The glorious weather in the south of England brought people
of all ages out in their droves. By the time we arrived at Copton Ash Garden
just after noon parking was already becoming an issue. A dozen or so people had beat us to the midday opening.
This garden is a delight from the moment you walk through
the gateway of the long front garden. Plants abound in borders
on both side of the driveway. One area is set beneath a wooden structure, open
at the sides, with a canopy of glass to protect the choice alpines that the
owner Tim Ingram grows beneath. There is
so much colour in the garden for the 16th February, not only from
the flowering shrubs but from the borders too. The wealth of green foliage
indicates that this will be a garden to return to on one of its many openings
for the NGS until Sunday 8th June. However it is possible to see the
garden independently by appointment until the end of October.
After a very slow preamble down the driveway we entered the
back garden via the side pathway, onto a terrace. From here you can survey the
length of the garden, but there is much more hidden from view. Tim Ingram opens
at this time of year to display his extensive collection of snowdrops, which
for the most part are planted in clumps in wide woodland borders, beneath the
raised canopies of ornamental trees and in the orchard. Where possible the different clumps are
all well labeled, the temptation to tramp across the wider borders to search for the name of a clump, was
respected by all of the visitors that I could see…
Double Hellebore |
Beneath the trees in the orchard lines, still more snowdrops, grew to perfection. I have seen now a couple of times initially I was not been too keen on the yellow pedicel and yellowish markings of Galanthus plicatus 'Wendy’s Gold' but grown in a large clump they shone and will now at some point be added to my new garden.
Woodland border |
Helleborus torquatus 'Tinkerbell' Group (Blackthorn) |
Only a few plants were available in his nursery but we will be back later in the year when the nursery is open and the garden is in full early summer glory. Tim admitted to us that he only opens up until the beginning of June because the challenge of keeping the weeds at bay becomes too much.
It was as we walked back up towards the house, with the sun cutting through the trees, lighting the bark of a Silver Birch tree, that I appreciated how many wonderful trees were in the garden too. Another reason to return.
Copton Ash is the kind of garden I love…a work in progress. A man’s love for the plants that he grows, this above all shines through.
Galanthus Wendy's Gold |
Galanthus Mrs Thompson |
Glanthus plicatus 'Gerard Parker' |
Lovely pictures! The garden sounds worth a visit.
ReplyDeleteIt is Patsy...opens several times in the year. We intend to return later. I didn't really mention the trees partially because I wasn't sure of the names of many of them.
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