A walk up the garden (2)

So, onwards and upwards…but first look to the right a bit (lane-side) and you’ll see one of the newly planted borders. There are three, two are herbaceous and cottagey and the one that curves behind the pond is mainly shrubs. In between the two herbaceous borders there’s a sunken bit where daffodils, hellebores and ferns grow beneath a dawn redwood and another shrubbier tree whose name escapes me for the moment. I’ll think of it eventually. Amelanchier. That's the one.

Beyond the pond there’s a curving line of yew trees beyond which is a second area of lawn that we’ve named the Spring Garden because it already has a carpet of daffodils (now in their scruffy dying-back stage), crocuses and bluebells. Further up still is the little formal knot-garden with its low box hedging. This is still in progress and has not yet been fully planted. Again, the top part of the bird-bath (the huge stone leaf) was left behind by the previous owner who used it as part of a waterfall. Now with a new pedestal it forms the focal point of the little garden. (I don’t know what the stone is but it turns the water a strange crimson colour. Another quirk of our strange garden.)

Catch your breath, turn round and look back down the garden towards the chapel and across the dale to the western bank. My favourite, favourite view…now up we go again…