Introducing the House Gardens
Listening to the Cricket
The house gardens are easy to enjoy - two tiled patios with garden seats and tables provide the perfect place for a quick coffee break or a family meal.
On the east side there's a decking which houses a small collection of foliage plants in pots - an ancient Astelia takes pride of place. And there are lovely views all around of the other gardens beyond.
Roses...
Of course there are roses in the gardens - Masquerade and Compassion climb up the pergola, shorter shrubs like The Fairy and the Flower Carpet roses grow underneath, and some beautiful David Austins (Othello is the most fragrant) are nearby. My namesake Mary Rose grows underneath the piano lounge's bay window.
Filled with flowers...
These gardens are filled up with seasonal flowers - pansies, geraniums (the perennial variety), easy annuals like Calendulas, Cornflowers, and Nigella. Self-seeded plants also find space to grow - particularly the perennial forget-me-not Alkanet and Euphorbias.
Roses by the House
Favourite foliage plants are planted around the house too - like ornamental grasses (Anemanthele and Calamagrostis), New Zealand Phormiums, Astelias and hybrid Cordylines. Late summer and autumn is celebrated in colour by the many dahlias.
The side house gardens are less sunny, and so less flowery. Here you'll find Phormiums, assorted shrubs, and seasonal beauties like the tall pale blue asters which pop up every autumn.
The House Patio Wisteria
Enjoy your visit to the house gardens. There are plenty of relaxing seats on the patios and the decking, with pots full of assorted vegetables in summer. So easy to pop out of the house and pick some lettuce leaves or tomatoes.
Cats and dogs will certainly come to sit with you, and over winter the bird feeders will be busy with little wax-eyes and pushy starlings. And if you visit in late spring the fragrance of Wisteria and the climbing Compassion roses will amaze you. Please try not to notice the weeds, or the black spots on the rose leaves. And please don't eat any of the strawberries!
Fred on the Patio Table
Just grab a cushion from the lounge, order a pot of tea, and relax.