Smithy House

Smithy House is a new garden which has opened this year on behalf of the National Garden Scheme. It is situated in the village of Heath just off J29 of the M1. The village has many old buildings and much of the layout of the village hasn't changed since the 17^th century.

The garden takes in many features with woodland backing onto the farmland behind. A beach house overlooks a koi pond. A very cooling spot in this ever hot summer!

The heat has also made the hydrangeas flower much earlier this year. I recognised the white 'Annabelle' from ones I have seen at Renishaw Hall. The smaller pink variety next to it is 'Invincibelle Spirit'.

The herbaceous borders reminded me of the ones in the walled kitchen garden at Clumber Park. It was not the layout, as they border and follow round the lawn, but the colour theming. It starts with pinks and purples before going into blues.

On the other side of the bench there are bright whites.

The colour then flows into hot red and yellows and these blend into the foliage behind.

One of my favourite parts of any garden is always a vegetable patch. At the very end of the garden is a plot bigger than most allotments. There's plenty of manicured grass inbetween each filled bed. Crops are mixed in with each other so broad beans share the same bed as cabbages, beetroot and chard.

I was particularly taken by these very low growing black beans. I couldn't see what variety they were but I suspect they will probably turn to a deep green colour once cooked.

Directly behind the house is paved patio where summer bedding plants have followed on from the last of the late spring flowers.

We left the garden by walking up the gravel path bordered by lavender and flowering hostas and the bees busy going about their work.