What's going on in the Garden!
The Yew Garden
The yew hedges here were originally planted when the Yew Garden was re-designed by Ralph Dutton in 1939 and a marble Roman bath, Roman by design but probably 18th century, was sited in the recess to the north.
Over the years the yew has encroached over the bath, and the surrounding area, to an extent that mere clipping would not restore the original concept. The offending yews have therefore been removed and replaced. The Roman bath will also be cleaned and restored.
Their natural tendency to grow towards the light has meant that the yew hedges on either side have grown off centre and will need to be heavily pruned to restore the balance of the hedge.
The Autumn Border
Since it was last rejuvenated in the mid 1990s, around some of the original shrubs planted here by Ralph Dutton in the 1950s and 60s, parts of the Autumn Border had become infested with bind weed. The shrubs were past their best and a decision was taken to completely restore part of the border. Ralph Dutton originally intended this area to be planted with late flowering shrubs, hence its name, and this concept will be extended and the new planting will provide winter interest when much of the rest of the garden, by necessity, is closed.
The climbing roses will be replaced, probably with the same varieties, and more Clematis, which were once a feature of this east wall of the walled garden, will also be planted.