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Middle Garden Tour

Middle Garden is an undisciplined riot of plantings, from Pittosporums and Rhododendrons to a free spirited Golden Hop which was intended to cover a tree stump. Daffodils, pansies, lupins and euphorbias fill the spaces between the flaxes and cordylines.

In the year 2000 Middle Garden was 'Under Construction'. It had a mind of its own, and kept expanding. I'd always think I'd got it right, then it would be dug out a little more here, a bit further there...

Middle Garden

And in went those bargain bin plants that I've always been allowed to afford, like the trailer load of Rhododendrons whose labels and lower leaves had fallen off, and the troop of tussocks bursting out of their planter bags. My cutting-grown Lavatera Barnsleys enjoyed their short lives here, packed in with the compulsory New Zealand flaxes. The budget planting list went on and on. Some really cheap green and red Cordylines turned up, requiring further expansion...

Early on I built a path which wound around the original Viburnum Tinus shrubs. Many of my original plantings were perennial fillers (like agapanthus and daylilies) which edged the path - they have mostly been moved out now. The ambience of this garden has changed a lot as the trees and rhododendrons have grown bigger and created more shade. There's no more bare earth, not enough sun for Canna lilies. Gradually I'm limbing up (and chopping down) the Pittosporums to let in light and open up the feel of the garden.

Flaxes are now huge, and the resident rhododendrons (pink, wine coloured, and blue-purple) have wonderful flowering seasons. Paths through Middle Garden have been moved, widened, and moved again. The Golden Hop continues to terrorise the area from midsummer on, and is always severely reprimanded. I've created a tunnel through the big shelter hedge, complete with gate, leading to the new Hazel orchard.

The water race rushes past, and the edge of Middle garden has quite a few seedling Gunnera - thanks to an unknown gardener upstream. Oversized flaxes have recently been chopped out, but the water-side path is still currently closed, due to excessive plant growth. Oops.

I hope you enjoy visiting this ever changing part of the garden.

Shrubs and Spikes... Wed 1st Oct 2008: Spikes of Cordylines and New Zealand flaxes combine wth the delicate leaves of variegated Pittosporums to give Middle Garden its essential look. It's a classic shrubby and spiky New Zealand garden.
New Paths in Middle Garden... Wed 2nd Jul 2008: Sweeping in a graceful curve though Middle Garden I've created a new access path, surfaced with soft bark mulch. A little side path leads down to the huge Gunnera at the water's edge.
Water Bridge Ferns... Tue 22nd Jan 2008: The fern by Middle Bridge grow happily at the water's edge, and marks the start of the path through Middle Garden. I wonder how many tired gardener's footsteps this bridge has experienced in its short life?
Middle Garden Rhododendrons... Wed 17th Oct 2007: The trees in Middle Garden grow ever upwards, and I have to remember to limb them up to make room for the rhododendrons underneath. The understory of beautiful spring-flowering shrubs is fast filling out.
Cats on Middle Bridge... Tue 4th Sep 2007: The Moosey cats use Middle Bridge a lot, either when on gardening duties (following the Head Gardener) or when they need a drink of water from the water race.
Water's Edge Gunnera... Sat 6th Jan 2007: Some Gunnera seedlings have made their home in Middle Garden by the water's edge. How cute they were when small - and they'd done all the planning and planting for me! And such stylish waterside plants, too. Oops... From little seedlings mighty Gunnera do grow.
Duck Lawn Shrubs... Fri 5th Jan 2007: Duck Lawn separates Middle Garden from the Hen-House Gardens, and a narrow border of mixed shrubs joins the two gardens. Here you'll enjoy seeing Hebes, Astelias, and a beautiful white flowering Cistus.
Weeping Crab-Apple Tree... Thu 12th Oct 2006: Gardeners like to choose new trees which will behave in the garden - that is, not grow too big - as well as providing features for different seasons. Crab-Apple trees are one of my top choices.
Orange Nasturtiums... Mon 7th Mar 2005: Go, you lovely orange things! They may be humble, but orange common-garden Nasturtiums are brilliant for a patch of bright, bilious colour. They are a great contrast with a neatly mown, lush green lawn...
Magnolia Stellata... Tue 26th Oct 2004: In the middle of spring my one Magnolia Stellata comes into flower. This small tree is a beauty, and its clear white flowers shine above the neighbouring pittosporums and flaxes in Middle Garden.
Red Flax and Fern... Wed 2nd Jun 2004: What a beautiful colour combination this is - the red of the small weeping flax, and the clear mid-green of the water-side fern. These two foliage plants sit together at the beginning of the path through Middle Garden.
Middle Garden Peony... Sat 29th May 2004: I've had to wait a few seasons for these red peonies on the edge of Middle path to establish themselves. Now each spring they flower fiercely, and if the blooms get levelled by rain I just pick them for the house.
Water Garden Bridge... Wed 20th Feb 2002: This is a photograph of Middle Bridge taken from the back lawn. A small dog-path ducks left around the fern and the tall stiff flax, following the water downstream. Middle Path pushes its way between the Viburnum and the irrigation pole.
Cordyline Flax Garden... Tue 19th Feb 2002: Lost somewhere in between the spikes of the flaxes and cordylines is Middle path, winding its way between Viburnum Tinus shrubs. My planting schemes, which lack restraint at the best of times, have been shown up - soon half the border will have to be thinned out.
Tree Stump Garden Cat... Sat 16th Feb 2002: Sifter the cat used to fit well on the tree stump at Middle Garden's edge. This is definitely a photograph from the Archives - there are no uncovered stumps in this garden any more!
Spring Blues... Mon 11th Feb 2002: These delightful pansies fill in all the spaces in the spring Middle Garden. When they've flowered I pull them out and cut them up for mulch.
Red Canna Lilly... Fri 1st Feb 2002: The red canna flowers from mid summer. Its leaves are subtley striped with dark red and dark green.
Middle Garden Plantings... Tue 29th Jan 2002: Middle Garden has always been a messy, busy garden, crammed full of foliage shrubs and flowers. The garden was originally dug around existing Pittosporums and Viburnums. Nothing ever stays the same for long in the middle of Middle Garden!
The Head Gardener Gardening... Tue 29th Jan 2002: Gardeners know that they shouldn't bend over like this, but often the rules get broken. Gardeners usually don't allow themselves to be photographed, either. We're happier hiding behind our plants.
Libertia New Zealand Native... Tue 29th Jan 2002: Here is a close-up of the rusty orange Libertia, native to New Zealand. It's a great landscaping plant. Originally it was only seen in council roadside plantings, but recently the glossy magazines have discovered it. Hmm...
Golden Hop... Sat 26th Jan 2002: Several large tree stumps were left in Middle Border, and my plan was to disguise the biggest with suitable plantings. I selected a Golden Hop, which behaved well for the first year. It is now showing its grosser intentions, but I still love it.
Flax Tricolor & Pittosporum... Tue 22nd Jan 2002: This is a bargain bin Pittosporum which I value for its foliage. I can prune it into a shape, restrict its growth, or just sit back and admire it growing naturally.
Daffodil Garden Path Cat... Mon 21st Jan 2002: In early photographs Middle Garden's dog-path is actually visible - this dog-path is being used by Jerome the cat. My original plantings of spring daffodils, too, have space to flower.
Cordyline in Middle Garden... Fri 18th Jan 2002: These two plants (a Cordyline and a summer flowering Hypericum) are good summer neighbours on the edge of Duck Lawn.
Blue Cornflower... Wed 16th Jan 2002: Here is a close-up of the red flax at the junction of Middle Path and its dog-path. I scatter seeds of the blue annual cornflowers and let them grow where they can.
Orange Dahlias... Tue 1st Jan 2002: The orange dahlia seen here in this close-up was originally dumped in here to fill a gap. It has become my favourite, and is given the honour of being the only dahlia allowed in this border.
Middle Garden Path... Sun 23rd Jan 2000: Middle Path is always being reclaimed from weeds and self-seeders, widened, and moved. In the early days Nicotianas and cherry red peonies were dominant plants near its edge. But then the big pink rhododendron grew - and grew...
Spring Garden Foliage... Thu 23rd Sep 1999: Every year I've remembered to take photographs of Middle Garden in springtime. Enjoy the Magnolia Stellata in bloom, and the cheery yellow daffodils.