The unseasonable weather continues. Days of rain and cool weather broken up by the occasional hot, sunny spell. No two days are the same and recent, violent storms have wreaked havoc in many areas of southern France. The landscape is benefitting from the abundance of rain, showing a lush, verdant covering not usually seen at this time of year. Wild orchids are so numerous at the moment, in all shapes, sizes and colours. The commonest ‘lipstick’ pink ones are seen everywhere, growing in groups amongst the verge-side wild flowers.
We decide to visit our friend Tony who lives nearby, to take a look at how his ‘dry’ garden is faring in this unending season of wet weather. Five years ago, having tried and failed to garden and plant as he had done in a previous home in Wales, he decided to garden in concert with the local environment and plant only what grows well in the harsh climate here….well, it’s usually harsh! Given the weather here currently, you could be forgiven for thinking that you were in the middle of a mediocre English summer!
The garden at the front of his house is fully south facing and has to endure the sear and scorch of long, dry and very hot summers.
A perfect, cloudy, untypical for here, summer’s day as we arrive at Tony’s.
He moved rocks and boulders into place to create a natural landscape with pockets of soil and gravel into which to plant drought tolerant, sun loving, hardy plants. The result is stunning and it is as though the garden has always been there. It fits so well into the natural landscape around it.
Tony’s house, sitting comfortably in its dry garden surroundings.
One of Tony’s plant passions is the iris. He has them in many colours scattered around the garden. They are over now as they are at their best in late May/early June. They love the normally hot, dry conditions here and have really flourished this year. Tony says I should have come earlier to see them at their best but I’m not worried. I’m more interested in what else is thriving in his garden.
Anaphelis shoots its yellow stars high above the rocks.
The creeping sedums just love these rocky areas and complement taller growing plants.
A juniper(?) hugs the rocks in a waterfall of bluey green
Spirited mix of colour – purple blue nepeta and the clear yellow of the california poppy.
A very happy heuch(er)a! A very happy cat behind.
This grass adds movement and texture to what could be a sterile environment.
The day lily that grows like a weed and spreads everywhere here. A welcome flash of heat and colour against the grey of the stone walls.
There are other plants that you would expect to see in a dry garden, like lavender…
…and perovskia, Russian sage. Lovely here with that hint of pink from the ‘London Pride’ behind.
Another graceful grass sways in the breeze.
Sea thrift sparkles at the base of a clump of irises
We continue the tour.
Thyme flourishes
Cotoneaster with its angular, ground hugging shape, about to flower.
An amazing range of colour in the dry garden
Euphorbias, kings of the dry garden and they rule the roost in this area. A ‘never fail’ plant.
Lovely colour contrasts.
Tony spends some of his time rebuilding the stone walls around his house. Then he plants them up..
…with sedums on the top of the wall.
What a range of sedum colours!
We pass a beautiful climbing rose on the end wall of his house. It was simply stunning when in full flower flush!
We admire the seedlings in Tony’s cold frame. They are destined for the ‘low growing’ garden around the natural pool. We’ll come to that later.
A full cold frame
Gradually, Tony is creating new plant beds all round his house, planting in groups to maximise impact.
Euphorbias, the only things that are surviving in this shady, raised bed!
What a view but still the grey, rain clouds hover.
At the rear of the house, there is a surprise. A climbing hydrangea doing very well in the shade of a huge oak tree on a north wall.
hydrangea petiolaris
Having at first planted irises in regimented blocks of colour on the outer edges of this area of the garden, Tony had a change of heart and has gone for gentle curves and planting around the emerging boulders. A delightful transformation.
Perfect spot for an early evening aperro!
Heucheras – go with anything and everything!
Lychnis coronaria, rose campion, self seeding beautifully. One of the French names for this plant is ‘goutte de sang’ – ‘drop of blood’. It’s easy to see why.
A rose in full ramble.
A geranium splash of purple.
This rose has a stunning leaf colour.
This just looks so natural with everything growing happily.
On our way to see the natural bathing pool that Tony built about three years ago, we pass this ancient oak tree.
This graceful oak arcs high above us.
…and in the wild patch beneath it….
… a beautiful pink, wild orchard blooms.
We pass some flashy, annual potted geraniums that lift the spirits.
Loving the contrast between bright, pink and red geraniums and oatmeal coloured lavenders.
The natural bathing pool blends beautifully into the dry garden. It is neatly hidden away behind the barn. The plant filter beds can be seen across the other side of the pool.
The plants filter, clean and aerate the water.
The area around the pool will be planted with more low growing pants. The irises will eventually be moved elsewhere.
Rock and sedum, delicious colour contrasts.
This plant is thriving in the rock crevices.
Bright flash of a red and green sedum. Perfect conditions for these to grow.
Loving the bluey green of this thriving plant.
We walk back to the front of the house as our tour is nearly over. This has a typical English garden feel with lavenders…
More lavender…
…and a clematis growing up a lovely rustic trellis to meet a wisteria growing down to meet it.
Our tour is almost over but there is just one big splash of colour left..
…these searing, scorching, hot orange lilies that light up the end of a dreary day but certainly not a dreary tour.
Tony has created some wonderful, garden spaces, working with what grows well here. There is colour and there is movement in his planting. There are tall plants and low growing plants. There are deliberately planted plants and there are self seeders. It all works well with the natural stone, rock and gravel backdrop. Maybe we’ll visit again next year to see what’s changed but in the meantime I’ve taken away a few ideas for our garden. I feel a rockery coming on…!
Ironwood Gardens 