Summerhouse Project

Recently we have been discussing how to make better use of the house and gardens, and we have decided to give an old summer house a bit of a refurb. We trawled through some magazines and collected some ideas for decoration and planting..... 

 

We went to measure up, and agreed that it has a lovely view over the gardens, and it would be good to make it a bit more comfortable and usable.

The summerhouse is spacious, in good condition, and has an access ramp. All it needs is a bit of a makeover.

After a visit to Homebase, we tried out some tester pots on the inside wall.

 From the top: Seagrass, Coastal Mist, Beach Blue, Forget-me-Not.

Once we have done a second coat, we can take a vote on what looks best, and start painting.

Kathy Brown's Garden

Tuesday 1st July
Making the most of the beautiful weather, we decided to visit the Manor House garden in Stevington. It is open on Tuesday afternoons in summer, plus some Sundays under the National Gardens Scheme. The garden has lovely formal areas, and wilder corners. At this stage of the summer the late flowering clematis is coming out in force; the garden has over a hundred varieties.

 The view from the house, out to the fields beyond.

 The beds of ornamental grasses rustling gently in the summer breeze

 

Paths wind their way through abundant planting

A comfortable spot from which to  contemplate the view.

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Intriguing corners are everywhere. Even on the shady side of the house there are interesting things to see.

Among the shade loving plants, this extraordinary Crested Hart's Tongue fern, its glossy strap like leaves erupting into a froth of what looks like curly parsley at the ends.

As well as being a garden designer, Kathy has written extensively on cooking with edible flowers, and afternoon tea showcases her delicious cakes. Among them lavender and lemon cake, apricot and almond, and rose petal cake.

 

So we couldn't really leave without checking out the quality of the tea......

Excellent all round ***** Five stars