Garden Open For 20 Years

Lucky me – I had a sneak preview of Marjory’s garden at Rose Cottage, one of the gardens opening in Cheddington for the NGS.  Our gardens develop over the years as our lifestyle advances – there is still evidence of when the four children were at home in the pathways, some bottles set in cement, a notice ‘trespassers will be composted’.  Children from the village school make frequent visits – and there are several who look destined to be gardeners of the future.

Such a lot is packed into this half acre cottage garden.  Every year a new David Austin rose has been purchased and the garden now features about 75 different roses, some ramblers, some climbers, many Old English roses.  Over many arches entwined with the roses scramble various lonicera and the perfume is enchanting.

Those of us who enjoy visiting other gardens get inspired by the different styles.  Marjory’s inspiration has come from Hidcote where she admired the pollarding of the hedging and topiary, a rare box (unidentified) cone  stands by the pollarded ligustum and fagus;  Giverny with the colour combinations rising from the ground up over arches;  Nigel Slater grows vegetables and flowers in a small space; and the potager inspired by Rosemary Verey. 

Why not take the opportunity to enjoy an evening at Rose Cottage wandering round a very English cottage garden with a glass of Pimms in your hand.

Rose Cottage opens for the NGS as part of Cheddington Gardens on Sunday 19th June (2-6 pm), and also individually on Saturday 25th June (6-9 pm).