Garden of Mohab & Kanzy Zaki
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Garden of Mohab & Kanzy Zaki
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Garden of Mohab & Kanzy Zaki
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Garden of Mohab & Kanzy Zaki
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Garden of Mohab & Kanzy Zaki
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Garden of Mohab & Kanzy Zaki
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Garden of Mohab & Kanzy Zaki
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Garden of Mohab & Kanzy Zaki
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Garden of Mohab & Kanzy Zaki
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Garden of Mohab & Kanzy Zaki
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We arrived at the garden with umbrellas in hand. However, the weather proved to be kind and the threatening clouds kept in abeyance. Our hosts greeted us with their usual warm welcome and Mohab led the way around an ever-changing scene. Within the contours of their home there were azaleas, paeonies, white aquilegia, iris and roses together with lovely geraniums. Walking towards the rose garden, we saw support frames made up by the Zaki’s using bamboo from the pond area. This idea certainly caught my eye as it was natural and unobtrusive – ideal for the roses when heavily laden and to keep branches from breaking in heavy winds.
Moving on from the rose garden there were specimen trees and shrubs. A variety of philadelphus and eleagnus together with Kerria ‘Variegata’ and Iris ‘La Vie en Rose’, white syringa, lonicera and Rosa pimpinellifolia, using Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’ as ground cover. Bamboo formed an impressive structure to the pond with Buddlieia alternifolia argentea and Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’ proving a contrast to the shrub rose ‘Frühlingsmorgen’. An unusual tree/shrub Ptelea trifoliata ‘Aurea’ – another tree to add to my shopping list!
Approaching the wild garden we were again greeted with a beautiful collection of iris. A highly scented Lonicera thibetica filled the air as we stood and looked across to the wild garden, which has been planted with many scented shrubs. Wandering down towards the homestead we came upon a terraced garden with a garden room, from which there was a vista across to the pond and beyond. Again, unusual iris were planted by this terrace, together with lavender and lemon verbena, this giving off the most divine scent.
A delightful and informative afternoon was enjoyed by all members ending with a most welcome cup of tea provided by Kanzy. Congratulations on all your hard work producing such a spectacular garden with so many very unusual plants, which make it all so very interesting. Thank you both on behalf of us all for your most generous hospitality.
Footnote: On leaving the Zaki’s garden and on our way home we were invited by Kathleen Harrison to visit her garden in Sharnbrook. It is a Victorian walled garden of rooms, with a variety of plants making full use of climbers along the walls. We all know Rosa ‘Nozomi’ as a procumbent rose, however Kathleen has trained this up and along her wall where it thrives and looks spectacular! We all learn so much from each other in our HPS group. Thank you Kathleen for a most enjoyable impromptu visit.
- Pam Ward
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