Sussex Prairie Garden

I began by splitting this post into two as there are so many photos but then I thought it needed to be one in order to appreciate this unusual and diverse garden.

Below we arrive at the home of the owners having parked in an adjoining field

It is privately owned by Paul and Pauline who began planting (with the help of family and friends in May 2008)

Surrounded by mature oak trees the six acre garden consists of a series of interlocking arcs of large planted borders in a naturalistic style.

The borders encourage exploration and adventure and visitors are encouraged to roam in amongst the plants to further enjoy the experience. The plantings consist of large groupings of each variety, planted in a free flowing style, which contrasts leaf forms, stems, stalks, flower shapes and textures. 

Colours are soft and muted, and complement the natural landscape.

We enter the garden by walking first through their property

They do bed and breakfast for garden enthusiasts who come here to learn more about planting

passing one of the best and diverse insect hotels I have come across

Very soon I feel like I am visiting 

The Little House on the Prairie

Our first glimpse at the garden

See the sculptured animals wandering through the vegetable garden

This area is part of the 'cutting garden' where flowers can be bought and one can be taught flower arranging

We come to the tea room where we will be finishing off the afternoon when we have wandered the garden

Walking right inside the plantings one is able to savour it all close up

My Grandchildren would have loved running around the paths and hiding from us

Statues and quirky art work abound

Using old vinyl records! 

Time for afternoon tea before homeward bound

and we decide to take it indoors having walked around two lovely gardens today in the sun (this visit was back in the Summer of course!)

Hope you enjoyed your ramble around this very unusual garden.

Hard to imagine it has only been 6 years in the making.

NYMANS House & Garden - Pt 2

Don't miss my last post, if you did not see it, of the beautiful formal gardens.

The house with it's dramatic architecture - part Regency and part pseudo- Medieval, is not lived in any more. It is owned by The national Trust has an interesting history.

It was owned and lived in by the Messel family through 4 generations.

Ludwig and Anne Messel moved to London from Germany in the middle of the 19th century.

Ludwig was a successful Banker and needed a place to escape the chaos of London.

His legacy was a passion for gardening and is enjoyed by many visitors today.

The library was the favourite room of Anne, Countess of Ross and the room remains exactly as she left it.

The house is part ruins now following a fire in 1947.

We will be having lunch now after which I have another garden to take you to which is only 20 minutes drive away and certainly a garden with a difference!

NYMANS - A Garden to Brighten a Winter's Day - Part 1

Certainly a garden  to brighten a Winter's day, while not forgetting the thousands of people in the country at present devastated by the continuing (6 weeks) of storms, gales and floods.
So many have had to leave their homes as the flood waters rise and not just coming in, but also ground water rising up out of the ground (into their homes) which is so saturated.
So much flooding in the west country and the south coast and with the cliff falling away in Dawlish in Devon leaving the railway line high in the air and twisted and eventually all rail link to the west closed on all main lines.
Now it is also the South East and Thames valley where people are being evacuated as the floods rise.
Yesterday brought 112 mile an hour winds to the Welsh coast and North West (my home town) of England with much devastation, motorway closure and people having to leave trains as travelling became too dangerous.
Now we are awaiting the latest storm from the Atlantic set to hit tomorrow bringing a month's rain overnight. All this on top of what is already there plus the continued draining of water from the hills.
For us personally it is no more than a nuisance and an inconvenience but for so many they do not know when they will be able to return to their ruined homes.
Our prayers go out to them.
It was interesting to see on TV the only way that trains could get from London to the Oxford and Windsor areas. They had to revert to the old fashioned way where the driver collected a token from a signal man before it could move (the same being done in the opposite direction) as the automated signal boxes were knocked out by the weather!  

Now taking time to look back to the Summer and here we see a special tree set up for the children who can leave a name tag on this  tree after they have completed the 

Wind in the Willows trail.

We will wander around taking photos as we go

but stopping for coffee here and later lunch

Glad I don't have to trim these topiaries

The house with all it's history which we will visit in the next post

Hubby getting in the picture again!

Part of the house is in ruins after a fire

I have had this fairly uncommon (Ilex bush) in my garden for over ten years but it is a very slow grower but I do hope I will see it nearer this size. It is a member of the Holly family.

Do hope you enjoyed the gardens

Will show you the house next time