and matching recently sown wildflower meadows provided plenty of interest.

The skills of local craftsmen are displayed in the woodcarvings of the various stages in the life of a butterfly and a particular favourite a ladybird.

Following the track around the reserve afforded us views over areas of water, woodland and streamsides.

The bird life was stunning and we spotted our first sightings of several summer migrants for this year – Redstart, Whitethroat and Blackcaps and also our first Mediterranean and Icelandic Gulls of the year. To top it off we spotted our first ever Blacknecked Grebe and close up views of several Garganey, a rather scarce duck.

Extra entertainment was provided by rather more common species. A Mute Swan with young in nearby reeds was not happy when a Canada Goose moved in a little too closely.

The poor goose was so embarrassed at being chased off by the swan that he decided to go off and pick on someone his own size, another goose.

colours garden design garden photography gardening hardy perennials meadows spring gardening

Aquilegias in June

As spring-flowering bulbs fade hope relies on the Aquilegias for the next big colour burst. In our garden we have many selections of self-seeded natives and several species from elsewhere. They are grown for their unusual bonnet-shaped flowers, which come in a huge range of colours and shapes but are best recognised by the spurs that fly from the back of the blooms. Some have virtually no spurs at all but others can have spurs several inches long. They are traditional cottage garden plants but in the wild grow in a range of habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere and can be found in meadows, woodlands and higher up mountain sides.

One of their strengths is their hardiness, defying whatever the weather may throw at them but also shrugging off pests and diseases. We have never had a problem on any of our hundreds of plants, so they are excellent plants for the organic gardener.

Please enjoy a walk around our garden looking for our aquilegias. Just click on any shot and follow the arrow.

Tags aquilegias, garden photography, gardening, meadows, organic gardening

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Happy Birthday Greenbenchramblings – 2 years old today!

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date June 16, 2013
6 Comments on Happy Birthday Greenbenchramblings – 2 years old today!

It is just 2 years since I launched my blog. I didn’t have any expectations of it. I didn’t know which directions it would follow. It has changed in its two years, generally the posts are longer and have fewer words but more photos.

About 330 posts have appeared on Greenbenchramblings and there have been about 22000 views and 1500 comments.

I need to select a bright cheerful photo as my Happy Birthday card to Greenbenchramblings, but I have too many to choose from. So here is my selected short list of ten photos taken over the last few weeks.

So it is up to you to decide which one you would put on the birthday card to celebrate my 2 years of blogging. Which is it to be?

bird watching birds landscapes nature reserves the sea the seaside wildlife Yorkshire

Bempton Cliffs – a birding paradise

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date June 15, 2013

Bempton Cliffs is far north of here on the Yorkshire coast and a place we had never visited but we had heard much about the bird life there, especially the sea birds. As Jude the Undergardener had never seen a Puffin in her life, even though it is one of her favourite wildlife characters, we decided a visit was on the cards. We arrived with expectations high as we were anticipating spotting some special birds.

We soon realised we were in for a special day when we noticed that the sparrows flocking around the RSPB’s visitor centre were not House Sparrows but the much scarcer Tree Sparrows with their smart brown berets replacing the drab grey of their commoner cousins.

But we were here to look along the steep tall cliffs at the seabirds beginning to claim territories and begin nest-building. We wandered down to where the land dropped steeply away and looked down to see dozens of large mostly black and white coloured birds speedily flying close to the cliffs themselves and occasionally dropping onto ledges where nest-building was just starting. Most of these were Guillimots and Razorbills but the true stars were the smaller Puffins with their large multi-coloured striped bills.

I spent an awful lot of time trying to get photos of Gannets in flight. It was a real difficult challenge and I had lots of failures and no real successes, but here are my best efforts.

I can’ resist showing a couple of failures just to give you a laugh – a near miss and a total miss.

The individual birds were impressive but it was the sheer size of the colonies of the Gannets that amazed us.

It wasn’t just sea birds that made Bempton special though as we saw four sorts of Wagtail – Pied, Yellow, White and Grey Wagtails, two sorts of Pipits – Meadow and Rock. and two sorts of Bunting – Corn and Reed.

After being amazed and stunned by the bird life we were amused by the amphibians. A shallow pond near the visitor centre was heaving with lively frogs.