I’ve been pondering what to plant around my front door, and had been thinking of one climber, maybe two. But then I saw this house and realised that I need to be more imaginative than that.
There are least three climbers here – a passionflower, a cup-and-saucer plant (Cobaea scandens) and a wisteria – all still looking good in early December. The dark-leaved plants complement the yellow grasses and the yellowing wisteria. The dark pots complement the black surround of the door. It’s all very well thought out.
As so often happens with this blog, the owner came home just as I was admiring her handiwork. I got the impression she was used to her house attracting attention and said it’s going to appear on the front of the 2014 Bradford-on-Avon calendar.
The house is part of three terraced streets on a hillside overlooking the town. They’re a mix of weavers’ cottages and merchants’ houses, built from the 17th century onwards. Each house has a small, south-facing garden on the other side of the pavement. It was practically dark when I visited but they all looked really different – everyone had dealt with the slope in a different way, and had come up with ways of creating privacy (lots of walkers and tourists use the path). As luck would have it, some of them will be open for Secret gardens festival in Bradford-on-Avon next year, which is a nosey blogger’s dream. I’ll be first in the queue.
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I do love having a nosey round other’s gardens. We went up to see Petra Hoyer Millar’s garden last summer for her villages open gardens scheme and it was great fun, she even gave us a guided tour. We will try to get to the Bradford on Avon one. Maybe we will see you there 😉
Out of my Shed wants to go too so maybe we should make a day of it! Garden snoopers of the world unite!
The gardens look gorgeous. Definitely on my list for next year!
Err all very well but why have you not taken any pictures of ‘Tory’ which is much nicer than ‘Middle Rank’ (pah… the name say’s it all!). I hear number 8 is particular special with a ‘Late century urban 70’s twist shed garden’ look? Is this laziness or just political discrimination….? Us at Tory are not impressed.
Tory Boy
I think I saw the garden you mention and found it sadly lacking in style, flair and general ambience. Mediocre gardens have no place on this blog!
Well you should check out my blog …. Mediocre Garden Design.co.uk, its well very Mediocre!
Are you linked to mediocrearchitects.co.uk?
I meant to go to the Secret Gardens shindig ladt year but it didn’t quite happen. Looks like we have a full blown bloggers get together on our hands this year. Bring it on 🙂
There could be quite an army of us! I’ll keep an eye out for dates!