The other week I took a couple of blogging friends to Bryans Ground in Herefordshire, my favourite garden. I had raved about this garden so I was a little nervous about their reaction – you can read Victoria’s view here.
I haven’t visited this garden at the start of the season before so this was the first time I had seen the mass planting of Iris siberica in flower. It was really quite breath-taking and definitely a lesson in being brave enough to have a restricted colour and plant palate.
There is an argument to be made that these Iris do not flower for that long and so to fill such a large area, and the area is about the same as many small suburban gardens, with one flowering plant means this part of the garden will only have a sort period of interest.
However, this is not the case at Bryans Ground. The formality of the beds with grass paths in between and the regularity of the trees, one in each bed gives a strong structure which carries the area through the rest of the year.
This is the same area in July last year and as you can see it still looks glorious even though the majority of the flowers have gone over. I think the trees are apple trees but to be honest I was so distracted by the rest of the planting that I didn’t look.
When I visited the garden last year I was a little perplexed by this water feature and the strange shape. It made no sense to me and seemed to jar. However, visiting with friends suddenly makes you see things differently. Victoria pointed out to me that if you stand on the drive and look along the paths that cross-section the irises the structure of the feature gives the impression that there is a round pool between each section. It is quite clever really but I still struggle with the view above. Maybe once the brick work mellows more it will seem more part of the garden.
There is much more to
this garden, the Irises are just one section but they are just so stunning and I have never seen this type of planting before in a private garden I wanted to share it.
I plan to visit the garden at least one more this year, or if time permits more and I can’t wait to see what other gems I discover.
