More Eye Candy from The Garden House

It's been two years since I last posted on my gardening blog.  I did think that it was time to put it to bed but the old posts keep attracting interest, I've revived my photography blog, and temptation has got the better of me.  But I will shift the emphasis from my own garden to garden visits and scenes from The Garden House, the Devon garden I volunteer at as their photographer, website maintainer and assister with marketing and promotion.  

One of the things I do is a weekly Facebook/Instagram post with vistas from the garden.  The 10 acre garden changes as the seasons develop through the year so I'll make these views a regular feature, together with shots from other gardens in the area, planting combinations and ideas I like and other musings.

But first, to kick it off again, some shots from The Garden House (April 20th or 27th). Click to embiggen.

The Arboretum lake with bog bean in front

The Rhododendron Walk

At the base of the Acer Glade

View from the Wisteria Bridge to the wedding cake trees

View across the second lawn to the Rhododendron Bank

View from the second terrace of the Walled Garden

View across the top lawn

View along the top terrace of the Walled Garden

The first of the many Wisteria in flower in the Walled Garden

Eye candy

This is why I volunteer at The Garden HouseThe Garden House.  Ten late spring images for your delight.

How fast do Dicksonia antarctica tree ferns grow in the UK - May 2024 update

It's been nearly two years since the last update on my Dicksonia antarctica tree fern growth rate.  As I've said before I purchased it in 2002 as a tiny baby, planted it in the rear garden, and have tracked it's progress as it's slowly developed a trunk amd the crown of fronds has enlarged.

It's now May 15th 2024 and the clear trunk from soil level to the level of the newly unfurling fronds of this years flush is 63in / 160cm.  So, another 2.5in / 6cm of extension.  That's nearly 3in /7.5cm a year on average, rather more than the books describe.  It does seem to be slowing down a little.  Here it is in my little pool area in the rear garden.

More than tall enough to sit under, a wish I expressed earlier in the saga!

At a current cost of about £350 for a 5ft trunk specimen I think my £2 purchase has been a good investment.