Six from The Picton Garden

Dodging showers this afternoon, we took advantage of our Gardeners’ World 2 for 1 ticket and booked a visit to Old Court Nurseries and the Picton Garden near Malvern. We were lucky to get intermittent sunshine, a cool autumnal afternoon and the opportunity to stroll through the most amazingly colourful garden. I can only dream of making a garden as beautiful as Picton – painting by flowers at its best! My six this week will give you a flavour of its charms, but I’d certainly recommend a visit for an enjoyable autumn afternoon out…..

I love garden sculptures and these birds dipping and diving over a plethora of asters are no exception. The Picton garden extends to approximately 1.5 acres and is the showcase for the Plant Heritage National Collection of autumn flowering asters, many of which were bred at the nursery. Astonishingly, there are over 400 varieties!

Walking through the garden it was hard to believe we’re almost halfway through autumn – such stunning, clever use of colour and form to produce a long lasting display that is showing no sign of getting ready for winter. There is temptation at every turn; along winding paths, through archways and on towards bold and rangy planting combinations – a veritable feast for the eyes!

Onto the garden’s centrepiece – a patchwork quilt of autumn flowering asters – a showcase for the wide range of colour of these delightful daisies, mainly pastel but with the occasional ruby jewel.

The garden has several junctions opening out from its pathways, with stopping spaces and seating for contemplation. Grasses, perennials and dahlias complement the asters in sumptuous mature borders. From a practical point of view, access is straightforward as the paths are wide and well maintained.

Unexpectedly, a woodland walk emerges on the garden perimeter, but not surprisingly the leaves of the trees and shrubs filling the landscape are every shade of the autumn colour spectrum.

Last stop, the nursery and of course I didn’t leave with empty hands! I chose a jewel like aster with some height and I’ve just the spot for it! Happy planting…

Keep safe and well

For more SoS please visit its home at: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

12 thoughts on “Six from The Picton Garden”

  2. Prue Batten says:

    This is beautiful and has truly convinced me to look out for Asters. I would normally have by-passed them, but that Aster patchwork was breathtaking and to have such vigour well into autumn is amazing. Thank you for taking us with you.

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