Beth Chatto Garden 14 June

[Brian Ellis]

Tony I know the feeling, I often think I should put all the labels from the dead plants in the garage on the wall as a warning to me.  Thankfully I have not yet done so Like you I like the area round the ponds for the tranquility, I would love to be able to spend real time there reading, gardening, mooching around - just heaven.  The last ones take us past the garden 'proper' as I call it into an area with more huge island beds which lead to the woodland garden (which we did not enter this time).  Odd things caught my eye like the dictamnus peeping out of the shrubs.  If you come to Eastern England, this garden is a must

[Gerdk]

I think the first picture is of roots, but then I thought perhaps it was weather worn rotten trunk, whatever it looked good. We walked round the top pond and looked back to the house, here is some of the planting in this area.

Brian, What a garden - especially the 'dry part'!

Your roots near the pond are socalled 'cypress knees' of Taxodium distichum, the swamp cypress. Their function is unknown but perhaps they may help in providing oxygen to the tree (Wikipedia). The German expression is 'Atemknie' which means knees for breathing.

Gerd

[Maggi Young]

This famous garden has often been featured in TV programmes but I can honestly say I have never had a proper "flavour" of the place from those but you, Brian,  have brought a true feeling of the garden to us, for which I am most grateful.

[Ragged Robin]

This famous garden has often been featured in TV programmes but I can honestly say I have never had a proper "flavour" of the place from those but you, Brian,  have brought a true feeling of the garden to us, for which I am most grateful.

I absolutely agree with Maggi on that score Brian - through your photos you convey what you were thinking when you took them so they are living images of a really beautifully designed garden.  Beth Chatto wrote a book when she started the garden called 'The Green Tapestry' and you can see exactly how she has woven these ideas into her planting schemes - everything looks so effortless and sweeps from one place to another instilling a sense of calm - no sign of pests here...how does she grow hostas to that size without a hole or two  

[Eric Locke]

Brian-- Thanks from me too.

Like many I suspect,I have purchased plants from the gardens by mail order ,but have never visited.
Must now put this on my visits list.

Eric

[Brian Ellis]

Many thanks Gerd for putting me right, I think they look amazing.  Thank you all for your comments, but all I did was click the camera, the garden and its creator are the stars.  It was interesting as I was going round that I really was impressed with the vistas and the combinations, it was all very subtle.  Glen Chantry had a totally different effect, I was knocked out by the plants far more.  I am glad you have enjoyed the garden, perhaps one day you will see it in the 'flesh'.

[Paul T]

Stunning, Brian.  Thanks for the tour.  The Taxodium "knobbly knees" (as they were first introduced to me as) are very cool aren't they?  They almost look a bit like old polished wood.  They are very cool.  Thanks for all the wonderful pictures of this garden.  You have so many fantastic gardens you can so easily visit.    Yes, I am jealous again. 

[Brian Ellis]

You are welcome Paul, as to being jealous, that's a funny thing when you grow all those amazing southern hemisphere plants which we have never heard of - it's reciprocal

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Thanks for the hard work Brian ! 
A truly wonderful garden - it is now on my list of places to visit !
Thanks to this glorious forum, this list is now reaching a size that is far too long for my spare time hops... 

It was a wonderful stroll Brian !

[Paddy Tobin]

Great report and photographs, Brian.
It is, indeed, and excellent garden.

Many thanks, Paddy

[Otto Fauser]

Thank you Brian for your superb photos of a great garden ,which brings back fond memories of my two visits to it and its creator. I was indeed fortunate to have been invited to stay with  Beth and Andrew for a few days in april 1991 and I visited again in june 2001 when the carpark had changed into the much talked about and now often copied Gravel Garden .
 Beth and Christo Lloyd came to Australia in 1989 for a lecture tour and stayed here .
 that tall stem of Lilium martagon with so many blooms - although it grows well enough here and selfsows - but never bears more than 25- 30 or so flowers  .
 

[Brian Ellis]

I am so pleased Otto, you are indeed fortunate - a wonderful plantsperson.  Here is a better photo of the Lilium martagon from him upstairs

[Paul T]

Such a nice Lilium.  Striking.