Byways

We took a trip to see the garden at Byways at the beginning of the summer holidays – how the weeks have flown by! After months boiling temperatures and very little rain it seemed the weather had finally changed. Good news for gardeners but not if you planned to open your garden on that day!

We made our way into the garden via the side path. All along was an impressive line of fuchsias of various sizes and colours.

When presented with such a choice of fuchsias I always find it hard to pick out a favourite but this one with deep purple frilly corolla stood out.

The garden is divided into rooms with flower beds packed with flowers, shrubs and trees. There's plenty to draw in the bees with a range of different coloured echinaceas.

By dividing the garden into smaller spaces it's important to make sure that each area keeps to its own space. Japanese maples or acers provide the perfect answer as so many varieties grow only to a certain height. With stones around the trees it emphasises the difference in style and texture to the planting next to it.

Growing tomatoes in greenhouses can always be tricky. Too little water and the fruits won't grow but too much water and they can start to rot. With the high temperatures this year it could have been tempting to take the tomatoes out of the greenhouse but this can carry the risk of blight. These tomatoes have thrived and look set to be part of the perfect summer meal.

Another greenhouse was home to a selection of pelargoniums.

At the back of the garden is a large hedge that screens it off from next door. This provides a foliage backdrop for the deep flower bed. More echinaceas are mixed in with grasses.

The garden has received many awards including 'Best Container Garden'. It's not surprising when you see the quality and number of pots around the garden. They have 42 hostas with 18 of them miniatures (and counting!)

The only sign that the garden had been affected by the lack of rain was a yellow tinge to the lawn. The eye is drawn away though by beds cut out of the lawn and filled with structural planting. If this is what the garden looks like in extreme conditions think what it will be like in a normal British summer!

Byways, Chesterfield opens for the National Garden Scheme.