Readers’ gardens
There’s certainly masses of colour throughout the garden this month. Stunning alstroemeria ‘Indian Summer’ has been flowering profusely for weeks now, while buddleja ‘Buzz Magenta’ is still drawing lots of comments in its fourth year by the pond. Many visitors ask what it is after seeing its vivid shade. I don’t normally have much success with sweet peas, but this year I bought some ‘Earl Grey’ and they’ve done well. The colour of the delicate flowers is simply wonderful.
One of the annuals I’ve got scattered through the garden this season is one not very often seen in the garden. Scaevola is a relative newcomer and has proved successful as a basket and container annual for summer bedding. It’s semi-tropical, from Australia, and thrives in warm sunny conditions, although it’ll also tolerate some shade, in pots or as bed and border edging. All mine are in pots and are dusty pink – they look divine hugging the metal divider I have near the entrance. In the front beach garden, mighty acanthus look amazing reaching for the sky. So far, they’ve managed to avoid being snapped by winds. The green folly door has also attracted attention this summer, with the two cast iron urns either side planted up with heuchera ‘Marmalade’ and helichrysum. Beneath them is a pot of aeoniums and a pink watering can with sweet Williams. My visit to Gardeners’ World Live earlier in the summer saw me buying a somewhat expensive olive bonsai tree. I have to confess to being very pleased with it. It makes a real statement on the little green table in the centre of the small cottage garden area.
We’ve had a really successful season so far, with all the garden openings now behind us, and just six art festival openings to come. More than 1,000 people have visited, with a further 1,000 expected – so it’s been a very busy season. Weather-wise, it’s ranged from scorching hot, dry days to gale-force winds
and torrential rain – not easy conditions for maintaining a garden open to the public on so many days. It’s been a real challenge! Read more of the garden at www. driftwoodbysea.co.uk.