Surrey Gardens

Tuesday 8 June: Drove off to Esher at dawn's crack in pouring rain to pick up Peter for our tour of Surrey gardens and houses created by Jekyll and Lutyens. The main attraction was Munstead Wood, star of Jekyll's Home and Garden. The famous 3 bedroomed 'hut' is now a private home sadly, but it was fascinating to see inside Munstead Wood - Like Vanessa Bell Jekyll was an adorner of her own dwellings, an amazing craftswoman. Wrought iron window and door latches; overmantel plasterwork, motherofpearls in lay on doors, a charmign wooden cellar door.

Woodlands rich in Rhododendrons and azaleas - and amazing Himalayan lilies.

White foxglove everywhere - nb put my seedlings out in the rose bed when they are sturdier
I have forgotten name of everywhere ground cover which I have a couple of roots of - perhaps epimedia? Will try it out under the gumtree.

Perhaps most stunning and interesting for ideas was The Quadrangle - once the working heart of the garden, with steps leading up to seed room and places for horses and carts behind - Jekyll acquired a lovely barn and had it put there. Gail a real plantswoman with lots of ideas to be copied.
Garland - a lovely climbing rose
Miss Willmott's Ghost - Erygnium - mad grey/white thistle - a must have plant; I have ordered two.
Epimedia [ I think] great ground cover in dry place
Chase up Golden Hop
Get lots of scented geraniums
Anemone Rose