Country Homes & Interiors – September 2019

Thechurchtowerviewed

throughthebranches

ofCornuscontroversa

underplantedwith

Dianthus carthusianorum

Indianbeantree,Catalpaxerubescens‘Purpurea’,white-flowered

blackchokeberry,Aroniamelanocarpa, andthestag’shornsumach,

Rhustyphina, flamingorangeinautumn.‘I particularlylikethepink,

silverandpurplesection,whichincludesRosa‘BlushNoisette’.It’s

aprolificflowerer,’saysTrish.Teamedwiththepinkrosearesilver-

leavedArtemisialudoviciana‘ValerieFinnis’andTeucriumfruticans,

andtheprettyself-seederLinariapurpurea‘CanonWent’,which

threadsitsdaintypinkflowerspikesinandoutofotherplants.

‘Thedrivewayshrubberyis thefirstthingyouseeasyoucomein

thefrontgates,andthoughit’susefulforprivacy,we’vetriedtoadd

someclarityandshapetoit byliftingthecrownsofsomeofthe

largershrubslikecotoneasterandPortugueselaurel,’saysTrish.

Atthebackthecourtyardsandterrace,onceovergrown,arenow

sunnyandordered,fizzingwithself-seededErigeronkarvinskianus

andhometocollectionsofsucculentsandpotsofchoicesalvias.

Theraisedborderbelowtheterraceis a gauzymixofgrassesand

herbaceousperennialsthatflowerlongintotheautumn,including

Gaura‘KaraleeWhite’,penstemonsandgeraniums.Abovethe

terrace,thelawnslopessteeply,dottedwithfruittreesaround

whichthegrassis allowedtogrowlonginthelatesummer,mown

throughwitha paththatleadstoa smallvegetablepatch.

Afterlivingina quiet,ruralspotinCornwallformanyyearsTrish

andJeremyappreciatethepeaceandserenityoftheirSomerset

home,inspiteofbeinginthecentreofthevillage.‘Thegarden

hasa lovelyatmosphere,andnothavingtostrugglewithCornish

windsis a delight,’saysTrish.ThesedaystheOldVicarageis less

Hammer House of Horror and more horticultural heaven.

Visit...‘TheBishop’sPalace

GardensinWells(bishopspalace.

org.uk)foritsbeautifulgardens

rightintheheartofthetown,

fulloffineplantingamong

waterandruins.’

Shopat...‘AxbridgeFarmers’

Market(somersetfarmersmarkets.

co.uk).It’sheldonthefirst

Saturdayofthemonthandhas

everythingfromgame,meatand

fishtovegetables,breadand

plants.Oneofourfavouritestalls

is SomersetCharcuterie.’

Goforamealat...‘The

EthicureanRestaurant,Barley

WoodWalledGardens,Long

Lane,Wrington(theethicurean.

com).It’sa wonderfulsetting

servingdeliciousfoodbeautifully

presented.Verypeacefuland

with artists’ studios, too.’

ON OUR DOORSTEPÉ

122 COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS