The Pines

About The Pines

Front garden:
The front garden is formal with a square lawn surrounded by a carriage drive. There is an “Aqualens” water feature in the centre of the lawn. Around this are two tall spruce trees (Picea abies), two smaller bun-shaped conifer bushes (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana “Minima Glauca”) and a dome-shaped Euonymus fortunei “Silver Queen”. The bases of these trees are planted with spring bulbs.
Mixed trees, shrubs and perennials are in the two beds on either side of the drive including Acer palmatum “Bloodgood”, choisya, cornus, laburnum, lilacs, magnolia and several varieties of prunus. In the bed beside the garage is a white-flowered “Beauty of Moscow” lilac (Syringa vulgari “Krasavitsa Moskvy”).

Patio with swimming pool:
The west-facing back of the house has Rosa “Climbing Lady Hillingdon” on a white-painted wooden trellis with Clematis “Perle d’Azur” growing through it. The pool side of the annexe building has a mature Rosa banksia lutescens growing through Ceanothus “Puget Blue” and several varieties of Agapanthus (blue and white) and two different varieties of Chaenomeles x superba (“Crimson and Gold” and “Moerloosei”) to extend the flowering season. The north-facing wall on the south side of the pool is a tapestry of several different varieties of ivy. There are multiple containers around the pool with flowering shrubs (including an Atlantic cedar growing as a giant bonsai) and a large Eucalyptus gunnii tree by the pool house.

Main lawn:
The sunny bed along the balustrade has a large Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana “Argentea”) at its centre with shrubs and perennials along the length including Cotinus coggygria “Royal Purple”, Hibiscus sinensis “Blue Bird” and a white lilac. Prominent shrubs include grey-green Phlomis fruticans (Jerusalem sage), Rosa glauca with blue-green foliage and a dark-leafed Pittosporum “Tom Thumb”.
The east-facing bed looking towards the house is filled with shrubs and perennials, including roses, camellia, tree peonies, a Phormium “Yellow Wave” and hydrangeas. In the centre is another Pampas Grass growing through a Cercis siliquastris (the Judas tree) and a white Hibiscus syriacus “White Chiffon” growing through a Pyrus salicifolia “Pendula”. Notable specimen perennials include a Rosa “Kiftsgate” and an Acer palmatum “Sango-kaku” with wonderful autumn foliage.
The pergola uprights are covered with either Lonicera sp on the shady side or Clematis sp on the sunnier side, with a mature Wisteria sinensis near the entrance. Here is also a split cedar frame supporting a creamy-yellow climbing rose R. “Claire Austin”. Nearby is also a Daphne bohlua “Jacqueline Postill”. At the bend, the pergola is covered by a mature Akebia quinata (chocolate vine). The bed next to this contains hellebores and Japanese anemones and a white-flowered Chaenomeles x superba.
The 7m x 3m gravel bed was installed in 2020 and is planted up with drought-loving plants in colour zones from yellow through white, pink, red and purple to blue. At the back of the gravel bed are the stumps of conifers that had to be reduced in height in 2021: these are gradually being hidden by climbers including a Ceanothus and several varieties of Lonicera.
Next to this is a small fountain and a tree seat at the base of an Irish yew. The adjoining bed was replanted with a blue theme in 2023 after removal of a large hebe that died during the unusually cold winter of 2022.
In the lower lawn is a splendid specimen Cupressus cashmeriana with pendulous blue-green needles. The bed along the front of the summerhouse receives no rainfall at all but now contains a white-flowered Cistus, blue Ceanothus thyrsifolius and several plants of Artemisia “Powis Castle” which seems to thrive on the desert dry conditions. The bed is covered with shingle to minimise evaporation. At the south end is a Rosa “Emma Hamilton”. Nearby is a large wooden obelisk topped by a big stone ball with the moss rose R. “William Lobb” trained around it.
There are two island beds cut into the lawn. The northern one is circular and has on one side a tall Corokia cotoneaster (the wire netting plant from New Zealand) growing with an equally tall hebe. Two large Dahlias appear in late summer, one with large yellow-orange flowers and the other with dark foliage and smaller flowers that are blood red. The second island bed on the lawn is oval and has a silver and purple theme. Between the island beds is a specimen multi-stemmed Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’.
Next to this is a west-facing but rather shady bed. At the back of the bed is a terracotta statue of Pandora (complete with her box!). This bed is mainly planted with geraniums, hellebores and sedums and asters for the autumn. Not very exciting – but it does contain my favourite tree peony, “Souvenir de Maxime Cornu”.
Adjoining this is a small triangular bed marking the exit from the pergola. It was until recently very heavily shaded but a gale helpfully brought down the laburnum tree that was the worst offender. In 2023 it has been replanted with woodland perennials.
The bed along the base of the fruit cage is north-facing. Despite the shade Ligularia przewalskii and Eupatorium purpureum are thriving.
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