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Willows garden on Pilley Hill is situated on a steep but manageable incline. The house is perched in the middle of the plot with the effect that the rear beds are on the highest level and the land descends to the lily pond at the bottom.
We visited this colourful exuberance yesterday afternoon. In 2003, the current owners, Elizabeth and Martin Walker, bought a small bungalow with a natural ditch where the
pond is now situated. The current house was built in 2005.
Unusual varieties of hydrangea are one feature.
The herbaceous borders, on a grand scale,
attract bees
and visitors alike.
Some of the dahlias are really quite strident.
There are huge thistles
and swirling ferns.
Plentiful seating was arranged. You could even sit under a parasol and employ your mobile devices;
you could sit side by side across the pond and watch the other visitors,
perhaps walking over one of the bridges,
passing a pair of hidden herons;
or you could sit quietly enjoying your cream teas, provided you were able to ignore the silent pleading of the resident Labrador.
The women washing up and giving out refreshments were not permitted to handle money, so you had to move across the room to pay the keeper of the coffers. This prompted me to recount the story of ‘A Retirement Project’.
Some of the plants would have graced a much hotter environment. A clump of bamboo soared to the skies,
and a banana tree,
as we departed, proffered the light a leafy playground.
The final surprise was the balloon tree.
This evening we dined at Lal Quilla where my main course was king prawn naga and Jackie’s was chicken hariali. We shared special fried rice, a paratha, and an onion bahji; both drank Kingfisher.
What a beautiful garden! (I laughed thinking of strident dahlias.)
It looks like a delightful day–topped off with a delicious meal!
Very many thanks, Merril
Paradise on earth.
Thank you very much, Cathi
What a lovely place, Derrick! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks very much, Cynthia
Great feature photo. Nice garden but not as painterly as Jackie’s.
Thanks very much, Mary. I agree. Just a bit too formal for my liking
Very lovely, but I prefer the informality of your garden – full of surprises and discoveries!
That’s good, Bruce. Actually, I agree, and would have left the ditch. Thank you.
Ah! So lovley.
Thanks very much, Sherry
Wow! What a stunning garden. Your first photo is so beautiful, Derrick.
Many thanks, Jill
There was a time in my life when I fear I might have been a strident Dahlia and yet another when giant thistle probably applied. I’m hopeful that these days I’m more of an unusual hydrangea. Or the sanguine doggy hoping for cream tea.
Definitely unusual, Osyth 🙂
What a great garden to share Derrick! Your photos capture the lower summer sunshine well.
Thanks very much, Val
A shaggy-dog-and-balloon-tree story. 😀
Nice one, Widders. Thank you very much
I enjoyed your side post of the possible retirement project – it could only happen in the UK!
The garden is a little on the formal side for my taste, but it was nice to see bamboo – which I am inordinately fond of due to the rustling music it plays in a soft breeze. Also the very hungry Labrador importuning Jackie 😀
Thank you very much, Pauline. I agree about the formality. Splendid, though
What a gorgeous garden! I think that strident dahlia could be called ‘rosy fingered dawn.’
Good idea, Lisa. Many thanks
A most wondrous and picturesque tour of Willows garden on Pilley Hill (such a cute name)
Very many thanks, Ivor
What a well-paved garden.
Thanks a lot, Arlene
Labradore’s are such beautiful creatures.
When Jackie had finished her scone her fickle friend got up and moved on. Lovely, though, I’ll agree. Thanks, Brian
What a coincidence! Yesterday I too shot a lotus pond and bamboo clamps. That house is straight out of a fairy tale. You have deftly captured the dancing rays of light on the special world.
Thanks very much, Uma. Great minds……
Yep! ?
I love your banana plant photos. The lily ponds would be a great inspiration for a painter.
Many thanks, Nicki
What a stunning garden and your photos capture it beautifully.
Thanks very much, Karen
A garden worthy of entering into a competition.
Many thanks, Leslie
I follow your blog on a daily basis. Enjoy so very much. With your permission, I’d like to use your photo of the Thistle to accompany a Haiku poem that I have written. Your photo inspired me. I’ll wait for your response and would of course give your credit for the lovely photo.
That would be my pleasure and privilege, mother of Brodie. Thank you very much
You are so generous and kind. Thanks so very much and I will post today! Peace
Wonderful! I too was intrigued by the strident dahlias – Ta Dah!
🙂 Thanks a lot, Mike
Such a lovely place to be able to visit! I love hydrangeas and those are so attractive! The resident lab would have probably been spirited away by me.
Thanks, Elizabeth. I’m sure you could have tempted it away.
At the dog park I was the doggie grandma. All the new “kids” seemed to think I was the one to run to when they got scared.
Lovely plants, though I’d hate to have to see to that lawn. Excellent photos too, with some great use of light through leaves. Are the thistles cardoons?
Finally, did Jackie weaken when faced with the labrador? It might be worth experimenting with sad eyes and a mournful expression if she did. 🙂
Thanks very much, Quercus. I think you are right about cardoons. Jackie was too fond of her scone to weaken. 🙂
She’s a woman of iron resolve isn’t she?
Willows garden also looks like a lovely visit! I love the photo of Jackie and the hopeful dog. 🙂
Much appreciated, Lavinia