By now, it has become hard to tell where the bank
ends and the water begins, as flowers and foliage
jostle at the lakeside in tumbling profusion. At
every turn, on every path, there is a fresh
display of colour, an inspired combination of
species or an unusual variety to wonder at.This is the time to see
all eighty types of water lily in bloom and to
enjoy scented marginals like meadowsweet. The
many varieties of primula have already begun
flowering in March and will continue through to
July. From May it’s the turn of the numerous
members of the iris family, followed in June by
the astilbes, while half-hardy perennials, like
the garden's unusual varieties of lobelia,
continue blooming into autumn. And the shade of
waterside trees provides the perfect habitat for
many varieties of fern.
Lush greenery,
heady colours, the hum of bees, the sudden
splash, in the stillness, of fish leaping for
flies - the garden intoxicates with its abundance
of scents, sights and textures.
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As water lilies spread and lakeside
plants burgeon, the definitions of land
and water begin to blur.
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| The iris family
includes over 200 wild species,
as well as numerous hybrids. |
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The flowers of the
day lily last only for one day. |
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