Veddw House Garden

 We left blue skies behind as we headed across the Severn Estuary Bridge and into Wales, seeking a garden that sits high in the hills above the beautiful Wye Valley. The weather had been predicted to be sunny with showers - how wrong that proved to be! The garden is only open to the public for eight afternoon visits per year so regardless of the weather reports we took a chance and went. We were early and parked nearby in the densely wooded forest surrounding the house and garden. We ate our lunch in the car to the drumming sounds of rain beating down on the rooftop. Once the rain stopped and the sun came out, the raindrops twinkled like fairy lights all across the forest. With a break in the weather we took the opportunity to walk along to the garden. 

As we wandered around the garden it rained, but that didn't matter; you see we loved the garden.

The garden is the co-creation of Anne Wareham, garden writer, and her husband Charles Hawes, photographer.

The red Valerians, zingy Euphorbias, and spiky blue grasses create an eye catching combination. 

The garden is about patterns, shapes, colours, drama, sculptural hedges and views.

It is also about history and acknowledgement of those people who have lived and worked here in the past, and about the landscape it sits in and belongs to. It is not so much about plants.  

Zebra grass - Miscanthus sinensis Zebrinus 

Anne and Charles are passionate about gardens, but not about gardening! Anne says "I do not go out weeding in my night clothes. I believe there is more to life than gardening, like reading good books and spending time with friends. So we tolerate weeds - indeed we actively encourage some plants popularly considered weeds".

How many people would consider painting a Welsh cottage black? But look! How brilliantly it works. It's a tour de force, perfectly blending both property and garden together.  

Martagon Lily - Lilium martagon 'Album' - Turk's Cap drenched in rain

These lilies can be found growing wild in parts of this area, and also in the Cotswolds near our home. We too have both the pink and white ones growing in our garden. I love them dearly but so does the naughty little Red Lily Beetle. Martagon lilies always evoke memories for me of seeing them for the first time years ago whilst walking in the Alps. 

Anne says "I am not a great plant collector - my aim is to have the plants play their part in the garden, not play at being prima donnas. But the plant knowledgeable will find some stars". 

Wandering around Veddw is like taking a magical mystery tour - what's around the corner or through the gap in the hedge?

The reflective black pool brings the sky down into the garden.

(and the rain too)

"There are just two of us, part time, with six hours a week help (weather permitting) maintaining the garden". 

"We need time to enjoy it and each other with a glass of wine".