Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Brian Ellis on June 12, 2009, 11:24:29 PM

Title: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 12, 2009, 11:24:29 PM
Today we decided to visit Glen Chantry again, it is their last season of opening and they finally close on August 15th so we made the most of a beautiful sunny day to enjoy the garden.  Very different to my pictures of Snowdrop time!
Here are some, mainly general, views of the rock garden in front of the house and the group of troughs.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 12, 2009, 11:25:46 PM
More!
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: ranunculus on June 12, 2009, 11:33:51 PM
Wonderful series of images, Brian ... thanks for posting.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 12, 2009, 11:41:26 PM
You're welcome Cliff.  Here are some in their white garden, chicken wire statues by Peter Lethbridge.  I have more general shots of the garden and some flower/foliage combinations, but don't want to bore you.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Paddy Tobin on June 13, 2009, 09:36:12 AM
Brian,

Delighted to see your photographs of Glen Chantry. Wol spoke to our garden club last winter and the winter before with an emphasis on snowdrops on the last occasions. Mary was particularly taken by the photographs he showed of his garden - might even convince her to travel to see the garden before it is closed. It is relatively close to Beth Chatto's garden so there would be a double attraction.

Can you name or can anybody identify photograph Number 2 from the White Garden series? I have it in flower in the garden at present, grown from seed but cannot locate the label which is probably under the plant. Any help appreciated.

Great set of photographs, Brian. I really am jealous of your good fortune to be able to visit such a brilliant garden.

Paddy
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: David Nicholson on June 13, 2009, 09:44:48 AM
Lovely garden Brian and a smashing set of pics, thanks for posting. I think Wol is on the programme of speakers for our local AGS Group later in the year.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Maggi Young on June 13, 2009, 11:37:11 AM
Brian, please post as much as you like: it is such a privilege to see this gorgeous garden.

Paddy, I think it's a white Camassia ......off to have a look at mine to check  :-\
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 13, 2009, 01:27:53 PM
Maggi you have unleashed the tiger, and you will live to regret it ;D

Paddy the plant in Glen Chantry 2 is an Ornithogalum, not labelled but I think it may be pyrenaicum or magnum perhaps?
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Maggi Young on June 13, 2009, 02:01:02 PM
Brian, I'll take my chances with the tiger..... remember I have the fearless Lily to protect me!

Mnnn, yes, my white camassisa is  not at all like that pic, so I suppose I owe Ian a  pound then :P I wish I'd learn to stop betting with the BD!
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 13, 2009, 05:43:19 PM
Sorry about that Maggi - of course I could be completely up the creek without a paddle ;D

Here we go then, there is a mixture of general views and combinations that took my fancy (I suppose I ought to rephrase that), planting combinations.  Roughly in the order that I took them, although there is an overlap after we paused in the do it yourself tea room for a coffee and biscuit.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 13, 2009, 05:47:57 PM
there's more!  I had to include the lawn edge as it is always immaculate, rain or shine, whatever time of the season...wish ours was too!
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 13, 2009, 05:53:06 PM
I'm told Sue gets a man in to do the lawn edges ;)  I was rather taken by the fern which was about a metre - three feet tall and full of little bobbles (like seeds or bulbils although I know it was neither).
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 13, 2009, 06:02:39 PM
just a few more, I hope that gives a good impression of this super garden.  Just amazing to compare some of the shots with similar views in the spring.  Everything is exceedingly well mulched and some of our number will be pleased to know that twin-scaling of over 130 snowdrops is finished 8) 8)  Great to see that Sue was doing a roaring trade in the nursery and that, although there was a coachparty in the morning - which we just missed as we knew they were going, a small coach and a large coach in the afternoon and a good twenty odd cars when we arrived, the garden was by no means crowded.  They are open every Friday and Saturday until the middle of August, first Friday of the month for the NGS, if you can get there do go - before it is too late and they have the garden all to themselves again to enjoy the fruits of their hard work and what a shining testimony to their skill and artistry.  We shall certainly miss going to see the garden although we do plan one last visit in August.  I believe they may be the garden open for the Galanthus Gala next year, so all is not lost ;)
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: mark smyth on June 13, 2009, 07:59:02 PM
I hope the rumour of the Gala going there is true
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: ranunculus on June 13, 2009, 08:26:27 PM
Brian,
Just as a matter of interest will you be at the meeting of the Norfolk Group of the AGS on Wednesday 17th June - I have been invited (frogmarched  :D) into acting as a stand-in for Peter Bland who is unfortunately unwell at present. It will be a pleasure to meet you if you can summon up the enthusiasm to attend?   :D
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: tonyg on June 13, 2009, 08:35:46 PM
Cliff since you are online now I want to Thank You publicly for helping us out at very short notice.  I will be back from Switzerland (free internet at this Hotel :)) in time to repeat my thanks in front of the locals.  Bizzarely another local speaker is also in Switzerland ... and he will not be back in time!
I trust Phil & Diane have been in touch about hospitality and directions.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: ranunculus on June 13, 2009, 08:54:31 PM
Thanks Tony ... have a wonderful break in one of my favourite regions.  Nothing from Phil and Diane yet but I'm sure they will make contact over the weekend?  Worry not.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Lvandelft on June 13, 2009, 09:11:23 PM
What a wonderful garden you showed us here Brian.
For me it was not boring at all  ;D ;D I can understand that these gardeners want to close their nursery,
but they surely will miss the many admirers.
When having a nice garden with interesting plants one of the pleasures is to receive visitors to show everything.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 13, 2009, 09:58:22 PM
Cliff, summoning up the enthusiasm isn't the problem...it's remembering that it's on :-\  So  far this year I think we have missed more meetings than we have attended - sacrilege I know.  Hopefully we will be there and it will be good to meet you too...hope you are enjoying the holiday Tony, plenty of photos I hope.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Paddy Tobin on June 13, 2009, 10:02:34 PM
Brian,

Great report on Glen Chantry, great set of photographs. I particularly like the Rodgersia - R. aesculifolia, maybe?

Yes, ornitholgalum sounds just right. Many thanks.

Paddy
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 13, 2009, 10:02:58 PM
Quote
I hope the rumour of the Gala going there is true

I expect it depends on whether Joe can find a convenient site for the talks/sale doesn't it Mark?

Paddy do you know which one by any chance?
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Paddy Tobin on June 13, 2009, 10:06:05 PM
Sorry, Brian, haven't a clue. Still nice, though.

Paddy
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 13, 2009, 10:07:48 PM
Oh well I will just do my normal keeping an eye out, maybe Beth Chatto will have one tomorrow ;D
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Lvandelft on June 13, 2009, 10:43:56 PM
Brian,

Great report on Glen Chantry, great set of photographs. I particularly like the Rodgersia - R. aesculifolia, maybe?

Yes, ornitholgalum sounds just right. Many thanks.

Paddy
Paddy, for me it looks like a form of Rodgersia pinnata Superba. I have different forms of it and showed one in Flowering now this week.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: ian mcenery on June 13, 2009, 11:08:26 PM
Thanks for the tour Brian. It seems that we will have to get our skates on if we want to visit  :(
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 14, 2009, 09:43:11 AM
I'm afraid that is the case Ian, hence our third trip of this year in August, we hope. :'(
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Paddy Tobin on June 14, 2009, 09:48:02 AM
We are never to hear a complaining word from you, Brian.

Glen Chantry first and now Beth Chatto's. You are just spoiled. Tomorrow, I am going to have the "pleasure" of travelling around thirteen gardens in a neighbouring county to judge them for their local gardening club annual competition. Reminds me of Henry Kissinger's comment: "University politics are so vicious precisely because there is so little at stake."

Have fun and I look forward to the report with extensive photographs to illustrate. Beth Chatto's is the garden I most enjoyed visiting.

Paddy
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on June 14, 2009, 11:13:24 AM
What an amazing garden !!  :o :o
Thank you very very much for giving us this tour Brian !!
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Paul T on June 14, 2009, 11:51:52 AM
Wonderful pics.  The lawns are amazing.  So nice to see a good lawn..... a very rare site here now-a-days with our watering restrictions not allowing watering with other than recycled or tank water.  Seeing a properly manicured lawn like that is amazing.  Yes, I can go a few hours from here where they still have lawns, but it is so nice to see such lovely pics of the lawns and borders etc here.  Thanks so much. 8)
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: ruweiss on June 14, 2009, 06:45:53 PM
Brian, what a beautiful garden, nicely documented by your excellent pictures.
Thank you so much!
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Ragged Robin on June 15, 2009, 02:17:27 PM
A wonderful virtual visit, thanks to you Brian  :)  I shall go back over your photos as the plantings and associations are truly artistic and it looks as if it is a garden where wandering is encouraged to enjoy a surprise planting or beautiful vista - what a fabulous experience to see Glen Chantry for real!
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Tony Willis on June 15, 2009, 03:28:37 PM
Brian

very much enjoyed your pictures. We visited this garden  about three weeks ago when on a visit to London but I never got round to putting up any pictures. We had a lovely afternoon there and bought some nice plants from the nursery. It is a wonderful garden and beautifully kept.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Maggi Young on June 15, 2009, 05:58:48 PM
We visited this garden  about three weeks ago when on a visit to London but I never got round to putting up any pictures.

Tony! I'm shocked......how could you?? :o
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 15, 2009, 10:25:58 PM
Quote
the plantings and associations are truly artistic

Always guaranteed to give you a good idea for moving plants in the garden for better effect, I shall really miss visiting in the future.
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Paddy Tobin on June 16, 2009, 01:57:11 AM
Brian,

A second thought on that white flower which we thought might be ornithogalum. Might it possibly be Paradisea lusitanicum or P. liliastrum? 

Given its height, I think mine might be P. lusitanicum. It is the higher of the two.

Paddy
Title: Re: Glen Chantry Essex
Post by: Brian Ellis on June 16, 2009, 09:38:08 AM
I am thrown too Paddy, it was about 3 foot tall so may well be the Paradisea lusitanicum...we shall have to ask!
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