Garden Visit: Whizzing Around Wisley


Victoria and Patient Gardener have already bought you their versions of our visit to Wisley, but I'd still like to show you mine. It's a whistlestop tour just like we had prior to our afternoon at Chelsea and I've tried to select different photos to those used by my companions. I was struck by this profound quote in the Root Zone area of the gigantic new glasshouse...


... but before we get there here's our first sight of the gardens. Even the water lilies are labelled...


... then we moved through the area I showed you for my Sunshine post recently, past some Acers into a wide space with a lake full of very healthy fish, a wildflower meadow illustrating biodiversity and up through the massive rockery you can just see at the top right of the photo...


Victoria showed you the view up the rockery, here's one looking down. Whilst I wouldn't dream of having a rockery in my own garden, I am rather partial to them when they're 'done' properly, like this one is...


... now past our first double border (and missing out the Alpine glasshouses) ...


... to the demonstration vegetable beds. I couldn't go in because they'd just been sprayed, but I leaned over the fence to take this shot before running to catch up with my companions...


... only to find these amusing structures nearby: kohl rabi methinks...


... more borders on the way to the glasshouse. Mainly foliage at the moment giving hints of glories to come...


... outside the glasshouse we found this mass planting of Alliums...


... and the teaching garden designed by Cleve West...


... at last here we are in the glasshouse. It's enormous and has several different zones of varying heat and humidity. Here's part of the hot, dry zone showing just how effective a planting of cacti and succulents can be...


... the glasshouse is large enough to swallow a whole waterfall for breakfast...


... and tall enough so we could climb up the ramp and look down on lush foliage...


... but let's not forget the exotic flowers...


... nor foliage which is familiar to us because we grow something similar as a houseplant. This is Begonia 'Curly Fireflush'...


... back outside again...



... and finally into the garden designed by Penelope Hobhouse before completely ignoring the tea shop and plant centre on the way out :o

There's lots more we didn't have time to see, such as the trials beds and previous Chelsea show gardens. I'm so pleased Victoria suggested our tour though. Thank you :)

Comments

  1. Helen/patientgardener3 June 2010 at 15:09

    I feel exhausted all over again!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous3 June 2010 at 19:41

    It does seem a bit quick, VP. This is a garden we would like to visit one day, especially after seeing the whizzing posts. Maybe more time spent, missed the tea and shop????? Oh the tragedy. Hope you can go again with a more leisurely intent. :-)
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amanda4 June 2010 at 18:50

    The vegetable garden had just been sprayed? With what?!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Susan Tomlinson6 June 2010 at 16:11

    What a wonderful day. The garden looks like it has a good mix of "this and that-ness".

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lu6 June 2010 at 21:40

    I'm with Amanda - why on earth were they spraying the veges?

    ReplyDelete
  6. All Season's Gardener8 June 2010 at 12:13

    What a fascinating tour you've put together - I almost feel I was there! Actually I find this kind of day too full of information for me to process (Chelsea nearly killed me the one year I visited) so having a virtual experience through your blog is lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rose Sterling26 June 2010 at 04:43

    Wow. The place is super relaxing! I think I am about to feel that I should take my daughters here! The plants and the arrangements are really the best! The pond there is certainly wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  8. VP3 July 2010 at 11:02

    PG - I felt exhausted just putting the post together!

    Frances - when you come over to the UK again, we'll go round togther and take in both the cafe and the shop!

    Amanda and Lu - I can't remember, but I was rather surprised at the time

    Susan - you've described it perfectly

    ASG and Rose - welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed your virtual tour :)

    ReplyDelete

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