It’s not time for bed yet
On 27th May ODGC welcomed Helen Picton who is a proprietor of Old Court Nurseries and Picton Garden, Colwall, a family business established in 1906. The 1.5 acre garden holds the Plant Heritage National Collection of Michaelmas Daisies. The area of nursery and garden is 2.5 acres.
Although the stars of the garden are the 430 varieties of Michaelmas Daisies which peak between late September and mid October Helen aided by a colourful slideshow stressed the importance of colour throughout the year beginning with a wonderful display of 300 varieties of snowdrops.
Entering the garden in late summer the visitor is greeted by the glowing spikes of Kniphofia rooperi followed by the later flowering yellow K. ‘Happy Halloween’. The path winds through a former rockery occupied by Acer palmatum and pines and underplanted with late Crocosmias, Japanese anemones and Heleniums. Moving into mixed herbaceous borders bright yellow swathes of Golden Rod contrast with pastel asters. Solidago rugosa ‘Iowa’ is a dainty and restrained example, untroubled by mildew.
Height is provided by the white bottlebrushes of Sanguisorba canadensis and white daisies of Doellingeria umbellatus which also provide winter interest as does the shrub-like aster, Symphyotrichum horizontalis. White spikes of Actaea add height and scent.
Small trees – Japanese acers, Crataegus prunifolia and Euonymus compactus provide autumn colour. Ferns flourish in the shadier areas. Polypodium is dormant in summer producing its fresh green leaves in early autumn and retaining these throughout winter. Grasses also provide winter interest though space is needed to accommodate Miscanthus transmorrisonensis!
The stars of the garden are not forgotten. Aster frikartii ‘Monch’ blooms from July to November, Symphyotrichum ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’ provides clouds of daisies into November and deep violet Aster triverius will bloom from October to Christmas, after which it is time for the snowdrops to return.
Ghislaine Arundale
