The kitchen garden and borders at Hergest Croft Gardens

 

Hollyhock with Achillea "Cloth of Gold."  I have this growing in the garden, so recognize it.

I have borrowed this flower picture from J Parker's site - www.jparkers.co.uk - and hope it shows the strong similarity clearly enough. The little spikey "fronds" are exactly the same, as are the flowers and stems. I had a Bronze Fennel growing outside my window all last year.  Looks very like apart from Bronze Fennel being a darer colour stem.

A lovely juxtaposition but I haven't a clue what the tall creamy-white flower is.

Aren't these plantings lovely?  I just adore big borders like these.  Must get some Lythrum salicaria next year.  That's the purple spikey flower.

Echinops just coming into bloom.

Eryngium (Sea  Holly).  I bought one last year but it was a winter fatality.

Sigh.  I am aiming for one border like that here so greatly need to widen the present border I dug the first year.  I have my trusty grass cutter/gardener lined up for that.

Now for the kitchen garden.  Above and below: Note the masses of various Marigolds planted to attract insects for pollination. 

 

Just look at that happy Rhubarb! Mine has really struggled this year - bitterly cold several nights in winter and then two months of draught.

Caged for good reason as the only butterflies about the garden were Cabbage Whites!

Above and below: Globe Artichokes, and a red-tailed bumble bee having a feast!

This is one of the many apples they had planted in a double row the other side of that wonderful double border.  This is Adam's Permain.  Permain apples are identifiable because they are wider at the top than the bottom.  They had some espalier fruit trees against the holly hedge at the top of the garden.

And step-over apples at the bottom end.

The house (tea-room side) with that fabulous border of Agapanthus.

Below: the wonderful period greenhouse.

Inside the wonderful greenhouse.  Oh was I ENVIOUS of that!

Pelargonium-envy too - this one is called Black Knight. I have always longed for a greenhouse, but for some reason Keith has always blocked it.  Probably in the past because he would have had to put it up.  I nearly got one the year we arrived, using money I'd earned at the Fair, but then we hit the stumbling block of the expense of creating the site and having it erected and Keith put his oar in again.  Ah well.  Guess it's not meant to be.  At least I have the polytunnel, such as it is.

    So, that was a nice break and very enjoyable walking round the Gardens, though the highlight for me was that double border.  So beautiful.

    Another blessing I should have added to my list yesterday was friends - you folk who comment on my blog especially included - and the blogs of people who have become my friends over the years.  Your kind words and friends telling me about  their gardens, what they've been making, cooking, where they've been.  It all helps me get out of the house, in my mind.

    Today's weather forecast isn't good but I think Elsewhere is having the worst of the rain and gales today. I hope it's fine where you are.