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Welcome
to Burnside Garden
For
the last 5 years Burnside garden (in Gloucestershire, England)
has been open to the public on one day in June under the National
Gardens Scheme (Yellow Book). This year we will be open by
appointment, every day throughout the year. We have made the
change because of the agony of making a huge effort to get
the garden perfectly tidy, only to wake up to pouring rain
and the knowledge that there will be few visitors.
The garden is described in the Yellow Book as 'a working garden'
It is not a textbook designed garden with an overall plan.
Plants are not necessarily placed to compliment each other
and colour is not ever present, as the seasons follow each
other. Any visitor who is looking for that sort of garden
will be disappointed.
This is a plantsman's garden with many strengths as well as
accompanying weaknesses.
It has a strong and interesting bias towards plant breeding:
hellebores (many species), pulsatillas, geraniums, erodiums,
origanums, sedums, hepaticas and pulmonarias. Indeed, the
production of many new plants has necessitated the take-over
of an unused ¼ acre vegetable garden in the village
as a trial ground.
It is an excellent demonstration of growing a variety of acid
loving plants (such as Camellia) in an extremely limy soil.
(The garden is situated beneath the Cotswold escarpment of
oolitic limestone, rising 1,000 feet behind the house).
As the cold air rolls down that hill however, it lodges in
the garden which consequently is a severe frost pocket. It
is therefore a supreme test of skill to be able to grow tender
semi-hardy shrubs, such as Azara microphylla variegata, Raphiolepsis,
Abutilon megapotamicum, Myrtus and Crinodendron. Failures
are numerous and I try again and again with plants such as
Cantua buxifolia, Bomarea and Cornus capitata. Sadly I do
not have enough warm south walls to grow everything I would
like to.
I try out all the new and unusual plants that catch my fancy.
They have however, to fit into an available space, rather
than be part of a plan.
I also have small collections of plants. Japanese flowering
cherries, magnolias, buddleias, hellebores, viburnums, Clematis
viticella cultivars, Euphorbia, Philadelphus, daphnes, Anemone
nemorosa, honeysuckles, erythroniums, Deutzia, paeonias, geums,
Rodgersia, Rheum, Astilbe (dwarf forms) veronicas, dwarf conifers
and variegated plants. None of these collections are complete,
as I prefer some plants to others.
The less successful features of the garden have an historic
basis. I started a garden centre, two miles away, in 1974.
I had just returned from twelve years in Central Africa where
I administered a small tropical plant nursery as a small part
of my duties as an Agricultural Officer for the Zambian Government.
My knowledge of temperate plants was very limited (I didn't
even know the word 'leylandii'). So to teach myself, I ordered
all the plants I could discover in catalogues. For instance
all the rare plants from Treseders of Truro. Needless to say
that was a very expensive and sad way to learn, as the first
severe winter destroyed whole collections of Pittosporum,
Hebe, Escallonia, Osmanthus, Azara and Cistus as well as many
other choice plants. However some did survive. This haphazard
collecting went on for years as enthusiasm followed enthusiasm.
I grew fond of the plants and though some make no sense where
they are, I let them be, rather than try and re-grow them
elsewhere in a more suitable position.
Plant breeding and the selection and development of new plants
are now my paramount interest. Everything else takes second
place to this activity. The garden therefore has a different
look, with some plants grown in rows. Plants in the same genus
may be grown together, such as geums, origanums and erythroniums.
This helps natural hybridisation. White plant labels with
code numbers of planned hybridisation are everywhere. Perforated
plastic bags and discarded lady's tights are wrapped round
many plants to collect the explosive seed. Likewise jam jars
with coloured tops are strategically placed all over the garden
to collect seeds and to store items like tweezers and coloured
string, so that new hybrids can be made instantly as the pollen
ripens.
There are lots of empty spaces in the garden but I am in no
hurry to fill them up just to have the garden looking complete.
If a garden is full, you will have to remove an old plant
to allow space for a new one.
A special feature of the garden is the stream which runs through
it for some 500 feet. Unfortunately, every 5-10 years there
are severe scouring floods that can whisk away all newly planted
and unsecured plants. This is a great disincentive to streamside
planting. The soil of the stream bank is sticky blue clay.
Nevertheless there are some quite good parts, where the plants
are growing well. There is a selection of natural woodland
alongside the lower half of the stream where the hepaticas
are growing well in full shade and despite a fairly hostile
environment.
So what can I offer visitors?
I can offer a personal guided tour lasting from 20 minutes
to I hour depending on your interests. I enjoy sharing my
enthusiasm with visitors. Foreign visitors from far afield
(e.g. USA & Japan) are especially welcome, as I hope to
exchange plants and information. If I am unavailable, there
are knowledgeable helpers who can also act as guides.
There are many rare plants for sale. I am also amenable to
slicing up a large clump of a herbaceous plant or offering
cuttings if there are no plants potted up. I belong to the
NCCPG and the aim of the organisation is the conservation
of rare plants, by spreading them around.
I can also offer detailed advice and knowledge in many specialised
areas of gardening.
Over the years I have had many coach parties and groups visit
the garden (with tea & biscuits). These are particularly
welcome and I can offer a short talk and demonstration of
my methods and experiences of plant breeding and plant selection.
A final comment. There is a certain disinclination amongst
potential visitors to phone up and ask if it is convenient
to visit a garden. I feel it myself, when in my turn, I want
to see other gardens and I wonder if I will be a bother to
the garden owner. I can only assure visitors that I will do
my best to meet your needs. The longer the time between deciding
to visit and the visit itself, the easier it will be to arrange
things. However some very successful visits have been decided
at very short notice.
A Belgium Geranium enthusiast rang one Sunday morning, as
he was passing and was invited to share Sunday lunch. In turn
he invited us to visit him in Bruges to see his collection.
That is what it is all about.
Burnside garden is situated in Mill Lane, Prestbury, Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire, GL52 3NE, England. I can be contacted by
telephone in England on 01242 244645 or from abroad on +44
1242 244645
Looking forward to hearing from you and meeting with you.
John Anton-Smith
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