The natural magic of the garden lies in part in the timeless nature of listening and watching, together with the structure of the old yew hedges and the light and shade of summer days playing through the garden.
Dearest Ma went to the Chelsea Flower Show, no dogs allowed; I stayed home on guard duty. She had a wonderful day, she said what she liked best in the main tent was Hopley’s stand and best of all was an amazing display of animals made from driftwood, all life-size. Even my Dearest Mother, who is somewhat austere but often splashes out, said she couldn’t run to £20,000!
Today Rose and Chris did an amazing job; they planted 350 Cosmos on a slope below the Green Knight Garden. This is the third year we have done this breath-taking planting, the flowers) dance in the wind like glorious butterflies. I lay in the shade, it was far too hot to give a hand!
Ma’s flower of the week is Libertia formosa, a native of Chile. Growing on the terrace, it has white flowers and seeds about happily. Here it flowers a little later than spring, as Mother burns the whole plant down in March to tidy it up. My favourite flowers are the lovely yellow Welsh poppies, their flowers translucent, as if made of light. They seed all over the garden, brightening every corner, gently blowing in the breeze.
The spectacular climbing rose Altissimo is flowering on the terrace, its single blood-red flowers 12cm across. When it is in full flower, Ma says it reminds her of a few lines from the poet Omar Khayyam: “I sometimes think that never blows so red, The Rose as where some buried Caesar bled”
The glorious early summer days race by. Soon it will be June and the garden will be like fairy land, creating its own true magic.
Greenham, Nr. Wellington,
Somerset, TA21 OJR
01823 672283
