Gardens of Stuart Dixon and Andrew Ward
2008 06 26 HPS Cambs & Beds visit 022
Gardens of Stuart Dixon and Andrew Ward
2008 06 26 HPS Cambs & Beds visit 023
Gardens of Stuart Dixon and Andrew Ward
2008 06 26 HPS Cambs & Beds visit 013
Gardens of Stuart Dixon and Andrew Ward
2008 06 26 HPS Cambs & Beds visit 028
Gardens of Stuart Dixon and Andrew Ward
2008 06 26 HPS Cambs & Beds visit 034
Gardens of Stuart Dixon and Andrew Ward
2008 06 26 HPS Cambs & Beds visit 036
Bedfordshire is my adopted county as I have only lived here since 1974 but was born a maid of Kent (no, I won’t explain that). This is to lead up to the fact that until Roger arranged this splendid day out for us I had never ventured into the north of the county and was surprised by its beautiful villages and countryside. I was particularly jmpressed by Riseley and Sharnbrook (Roger and Penny’s home)) and now that we wrinklies may travel free on the buses, I shall try to make some exploratory journeys. There were 5 of us to be picked up in Biggleswade, 14 in Sandy and the rest outside High Command in Sharnbrook, I believe a total of 35 or so. We had a comfort stop at Grantham and were at Stuart Dixon’s garden in Nottinghamshire in time to spend a good hour there before going on to lunch.
His home is an interesting old house called Hebb’s Farm which has been seen on television and he has given numerous lectures about it and the surroundings. Stuart was a lecturer in horticulture before he retired and is an avid re-cycler – he built his shed from abandoned bits and pieces for £10. His particular love is clematis mixed with roses, both of which like to scramble up trees. Going in the garden gate we particularly noticed a charming hybrid musk rose called ‘Cornelia’ which has small frilly apricot flowers. Climbing over one of the sheds were two clematis in different shades of blue, the darker being ‘Prince Charles’ and the other ‘Blue Angel’. The garden had been badly knocked about by the high winds which had persisted since the previous weekend and Stuart said he had lost 40% of his delphiniums but there was still plenty to see, including some bee orchids and big pots of dahlias near the house which should look splendid when blooming. There was a sales area, which we patronised, and an intriguing group of metal birds (cockerel and hen maybe). Stuart had been so busy he had left his tools beneath a tree – this is a big garden to cope with and he has many other activities. Chairs and tables had been laid out for us on the grass and we were treated to delicious huge buttered scones and drinks. A very interesting visit altogether.
On the to The Plough which was on the way to Andrew’s garden where the meals we had ordered on the coach were awaiting us; they were all ready for us with good food and welcoming surroundings. Andrew Ward lives quite near Newark in pleasant rural surroundings. The coach pulled up in front of a row of small pretty cottages so we were amazed to find this very big garden and nursery behind them. Our host explained that he had been working on the nursery for 14 years and there were virtually no plants worth keeping when he started out but it is now packed with choice plants, both on pergolas, under trees and seeming to thrive in all sorts of habitats. My particular favourite was a huge pond, beautifully planted up at the margins (rather better than at Berryfields I felt), which had only been created quite recently. Near to this was a large square scree bed, topped with gravel and showing off some good alpine plants. The planting is doing better where he began as it has 6 inches of gravel but strength and patience ran out and he will have to redo his later efforts.
We particularly noticed clematis '’Summer Snow’, white of course, and the achilleas, which seem to be a favourite flower, in shades of soft yellow (‘Marie Ann’), dark red (‘Red Velvet’) and terracotta pink (‘Wesersandstein’). Hostas, such as ‘El Nino’, which was blue and white and ‘Cherry Berry’ with red stalks, purple flowers and red seed heads, were flourishing in the shade. Geraniums did well too and when we had demolished the very nice home-made chocolate and sponge cakes and drinks, there was a dash for the well-stocked nursery, notepads in hand. We only had rain once, which watered down our tea a little, but apart from a bit of a breeze, the weather was kind.
This was an exceptionally enjoyable day out, very well organised by Roger as usual. Everyone turned up and no-one was late and for those of us who had not been to Roger and Penny’s house in Sharnbrook, we had the chance to admire the front garden and white picket fence and a tantalising glimpse of a very fine back garden. Thank you Roger.
- Pam Nuttall
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