Last Friday MsV and I planted up the garden at Tymperleys. At this stage all the plants are small and green and blobby so a picture doesn’t look very impressive:
The central beds are edged with Lavender ‘Hidcote’ and Santolina incana and contain various herbs. Some of these aren’t available from the nursery yet so there will have to be another smaller planting session in the middle of April.
In the corner beds I’ve taken my cue from the existing cardoons and echinops, so we have more of those to give height, plus yellow roses (‘Charlotte’) and hypericum and a variety of pretty perennials including Leucanthemum ‘T.E.Killen’ to provide some cheery daisies. On the wall to the right I’ve planted more yellow roses (‘Maigold’ and ‘Golden Showers’) and a blue Clematis (Perle d’Azur’) with blue Irises along the front of the bed.
Planting them up was done in a jiffy – then we had to contend with the fact that there isn’t an outside tap yet! In the end a long hose and a certain amount of bodging sufficed but it still didn’t quite reach so I hauled watering cans for the furthest plants.
The Sproutling Writes 
Spring clean up is very important, it can make garden tidy and it can show its best!
My lavender is in trouble. The large bush has grown old. The very small ones along the edge of a border haven’t liked our wet and windy weather.
Looking at your picture – the bareness of a spring garden can be exciting because of the way it emphasises potential – what might be and what is definitely to come.
Yes the wonderful thing about new planting is all that potential. I hope your lavender makes it – a wet winter can be tough on lavender.
What a pretty design for this little spot. Lovely. Can’t wait to see what it looks like when the plants have grown.
Lovely, Libby! As I understand, you had to (re)-create a garden, that once existed next to a 15 century house? Sorry, I had to google, and glad i did: it explained the formal lay out, and the purpose of this garden: purely decorative, good-old-fashioned, matching the tea-room and whole atmosphere of the museum. Is this how it used to be a few years ago? http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Garden_of_Tymperleys_museum,_Colchester_-_geograph.org.uk_-_189179.jpg Looked very nice, and I am sure your concept will look no less wonderful. Curious to see some pictures further in seasons.
Hi Olga,
Thanks for the link. It looks lovely in that pic – I’m aiming for something just as pretty but a touch more formal. This isn’t just a tea room; it’s also a venue for smaller weddings and conferences. So I’m not recreating the garden as such but I am using the plants to hark back to historical herb gardens.
Oh it is wonderful to hear, Libby! Herb gardens being my special interest, 🙂 I have a weak spot for formal historical herb gardens, too. I like it when they evolve and continue to strive. I wish you all the best in your project!
nothing like the excitement of building a new garden!