Sheepcote

About Sheepcote

Sheepcote is a relatively small garden tucked into what was once its own orchard. Putley’s orchards are renowned for the quality of the pears and apples grown here. In May blossom is abundant. The garden is roughly triangular and slopes from West to East; the apex points west. The base, approximately 80 metres, is marked by two 150 year old oak trees, planted in the 1860s when Putley was transformed by the Riley family. Sun reaches most of the garden most of the day; there are un-interrupted views ofl the Malverns, the Cotswolds, inevitably May Hill and Marcle Ridge.
Previous gardeners left a selection of shrubs, trees and herbaceous perennials planted in association; associations of flower, leaf, colour and texture creating blended tapestries, most of which we have worked around to create our garden. The basis of this is discernible in May.

To make “gardening” easier we removed the west lawn and created the gravel garden. The lawn at the front was levelled, adding a terrace helping the house to sit in the environment. The hedges were lowered; tall stemmed holly and hawthorn were retained which started the nurturing of self sown hollies around the boundary. Where these were not available privet and lonicera items were added to continue the theme. The derelict area around the greenhouse under Top Oak was cleared, the oak judiciously pruned to provide for a kitchen garden area.

The gravel garden sits within a circular path, with shallow steps, from which radiate, Saltire like, four paths leading to other destinations. The centre grows thymes and other low growing species. The sculpture Angel by Anya Beaumont, antique rain gulleys and strawberry pots holding a selection of house leeks, add height. Planted urns and more sculpture, Julie Beaumont, add features at the end of the paths while the beds between them hold the box, lavender etc.

A path from this area leads past the ponds, still in development as is the “damp” bed below, to the so called croquet lawn. The right hand border contains azaleas in colours we would not have chosen but now enjoy for their exuberance. It is the yellow bed. Other shrubs, perennials and bulbs provide a hint of the tapestry referred to earlier. Clematis have been introduced which provide late colour and height when the roses are going over. Further down are the blue bed then, dominated by Bottom Oak, is The Dell with spring bulbs and, much later, a stunning display of cyclamen. Do try the swing!

The pink bed fronts the reduced hedge with the aspirational topiary holly and hawthorn. Across the drive is the big tapestry planting. Flowering current, buddleia, viburnum (Snowball Tree), Cotinus (Smoke Tree) magnolias grow in front of a holly hedge. The canopies of the viburnum and cotinus have been raised, allowing interesting views of the garden from the path in front of the hedge. All this area is under-planted with spring bulbs and nearly uncontrolled herbaceous species that provide rich late summer colour.