I knew the garden at 8 Ryeworth Road would be interesting – it opens for the National Garden Scheme after all. What I hadn’t expected was to be walking into a tropical jungle in the heart of Cheltenham.
From the road, enormous, flower-covered hydrangeas in pots suggest the house belongs to a keen gardener but it doesn’t prepare you for what the back garden holds.
A jungle atmosphere is created by huge leaves – from bananas, paulownia and tetrapanax, the Chinese rice-paper plant. Tree ferns are used as a repeated motif through the borders and there are huge pots of large-leaved hostas, while the biggest Vitis coignetiae I’ve ever seen scrambles through more than half the garden like living bunting. Against this green backdrop are set spots of colour from cannas, dahlias, salvias and hedychium.
The garden has been created over the past 13 years by Vicki and Nigel – he’s built the raised beds, the two ponds and other structures, she’s responsible for the plants.
When they started, the garden, which is roughly 100ft long by 50ft wide, was little more than a couple of borders, some paving and grass. Gradually, Vicki, who has been gardening since childhood, has filled every inch, with many of the plants in pots.
The planting style is, she says, inspired by time living abroad, and holidays to exotic locations. The gardens of Cornwall, in particular Heligan, have also been a big influence.
Many of her plants have been bought in end of season sales, showing that you don’t have to have a huge budget to produce something striking.
It may be small, but the garden is full of take-home ideas. I liked the idea of using houseplants as summer hanging displays – they often benefit from spending the summer months outdoors.
The two wildlife ponds also had great water spouts made from salvaged metal guttering – I saw something similar on the Best in Show garden at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live. (Read about it here.)
Then there’s the unusual mulch between the York stone pavers – shells that are a waste product from the shellfish industry.
Everywhere you look there are plants, including filling the second floor balcony. There are also numerous places to sit – I counted seven seating areas.
Despite Vicki saying that the poor summer means some plants are nowhere near as big as usual, I did have plant envy. Not least for the enormous – and un-nibbled – hostas.
She also has far better dahlias than me this year and there were a few whose names I noted down for my ‘must buy’ list.
That’s the beauty of garden visiting. There’s always something to inspire your own plot.
8, Ryeworth Road, Cheltenham, is open for the National Garden Scheme on Sunday September 15, 2024. Pre-booking is essential. More details here.
Very pretty, I do like visiting National Garden Scheme gardens. I made it to 4 this year and plan to do more next year.
It is a great scheme and helps so many charities.