Pond Garden Arch

The Pond Paddock archway forms the entrance to the Pond Paddock from the house lawn. The original plan was for the beautifully scented red climbing rose Etoile de Hollande to gracefully grow through and embrace this arch from the left, while Bantry Bay and White Sparieshoop roses did ditto from the right.

The Pond Arch Summer 2003

A New Archway Rose

These roses are still to make their statements, and Etoile de Hollande didn't make it past the planting season. After a suitable time of mourning the red climber Parkdirektor Riggers was installed, and hopefully this beauty will eventually cover the archway curves. Actually Bantry Bay in my garden tends to be a beautiful late spring rose, but doesn't weather the summer at all well - its leaves curl up with black spot and it looks extremely tired by Christmas (a bit like the gardener).

Looking Through the Pond Arch

Some plantings at the base of the Pond Paddock archway have caused trouble, too, by growing over the path through the archway. The Senecio has recently had a huge trim, and the red flax opposite was sliced in half and replanted. A Cistus with smallish pink flowers has been drastically pruned, hopefully in the correct season (immediately after flowering).

Bantry Bay on the Pond Arch

Pansies and nicotianas self seed here each year. In spring there are daffodils and clumps of forget-me-nots, and the lily Vivaldi appears each late December out of the Dublin Bay rose canes.