When Steve and I moved into our lovely Grade II listed cottage, it was in a rather dilapidated state; ceilings falling in, rotten floorboards, cracked windows… And the garden? Well, it was rough grassland, open to the field at the front, and home to a rabbit warren in the rear. The only flowers present in any numbers were the snowdrops, which line the front path still. In creating our garden, we found evidence that it was once a cottage garden, with perennials such as everlasting sweet peas, aquilegia and primroses popping up randomly, here and there. All structure, though, had disappeared. By laying paths, building structures and appropriate planting, we set out to recreate this.
My garden is, by comparison with some of the magnificent gardens in the village, quite small. However, it is, I hope, full of interest and yet it will never be finished, changing all the time!
Before we were able to work on the garden, we restored the cottage carefully, with a deep respect for her history and antiquity.
From about 1900 Sir Hubert Miller (Lord of the Manor) would spend some of his time in a villa he had in Venice. Sometimes he would stay away from Froyle for six months of the year. When he returned he would bring with him small statues of saints.
These were placed in the niches and under the eaves of the houses and cottages belonging to the estate in Upper Froyle; and here they stand today, even though the estate has long since been split up.
As a result of this Froyle has become known as ‘The Village of Saints’. Together with No.2 (the saint is mounted in the centre of our semi-detached cottages) we are very proud of the “Good Shepherd” who guards the garden.
I use no chemicals in the garden and have noticed that if blackfly/greenfly infest my plants, lacewings and ladybirds appear to have their fill. I encourage the birds, and enjoy their company. Many nest in the garden and the rear eaves of the house are full of chattering house sparrows who have clearly nested there for decades. They are also so useful in feeding their young baby slugs! Of course, this approach can result in some failures and a few of my plants do succumb. But, in the case of caterpillars, I would much rather protect or replace my plants than reduce the number of butterflies that grace the garden on a sunny day.
One of the first things we did in the front garden was to plant a bare-root wildlife hedge This, together with building a rose and clematis covered pergola across the garden ensured that the cottage garden perennial plants we planted were protected from the severe winds which blow across the open field next to us. We removed most of the grass, leaving a path through the front garden, planted a number of flowering shrubs, including my favourite buddleja, attracting bees and butterflies all over the garden.
I think of my back garden as something of a “potager”, and I mix flowers and vegetables together from seed I sow each year. There really is nothing like a freshly picked tomato or cucumber from the greenhouse, or runner beans picked and eaten within the hour. One of the things I find to be both a challenge and a marvellous thing is that this year’s successes may be next year’s failures. So much depends on the weather and conditions, what pests are around, whether the soil was correct.
Mixed with my vegetables, sweet peas, cosmos, nicotiana, all grace vases in the cottage each year. I love to try new varieties and I use my raised beds to make sure I always have fresh produce throughout the spring, summer and autumn months. I believe in companion planting – basil with tomatoes, nasturtium with beans, calendula with courgettes… the list of new combinations to try is endless and fascinating!
I love fruit, and have a number of raspberry canes, currants, plums, redcurrants, blackcurrants, strawberries, gooseberries and, unusually, a row of a blackcurrant and gooseberry cross – jostaberry – which I have grown tall as a hedge, dividing the garden.
I so enjoy the plants that feel so at home with me that they self-seed and pop up indiscriminately. I find that calendula, poached egg plants (so sunny and cheerful), alchemilla mollis and aquilegia are far better at deciding where to grow than I am! I find the mixed-up naturalistic jumble I end up with to be really attractive.
Almost every shady nook in my garden provides a home for a variety of ferns; I appreciate their variety of leaf shapes and forms as well as the range of different green shades, brightening any shade. I have a large fern just outside my kitchen window, and watching the early fronds unfolding in their primaeval style is one of the joys of spring, just as much as the tulips and daffodils.
The far end of the garden is reached through a clematis-covered arch, and is home to my essential three-bay compost bins, where I make “black gold” to feed my plants and enrich the soil. I have grown some potentially prize-winning pumpkins and squashes in those compost bins – they have been known to climb the hawthorn hedge to access better sunshine! Here, there is also a small wildlife pond, and views across the fields. An ancient plum tree – with sparse fruit of a French “Mirabelle” type, stands on the edge of the garden.
I love all forms of craft work and, examples of fused glass and mosaic work that I have made, along with a few unusual pieces by local artists, are dotted around.
Water is so important in the garden, and I have a range of water butts, and each section of the garden has water for the birds and wildlife.
I am looking forward to welcoming you to my garden, as it is my “happy place”. Please be aware that, beyond the front path, the garden is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs and visitors should take care on steps and uneven ground. We do have a few “pinch points” and you may be asked to wait a few minutes before entry (perhaps to peruse my sale of plants and homemade chutney).