Wind in the Willows

About Wind in the Willows

Wind in the Willows has a unique setting; 3 acres, sandwiched between the River Misborne and its millstream, and meandering through it, what was once a commercial watercress bed creates an island of mature woodland garden. That is why we bought the house in 1983 and why we are still here.

There was not much of a garden then, but lots of potential! We sketched a design and started work. 30 years later, it’s a garden, but still a work in progress. Around the house we now have informal areas of shrubs including tree peonies, trees and heather beds, and a fine ‘forest pansy’ tree and a growing collection of day-lilies. Across the lawn are bearded iris and more shrubs and ornamental trees, under planted with a large ever increasing collection of hellebores for winter interest.

There really is colour throughout the year; March sees some 20, often very fragrant, different early flowering shrubs as well as plants in flower including the hellebores, and early bulbs. Interesting barks and variegated evergreens add to the early season colour. By the summer, the rivers are always a focal point, the edges planted with many varieties of damp loving iris, candelabra and other primulas, astilbe and other marginals providing colour from spring to autumn.

A red ‘Monet’ type bridge leads to an oriental inspired area with acers, camellia, a pagoda tree and bamboo forming part of the 1 acre woodland garden where, under mature indigenous trees you will find rhododendrons, magnolias, hydrangeas, viburnums, tree peonies and several more unusual shrubs and ornamental trees, together with damp, shade-loving plants including a collection of 80 (normally) exhibition standard hostas.

Another bridge leads to the wild garden with mostly native species, a damp meadow, where cowslips flower first, and a bog meadow to encourage the wildlife especially butterflies and birds.

New trees and shrubs have replaced those lost in the dry spell in 2019 and there is a new bed for 20 azalea and other new shrubs near the houses. During 2020 we added a new walkway linking the peninsulas, and created a new pond within the river for water lilies frogs and newts.

Although unlikely to be seen on busy open days, 65 species of bird and 13 species of butterfly have been seen in and over the garden, which is also home to the now endangered water vole (Water Rat in the book Wind in the Willows), frogs and toads.