EVENING VISIT - 15th JUNE 2011
DOROTHY'S GARDEN, CLAYTON-LE-DALE
We visited the garden owned by Dorothy & Andrew Richards c3m North of Blackburn. They have lived here for 25 years and the garden boasts several mature trees and hedges. The garden has been opened under the NGS for several years. It is situated on the edge of the Ribble Valley and
there are stunning views of the surrounding
undulating countryside. On a clear day you can see
as far as Blackpool Tower, 30 miles away. In the one acre plot there are numerous, well stocked beds with a mixture of unusual trees, perennials and tender plants. |
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It is a continually evolving plant collector’s
garden with many areas to explore and loads of ideas
to take home. The garden is peaceful, has pleasant seating areas and is planted for interest in every season. There are sweeping lawns and the planting within the beds is informal. Much colour comes from trees and shrubs which have a themed yellow foliage. A variety of hedging plants have been used to create a partition and wind break across the garden and there are several rare Pelargoniums in the greenhouse. A large composting system provides home made goodness for the garden all year round. |
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There is even an original sculpture - an enormous red rose which is just right for Lancashire, but not true: Dorothy saw the original on a trip to New Zealand a few years ago and commissioned a local blacksmith from Myerscough College to fashion her model from photos she had taken.
After an interesting tour around the garden we were presented with home-made cakes and refreshments and there were also a number of plants for sale to keep our acquisitive members happy. |
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