Our Gardens in June
During June, the romantic walled and wild gardens at Doddington are especially wonderful. Visitors and brides alike enjoy the fabulous Irises, herbaceous borders and lush wild gardens. In late May / early June, the irises offer an amazing display inside the mellow Elizabethan walls of the West Garden. The unusual planting of blocks of bearded irises inside box-edged parterres produces a fantastic tapestry-like effect that was featured in BBC Gardeners’ World. The fascinating handkerchief tree also flowers around this time. The herbaceous borders are full of colour and interest: white wisteria drapes the walls, peonies, alliums, phlox and philadelphus fill the beds, along with ‘Telekia Speciosa’ which provides height.
The box-edged parterres and flowerbeds were laid out in 1900 with the help of Kew Gardens and Country Life magazine. They once contained old-fashioned roses assembled by Claire Birch’s grandmother, but sadly Replant disease took hold, so the roses had to go. The garden was redesigned by Claire’s father Antony Jarvis to include the irises, and herbaceous borders. Roses are also being re-introduced cautiously ; ‘Arthur Bell’ provides wonderful scent and colour throughout the summer.
In the Wild Gardens, June is a romantic month: the turf maze, Temple of the Winds and statues are all softened with lush, fresh greenery. The ancient chestnut trees flower and climbing roses abound.
The Wild Gardens have been developed gradually over the years by Antony Jarvis and his parents before him. The main changes in the last 20 years have included the planting and subsequent naturalisation of native spring flowers such as snowdrops, lent lilies, wood anemones, snakes head fritillaries and so on; the building of the Temple of the Winds plus the creation of the turf maze and the bog garden and the planting of a wonderful pleached hornbeam hedge.
In the newly restored Walled Kitchen Garden, June is the month when everything really gets going. New Potatoes, globe artichokes, lettuce, spinach, broad-beans, peas, summer cabbages, courgettes and herbs are being grown for Shop and Cafe. Rachel Petheram’s cutting garden grows gorgeous June flowers for her wedding bouquets and arrangements sold in the Shop.
Whilst June is certainly one of the highlights, the garden’s history and structure ensure year-round interest. The Elizabethan walls were retained thanks to a passion for antiquarianism by the Georgian inhabitants. These beautiful walls provide a backdrop and structure for the formal gardens; crisp topiary and seasonal displays work within them year-round. And in the wild garden, ancient gnarled trees, the turf maze, statuary and the Temple of the Winds provide a glorious stage for the changing seasons’ blooms; from the tiniest snowdrop in February, to the most flamboyant rhododendron in May, or Sorbus berries in the autumn.
The House & Gardens are open Sundays, Wednesdays and Bank Holiday Mondays. 1pm to 5pm (Gardens open at 11; last entry 4.30pm.) For admission, please click here.
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