Garden Bench No. 1

This garden bench was my very first purchased garden seat. It started life, a summer lunch spot, under newly planted oaks and original tree lucernes in the Pond Paddock.

Park bench under tree lucernes

Rural Ambience

There was a view of the pond, and you could hear the frogs (when they could be bothered to make noise). All in all it was a heavenly rural spot - with back support!

It was nice when the sheep were in the small paddock above the pond. The sheep fence has always been see-through, so there was much idyllic pastoral ambience. Then in the winter of 2000 the park bench was borrowed for a stage play. On its return I repositioned it over the water race in a semi-circular area of rough mown grass.

A better position?

The New Dog-Path Gardens

By default this became its permanent spot. At the time I was developing the Dog-Path Gardens - I seemed to be forever digging, and needing somewhere close by to rest up. The garden seat became the perfect place to sit and relax after my serious planting sessions.

Things that happen by chance often prove to have the best outcomes. So here the rustic garden seat has stayed, while the plants and trees around it have grown more and more, year after year. The garden seat is now completely enclosed by the greenery of surrounding Pittosporums and mass plantings of Iris Japonica.

Garden Bench with Pittosporum Tree

Sitting here I can listen to the sound of the water in the water race quietly gurgling. I can look over the Dog-Path Garden, with its roses nestling in their pea-straw mulch. These roses have everything they need - warmth, love, and fresh air.

Relaxing by the roses

Surrounded by Beautiful Trees

If I look back down towards Middle Border I'm pleased with how well the trees are growing. In summer there are echoes of warm gold, from the Golden Elm at the border's widest point past the gold and green leaves of the Dogwoods. Then directly in front of the seat is the most beautiful Cercis Forest Pansy, a small specimen tree with deep rich wine red leaves. Taj-dog and Stephen can often be found here enjoying this resting place. They both seem to read a lot of newspapers here, particularly in the weekends.

Now that the plants and trees have grown, there is a much more enclosed feel to this garden spot. Look how small the rose bushes are in this archive photograph! How many of these early roses stayed in their original positions? Quite a few!

Jerome Relaxing on the Garden Bench

A Seat for Cat Company

I do enjoy the back support this seat gives to a tired old gardener, relaxing here with a good book and a purring cat. I can never sit down here for more than five minutes without Jerome the grey tabby finding me.

These gardens over the water race are her favourite places - unlike the other cats she has no fear of crossing the wobbly Plank or one of the other bridges. Jerome's most favourite seat, however, is further down the garden, under the new Oak Trees in the Hen House Garden.