0 2009-05-15T09:19:47-05:00 false A great start to the garden year, my garden has risen from the winter recession with only two fatalities, one down to Mother Nature and the other to my laziness. Gardens do look good at this time of year but I am quite fond of a bit of change and they do say that it is as good as a rest so I’ll just get on with it. Inspiration, that is what I needed and so I visited some of the gardens of Devon’s finest country houses. Magnificent Magnolia, Azalea and Rhododendron that would indeed swamp my own garden but the seed was germinating and a shrub that in the past that would not have featured very strongly was now a must have. Luckily my soil is acidic and so the Rhododendron should do well. Browsing the small garden shops of these country mansions can be very fruitful and I found three good plants, two small, expected to be 3-4 feet and one dwarf specimen that should go well with my new Hydrangea Lace cap’s, another new addition to my beds since finding some beautiful specimens tucked away in the garden of a house that once belonged to the D’Oyly Carte family, famous for their connection with Gilbert and Sullivan. Anyway let’s hope they do well together…my plants not Gilbert and Sullivan. 0 false 57633 false false false Entry 2009-05-14T18:00:00-05:00 DMY 60402 Public 2009-05-15T09:19:49-05:00 3560 Overcast 12 C