The arrival of spring fills this beautiful country garden with colors from various spring bulbs and other early flowers that push their buds across the cool ground.
The owners, Mike and Jenny Spiller, never get tired of seeing the jewel-like spring blossoms surrounding their 19th century cottage.
Find out how they plan and plant their succession of spring bulbs and add some flower bed designs and borders to your backyard ideas.
(Photo credit: Peter Chatterton)
The appearance of spring flowers, whether they are bright beds or borders, or naturalized within areas of tall grass, indicates an acceleration of growth in the garden after the dormant winter months.
The beds and borders are filled with many types of daffodils, primrose, stone serpent head, hellebores, scilla, anemones, grape hyacinths and other spring bulbs.
(Photo credit: Peter Chatterton)
Over the years, the pair have built up a reputation for stocking more unusual specimens. These include female daffodils Narcissus BulbocodiumAmazing yellow petals. If you are wondering how to grow daffodil bulbs, there are thousands of varieties to choose from.
(Photo credit: Peter Chatterton)
Another unusual group of spring-growing flowers is the twinkling celandine will be buttercups ‘Flore-Pleno’, or less celandine, which Jenny says is much less invasive than its single-flowered sister.
In shady areas, chestnuts native to California grow trillium chlorobitalum, Also known as giant trillium.
(Photo credit: Peter Chatterton)
Mike and Jenny gradually established the park over about 30 years. Over time, Jenny began adding bulbs, perennials, specimen trees, and evergreens to complement the existing shrubs.
Gradually she excavated more of the “island” beds as her interest and knowledge deepened, combining exciting combinations of colors and textures. The grassy paths surrounding several islands extend from a bird bath near the center of the plot.
“I didn’t know much about gardening when we first moved here, and certainly didn’t know many plants,” explains Jenny, who has operated the Elworthy Cottage Plants nursery for more than 20 years.
(Photo credit: Peter Chatterton)
The couple has always set out to ensure that the sloping garden enhances their cottage and blends seamlessly with the picturesque countryside behind, incorporating several sloping garden ideas into the design.
They allow spring bulbs, such as daffodils, python head and cyclamen, and plants such as primrose to naturalize within the lawn between their nursery and garden, and allow wildflowers to thrive around their borders—a great idea for a wildlife garden.
(Photo credit: Peter Chatterton)
While the garden is made up of several different parts, it is unified through the use of devices such as spot greens cut into geometric shapes, such as spheres, ovals and cubes.
A winding row of short upper columns extends from the hut, while low, parallel hedges on either side of the stepped stone path draw the eye toward the rolling hills behind.
(Photo credit: Peter Chatterton)
When it comes to plant groups for flower bed ideas, a great deal of thought goes to each of the island beds within the garden at Elworthy Cottage.
But Jenny is not averse to letting nature contribute to the mix, which often results in an unusual and striking juxtaposition that would not otherwise exist. “Often things come up,” she explains.
(Photo credit: Peter Chatterton)
Despite spending their working lives surrounded by plants, the amount of time Mike and Jenny spend in their garden is limited. Therefore, over the years they have developed strategies to keep it ahead.
They keep the edges of island beds sharp, and garden path ideas include carefully maintaining lawn paths, in contrast to the lush growth of plants such as vigorous geraniums, geraniums, asters, and alligators as the months go by.
(Photo credit: Peter Chatterton)
They learned how to grow ornamental grasses, such as pheasant’s tail, to provide a long-lasting structure that complements cut greens.
Spring flowering specimen trees, such as starry magnoliaYou can also bring an extra layer of color and beautiful texture to the borders.
(Photo credit: Peter Chatterton)
They quickly figured out how to grow hellebores, the sloping bank above the hut is rich in hellebores and daffodils, and heather provides another injection of color.
After more than three decades, the park has never lost its appeal for Spillers. “It’s just a place where you lose yourself, where you can forget everything,” Jenny says.