Stockton Bury is one of my favorite local gardens so the idea of a visit which also combined a country gardeners market with a range of local nurseries was an opportunity impossible to resist. Luckily for all concerned the heavy and relentless rain we had yesterday was not present and in the morning the sun shone adding to the jolliness of the event.
I realize now that I don’t have any photos of the actual market with nurseries. I was so busy buying plants that I didn’t think to take photographs until I was walking around the garden. The market was set up in the courtyard just beyond the main house above. Although much smaller than some fairs I have been to the quality of the plants for sale was excellent and wide-ranging and there was a really friendly atmosphere. It was really nice to bump into lots of people I know whether they were nursery men (or should I say ladies) or other visitors. I really like buying plants this way as you often come across plants you wouldn’t find anywhere else and you can get lots of helpful advice.
Despite the lack of people in my pictures there were quite a few looking around the garden and it seemed that many had never visited before which was excellent for the garden as hopefully they will visit again. I don’t think I have visited at this time of year before, I seem to always visit earlier in the year so I was quite surprised to see the borders so full and the plants so tall – silly I know.
The pond at the far end of the garden had almost disappeared from view behind the foliage of the Gunnera and Lysichiton americanus. You can see how much by clicking on this link to my post about an April visit. This is one of my favorite areas of the garden as I have a weakness for gunnera and also other moisture loving plants, maybe because I can’t grow them myself.
The tree peonies which I have admired in previous years were going over and the roses were beginning to take the starring role. I do like the vertical accents of the columns although this is maybe a little grand for my small garden!
One of the things I always notice in this garden is the part the trees play. They add a nice canopy but without plunging the garden into deep shade. In some ways it is a good ploy to give you a range of environments from bright and open to more shady borders and this in turn extends the range of plants you can grow – always a good thing in my view.
Finally my favorite – the bee boles. I would love one of these if I had a bigger garden. There is something quite romantic about them, maybe it’s because they hark back to how things used to be which always seems to be attractive, although I am sure the reality would be very different.
And yes I did buy plants, have I ever managed to resist. I bought a Salvia amistad, a white siberian iris, Lathyrus rotundifolius, Bomarea salsilla, Liriope muscari okina and Dactylorhiza praetermissa. Some of my purchases were bought for specific locations but I must admit to some whims so I spent time this afternoon wandering around the garden pondering where I could shoe-horn then in.
All in all a great day, and there was cake too. I will definitely go again next year.