MY FAVORITE ROCK GARDEN

We made a return visit to Holehird Gardens this summer. We were staying at a B&B in Troutbeck village, Cumbria, and were delighted to find that the gardens were only a 3 mile walk.

Holehird Gardens is the home of the Lakeland Horticultural Society.  The 10 acre site is leased from the Holehird Trust and managed by a group of volunteers who do all the planning and development of the garden, each member having their own area to garden. As well as opening the garden to visitors, for a suggested donation of £4, they run education classes. They also hold the National Plant Collection of Astilbe, ( meadowsweet) Meconopsis, (Himalayan poppy), Daboecia, (heather) and Polystichum( sword fern). None of these are plants that I could ever grow in my garden but I do share a love of rock gardens and trough gardens.

Entry through the original walled garden

The original gardens were built in the late 19C but were derelict by 1945. In 1969 he LHS was formed to restore the gardens. Situated about 500' above sea level on a sloping site above Lake Windermere, the area receives around 70' rain a year.
The first part of the garden is contained within the original walled garden. We entered the garden through the gate revealing a low dry stone wall, planted with alpines.

Plants are well labelled although for me it is of little help because these plants would not enjoy our hot humid summers. Still, for those who live in the milder English climate it is a good education tool. Troughs look very good in a separate display area and raised above the ground not only for drainage but so that the plants can be more easily enjoyed. The backdrop of the low drystone wall above which is a grassy area with dispay beds is perfect.

Further along the wall, steps lead up to a grassy area with island beds.

At the end of the gravel walkway is a patio with seating area under a large prunus.

A collection of miniature hostas in a 'theatre'

Along the far wall is a wide herbaceous border.

I really would like to go through that door. But it says LHS MEMBERS ONLY. But I think I might be disappointed to find that it was the inside of a building built on the back side of the wall. I imagine they store their equipment in there.

At eh ed f this border we went out through a gate and turned left to visit the first of the greenhouses.

The tufa greenhouse is built into the hillside for protection from cold. It is the only one I have ever come across during many garden visits. The tufa is mounded up high so that it creates a bank of stonework bring the plants to eye level. At the far end is a water feature and pool.

A planter hewn from solid rock.

The rock garden with a backdrop of ornamental shrubs, including acers and conifers for winter interest. A bench, with thoughtful placement, to enable the visitor to enjoy the plantings and views.

Hi David! I am so lucky that he enjoys garden visits as much as I do. Well, almost!

We left the garden by the fell gate, walking across the field until we reached the road. Crossing the road we picked up the path back to Troutbeck village. My head was full of wonderful ideas for new garden troughs and rock garden planting.

ENGLISH GARDENS, SIZERGH CASTLE, HOLEHIRD GARDENS

I don't believe that my English heritage has anything to do with my love of English gardens, but my love of English gardens has certainly influenced the design of my own garden. 

On our recent visit to England we punctuated our visits with family and friends with visits to 6 beautiful gardens. The day after we arrived, with no rain in the forecast, we headed up to Sizergh Castle, in Cumbria, about a one hour drive from where we were staying. Sizergh is a National Trust property, acquired from the Strickland family in 1950. The house was started in 1239 but the present house dates back to the 14th century. The Stricklands still live in the house occupying one wing of the house which is excluded from the house tour. Following our guided tour through the house, where we saw some wonderful Elizabethan oak paneling, we headed out to the grounds. 

I have a fascination with plants growing out of walls and the climate in Cumbria supports all manner of wall growth. Here erigeron growing up the original entry staircase into the house.

The slate roofs covered with mosses.

But the star of Sizergh gardens is the limestone rock garden laid out in the 1920s.  It was not, as I imagined, a rock garden with alpine plants but a large sunken area with stream flowing through the bottom. The plantings were much larger than I imagined but still spectacular for the color of the Japanese maples set among conifers. 

We enjoyed our picnic lunch before heading up for a return visit to Holehird gardens, home of the Lakeland Horticultural Society. We had hoped to catch, once again, the Rhododendrons in flower, but most were past their peak bloom. We were, however, visiting at the perfect time to view the Himalayan blue poppy, Meconopsis. I have a vague memory that I once bought a packet of these seeds! I was doomed to failure as the plant will only grow in cool moist conditions! 

A perfect stand of yellow lupines.

However, my favorite features in this garden are the alpines growing in the lakeland scree, troughs, raised beds and the tufa house.

I can only dream of growing plants like this out of my walls.

The tufa house was once a Victorian pit house and now houses a permanent collection of alpines. At the far end water trickles over stacked lakeland slate. Large blocks of tufa create a permanent siting for Dianthus, Draba, Helychrysum and Saxifrages.

Ideas for my own garden were now floating around in my head as we headed home at the end of a perfect day of garden visits. Sunday we would be driving back up to visit the gardens of Gresgarth Hall.