A garden, uncovered, and rediscovered
When we took over Ducks the garden and paddocks were overgrown with brambles and nettles, and bushes that had become trees. The hedges were populated by several willow, holly and beech trees that cut out the light.
Roses were about the only plants that had flourished under the jungle of competing flora, chiefly by growing taller than everything else.
A mini-Heligan.
With massive help from Tina and Ceri, and later on Sharon’s parents Bryan and Gladys, when they stayed here between houses,
we removed decking paths, cut down the overgrown trees, including a stand of Llaylandai that dominated the top of the garden, and cleared the garden of brambles and nettles, discovering a delightful garden underneath, with stone edging to paths, stone walls and three beautiful ancient apple trees.
We removed several dilapidated sheds, one revealing a patio underneath, and a rose arch that was home to a most prickly rambler. This arch now does duty as the seated arbour by the wildlife pond.
We also discovered a well which will house a solar pump to give some movement to it when the sun shines.
Ceri has spent many days tackling the overgrown and silt filled leats that run around the perimeter, down the centre of the paddock and along the eastern bank, allowing them to flow properly. It has made quite a difference to the wetness of the ground, which was almost marshy in parts in the first autumn/winter. An absolute torrent rushes down them now when we have rain, and are only dry when we have no rain for several days in summer, when that occasionally occurs...
This section of the website will be updated regularly as we get to grips with planting, renovating and improvements. We aim to uncover and use as much of the original design as we can. Some has been lost under later restructuring. We aim to keep parts of that too, as it is all the history of the garden, but we want to make it flow smoothly from one section to another.
If you are of a green fingered nature pop over to Ash Moor Nursery,
less than three miles away, out towards the A361 link road
When we took over Ducks the garden and paddocks were overgrown with brambles and nettles, and bushes that had become trees. The hedges were populated by several willow, holly and beech trees that cut out the light.
Roses were about the only plants that had flourished under the jungle of competing flora, chiefly by growing taller than everything else.
A mini-Heligan.
With massive help from Tina and Ceri, and later on Sharon’s parents Bryan and Gladys, when they stayed here between houses,
we removed decking paths, cut down the overgrown trees, including a stand of Llaylandai that dominated the top of the garden, and cleared the garden of brambles and nettles, discovering a delightful garden underneath, with stone edging to paths, stone walls and three beautiful ancient apple trees.
We removed several dilapidated sheds, one revealing a patio underneath, and a rose arch that was home to a most prickly rambler. This arch now does duty as the seated arbour by the wildlife pond.
We also discovered a well which will house a solar pump to give some movement to it when the sun shines.
Ceri has spent many days tackling the overgrown and silt filled leats that run around the perimeter, down the centre of the paddock and along the eastern bank, allowing them to flow properly. It has made quite a difference to the wetness of the ground, which was almost marshy in parts in the first autumn/winter. An absolute torrent rushes down them now when we have rain, and are only dry when we have no rain for several days in summer, when that occasionally occurs...
This section of the website will be updated regularly as we get to grips with planting, renovating and improvements. We aim to uncover and use as much of the original design as we can. Some has been lost under later restructuring. We aim to keep parts of that too, as it is all the history of the garden, but we want to make it flow smoothly from one section to another.
If you are of a green fingered nature pop over to Ash Moor Nursery,
less than three miles away, out towards the A361 link road
The Constant Gardener.
We are a short way into a plan that will in all probability take a decade or more to come to fruition.
Plants take time to grow and mature. Planting a hedge or a tree now will not yield much of a result for years, but you have to start somewhere.
We began by making a lawn for the holiday let guests using the fencing that had surrounded the wildlife pond, which will eventually be overgrown by
the hedging. It encompasses the ancient apple trees. We believe they are Crimson Brambley, the same as in the old Meshaw Barton orchard.
The lawn is archetypal old country cottage, full of moss and daisiess, and snowdrops and daffodils in the early months of the year, and is
wonderfully uneven.
The superb and stately conifer at the top of the lawn, and its partner in the copse, keep a good show of green when the deciduous trees have
jettisoned their leaves in autumn.
Parts of a box hedge have survived along the centre path and we are encouraging it to grow, with a lovely copper beech and some honeysuckle,
along with several bushes of indeterminate types that had overgrown and were pruned back, making it all part of the hedge around the guests' lawn.
It has grown tremendously in the last two or three years and is making a fine and attractive feature. The overgrown holly and Copper Beech that
were cut down to size have bushed up nicely, to begin to make a hedge on the other side of the centre path.
The Devon bank along the lane was in good condition, being thick and bushy from top to bottom, needing little more than some pruning
to a better height.
We fitted a door into a hole in the bank to allow access to the guests' lawn from the lane. Eventually the greenery and roses will grow over the wooden frame, making an enticing entrance.
We purchased a fine selection of young trees and bushes from a garden nursery sale. Many are crabapples, as these are a favoured species for planting
in Devon banks. We have planted several species along both sides of the centre leat in the paddock above the garden. As they grow they will help
in drying the naturally wet ground.
Plants take time to grow and mature. Planting a hedge or a tree now will not yield much of a result for years, but you have to start somewhere.
We began by making a lawn for the holiday let guests using the fencing that had surrounded the wildlife pond, which will eventually be overgrown by
the hedging. It encompasses the ancient apple trees. We believe they are Crimson Brambley, the same as in the old Meshaw Barton orchard.
The lawn is archetypal old country cottage, full of moss and daisiess, and snowdrops and daffodils in the early months of the year, and is
wonderfully uneven.
The superb and stately conifer at the top of the lawn, and its partner in the copse, keep a good show of green when the deciduous trees have
jettisoned their leaves in autumn.
Parts of a box hedge have survived along the centre path and we are encouraging it to grow, with a lovely copper beech and some honeysuckle,
along with several bushes of indeterminate types that had overgrown and were pruned back, making it all part of the hedge around the guests' lawn.
It has grown tremendously in the last two or three years and is making a fine and attractive feature. The overgrown holly and Copper Beech that
were cut down to size have bushed up nicely, to begin to make a hedge on the other side of the centre path.
The Devon bank along the lane was in good condition, being thick and bushy from top to bottom, needing little more than some pruning
to a better height.
We fitted a door into a hole in the bank to allow access to the guests' lawn from the lane. Eventually the greenery and roses will grow over the wooden frame, making an enticing entrance.
We purchased a fine selection of young trees and bushes from a garden nursery sale. Many are crabapples, as these are a favoured species for planting
in Devon banks. We have planted several species along both sides of the centre leat in the paddock above the garden. As they grow they will help
in drying the naturally wet ground.
Roses & azaleas
On of the few plants that survived the wilderness were roses, they were 20 ft tall, having competed with brambles and holly trees, but were thriving.
We pruned them back to half their height over the first few years, and now they are at a more manageable size.
As we both love roses, we decided to continue to add more to that part of the garden, the only stipulation being that they are scented if at all possible.
The rose patch now covers a large part of the beds above, and around, the blue bench, so sitting there on a summer's day you can enjoy the sight of the blooms,
the combination of scents and the bees buzzing about on all the blossom of the azaleas.
We pruned them back to half their height over the first few years, and now they are at a more manageable size.
As we both love roses, we decided to continue to add more to that part of the garden, the only stipulation being that they are scented if at all possible.
The rose patch now covers a large part of the beds above, and around, the blue bench, so sitting there on a summer's day you can enjoy the sight of the blooms,
the combination of scents and the bees buzzing about on all the blossom of the azaleas.
Water lilies at Ducks
The rhododendrons at the transition from garden to paddock will be extended on that side with more of the same, and azaleas,
where the llylandai are at present, to eventually create a pathway between the bank and the paddock, around the sycamore tree, and leading to the pond.
The wildlife pond we aim to make a more secluded, hidden space, we placed a seat facing it for contemplation, and a beer, catching the evening sun.
With some stone benches and a statuette or two, and some conifers to make a more formal setting compared to the rest of the plot.
Planting a wild privet hedge between it and the polytunnel and raised beds will keep the two separate and encourage investigation around to a gap at the leat edge.
where the llylandai are at present, to eventually create a pathway between the bank and the paddock, around the sycamore tree, and leading to the pond.
The wildlife pond we aim to make a more secluded, hidden space, we placed a seat facing it for contemplation, and a beer, catching the evening sun.
With some stone benches and a statuette or two, and some conifers to make a more formal setting compared to the rest of the plot.
Planting a wild privet hedge between it and the polytunnel and raised beds will keep the two separate and encourage investigation around to a gap at the leat edge.
Future plans
We will keep you posted!
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