flowers in the gardens now

Here is a beautiful bouquet of flowers arranged by Lucy in the tearoom. All the flowers you would expect in May.

...and here's what we are also harvesting...Sweet Peas in bunches!

The plant fair is this weekend and includes Val Littlewood's glorious bee images so if you like flowers, bumblebees and shopping we hope to see you here

Gilia tricolor

We have been swamped with demand for our small pots of Gilia.

If you have bought this wonderful plant from us and would like to know more, here is a link to a blog I wrote for Fennel and Fern which may help. http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2011/04/22/gilia-tricolor/

It is flowering in the garden now before setting seed. We may get a new crop before the end of the year. Seed is widely available if you are unable to visit us.

Beautiful blowsy Irises

Our Irises are breaking into flower this week. The flowers can be viewed at eye level or from above.

The Iris bed is raised to take full advantage of the sun and edged with catmint. It began with imported soil. Unfortunately a farmer's definition of topsoil is not the same as a gardener's. For two years we have been uncompacting, feeding and developing the one-up-from bedrock soil. Look at how strong they are now. In a word: Lush.

Like hollywood starlets from the 1950's they have suitably glamorous names. Below clockwise from top left are 'Pirates Quest','Vandal Spirit', 'Spreckles' and 'Mer du Sud'.