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This is a 3.6 acre rural garden which we have had for 15 years, before we came it was a grazing field and small birch wood. |
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The garden has a 360 degree skyline surround of high moorland hills, with the Highland boundary fault mountains and Loch Lomond to the north. Gardening here is dominated by exposure from the dramatic physical backdrop and a cold wet climate. I have grown hundreds of mostly native trees and hedging plants, wild flowers and bulbs planted as naturally as possible to encourage wildlife. The trees shelter five open clearings and the organic veg garden, and lengthen the short summer seaon with spring blossom, autumn colour and fruits. |
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| Our front door, southwest facing, obscured windows and an ongoing marital debate. John would like to eat by daylight. At this time of year the Actinidia kolomikta has hardly any of the earlier pink and white leaves showing, it is concealing Ivy 'Goldheart', Clematis 'President' and Daniel Deronda, Rose Aloha (R) and is doing battle with a passion flower. Welsh poppies and pink geranium have colonised the gravel below. The clay head is where the pied flycatcher built a nest behind his hair (artimisia) and reared three young. |
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Corner of the veg garden, late June. Yes, I have a blue paint habit. GM giant ladybirds are taking over Scotland. Sunflowers setting off up their stakes. Wood chip paths laid this spring have been weedproof so far. I planted those trees in the background as 2 ft whips in 1987. |
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| The old birch wood, wind blowing the foxgloves and some ragged robin behind them.(Both introduced from seed). |
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Outer wall of the summerhouse. Golden Hop, Honeysuckle 'Graham Thomas', Ruth's Rose (name of nursery staff who propagated it from a cutting, who also didn't know it's proper one). |
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| Across the wildflower meadow (past the early summer peak) to the summerhouse built by John in 1996,the cedar shingles weathering nicely now. Smothered with more golden hop and white Jacobite rose,from cutting from old cottage nearby. It was planted to denote a safe house to the Bonny Prince's supporters.The taller trees behind the summerhouse, are the birches of pic 3; the lower ones planted by me in the last 9 years. The two bods walking in the long grass are called Janet and John and painted blue. |
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A section of the 100 yard wild hedge I planted in 1988, on the north boundary. It has a rabbit and stock proof fence behind. This bit is about 5 ft tall and has left to right , chaenomeles , dog rose, honeysuckle, hawthorn. Hidden in there are small holly seedlings and ivy cuttings which will eventually make a dense evergreen centre. In front, geranium pratense from local wild seed .I haven't laid the hedge yet but interweave its branches. It has two great colour flushes, early summer flowers then autumn fruit, but this year the hips and haws are combined with a mighty second flowering of the honeysuckles. |
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You can email me at....
...I hope you've enjoyed my garden.
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Text and Photographs © Janet Baraclough 1999-2001
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